GAC, can I write a letter?

[Jellifer]

I'm deaf but verbal. Travelling to Disney in September and I understand that I can only get a GAC when I'm physically in the park.

I have a pacemaker and I'm travelling with a wheelchair, I have the pacemaker because I randomly lose conciousness because my heart rate and blood pressure drop without warning. The pacemaker has helped a little but I still completely lose conciousness at least twice a week and I'm almost constantly dizzy. I take an experimental drug to keep me as low as 2 faints per week and a side effect of the drug is a UV allergy (I get a big purple rash in strong UV).

I also have myasthenia gravis which makes me weaken throughout the day. At the moment my eye muscles are weak and my vision is seriously affected (I see double and my VA is 6/12, it used to be 6/4). It might not be like this at Disney.

Because I'm deaf I speak like a deaf person with a Glasgow accent. I find it hard enough being understood at home and I'm not sure I could get an American assistant to understand me. I also find it excruciatingly embarrassing for others to discuss my conditions.

Would it be possible to write a letter for the CM to read instead of them trying to understand what I'm trying to say? I don't understand ASL at all as I use BSL so I can't even get an interpreter lol.

Also given the above how could Disney help? I'm planning on getting as much out of the trip as I can but if there's an area Disney can't help with then I want to be prepared.

Thanks for all the help. You guys are always fab when I ask questions.

 

[buffettgirl]

Absolutely write it out. Absolutely. When people talk about CM's not reading notes they mean Dr's notes. A note written by someone who is concerned that she won't be understood seems like a no-brainer. I"m sure there are more than a few non-verbal people who need assistance.

You'll have your wheelchair already so that solves one issue.

I'm not sure disney will be able to help with the UV issue as getting a GAC for the sun really would only cover waiting areas and most of those are already covered/shaded/inside. The rest of the time you're in the park there is very little shade to be had. So you'll be on your own there.

The first aid area is open and cool for resting when you need to rest. I'm not sure but perhaps a note brought over to first aid when you arrive in each park might alert them to the fact that you might need assistance. I'm assuming you'll have someone with you when you do lose consciousness? I'd work out before hand how you'll handle those types of situations - are they emergency situations? or are they simply a passing thing that you've learned to handle?

The things you might need are seating in the areas set aside for deaf and/or visual impairments and for those two things getting a GAC will be helpful as many times those areas are different from the wheelchair seating. Though would you be ale to leave your wheelchair to get to other seating? That's what you'll have to decide.

Someone in an earlier thread once mentioned taking a mental walk through the park and seeing what situations might arise and what things you might need. Then you'll know what you need to request assistance with.

Good luck.

 

[LockShockBarrel]

I hesitantly agree with this. I think you could write it out but you might want to have a pad of paper and pen with you in case the CM wants to ask any additional questions about what accomedations you need. They might say "I have no idea it was you that wrote this note, explain to me now why you need suchandsuch accomedation"

 

[Schmeck]

I'm deaf but verbal. Travelling to Disney in September and I understand that I can only get a GAC when I'm physically in the park.

I have a pacemaker and I'm travelling with a wheelchair, I have the pacemaker because I randomly lose conciousness because my heart rate and blood pressure drop without warning. The pacemaker has helped a little but I still completely lose conciousness at least twice a week and I'm almost constantly dizzy. I take an experimental drug to keep me as low as 2 faints per week and a side effect of the drug is a UV allergy (I get a big purple rash in strong UV).

I also have myasthenia gravis which makes me weaken throughout the day. At the moment my eye muscles are weak and my vision is seriously affected (I see double and my VA is 6/12, it used to be 6/4). It might not be like this at Disney.

Because I'm deaf I speak like a deaf person with a Glasgow accent. I find it hard enough being understood at home and I'm not sure I could get an American assistant to understand me. I also find it excruciatingly embarrassing for others to discuss my conditions.

Would it be possible to write a letter for the CM to read instead of them trying to understand what I'm trying to say? I don't understand ASL at all as I use BSL so I can't even get an interpreter lol.

Also given the above how could Disney help? I'm planning on getting as much out of the trip as I can but if there's an area Disney can't help with then I want to be prepared.

Thanks for all the help. You guys are always fab when I ask questions.

I hope you are travelling with a companion? "Randomly losing conciousness" on a WDW attraction when you are riding by yourself can be very dangerous! Perhaps the companion can also help explain what your needs are?

 

[Jellifer]

Yes I'm travelling with a group but I really detest people discussing me when I'm sat right there. I get treated like a child enough just for using a wheelchair without encouraging people to speak to my friend and not to me.

Anyway I know myself best so I'm the best person to ask about me, no point asking my friends, they could tell you that I wear medical ID, take loads of pills and if I faint leave me and don't try to make me eat or drink when I come round.

Most of my friends don't even know about my MG because I don't like to make a fuss and it's a relatively new diagnosis (we thought the double vision and VA probs were being caused by a head injury). I don't think they'd be comfortable discussing me anyway, they're used to me having my own voice and they certainly wouldn't speak for me here.

 

[SteveMouse]

I'd be more than a little concerned about (1) flying and (2) rides.

Airlines may be (understandably) concerned about passengers randomly passing out, and I would expect, regardless of whatever a traveling companion stated, the airline staff would respond to a passed-out passenger as an emergency situation and, potentially, an unscheduled landing and medical deboarding of the passenger (you) at the closest opportunity (possibly Maine, if flying from Europe).

Similarly, I would not be surprised that, if you were to lose conciousness in one of the parks or in public on Disney property, you would find that, when you regained consiousness, you were in a gurney in/on your way to a hospital.

Losing conciousness on a ride would be a Very Bad Thing. I would expect on rides like the JC or KS, the CM in the craft with you would go into their emergency response mode (which I expect in the former would be a launch coming alongside your boat or in the latter an unscheduled alteration of the tour. Perhaps more complicated would be the response in dark rides (they DO watch with cameras)- If your (unconcious) condition were observed, it would probably result in an emergency stop and you could be manually evacuated from the ride and transported to a medical facility.

I suggest, at a minimum, ensuring you, at all times, carry appropriate documentation, including proof of insurance.

-steve

 

[Talking Hands]

Jellifer, writing notes is a common way for deaf people to communicate with deaf. Writing a note to give to guest services should not be a problem. They will want to know what is needed to make your stay as easy as possible. Your actual medical issues aren't not what they need but how they can accommodate the needs you have.

 

[Jellifer]

I'd be more than a little concerned about (1) flying and (2) rides.

Airlines may be (understandably) concerned about passengers randomly passing out, and I would expect, regardless of whatever a traveling companion stated, the airline staff would respond to a passed-out passenger as an emergency situation and, potentially, an unscheduled landing and medical deboarding of the passenger (you) at the closest opportunity (possibly Maine, if flying from Europe).

Similarly, I would not be surprised that, if you were to lose conciousness in one of the parks or in public on Disney property, you would find that, when you regained consiousness, you were in a gurney in/on your way to a hospital.

Losing conciousness on a ride would be a Very Bad Thing. I would expect on rides like the JC or KS, the CM in the craft with you would go into their emergency response mode (which I expect in the former would be a launch coming alongside your boat or in the latter an unscheduled alteration of the tour. Perhaps more complicated would be the response in dark rides (they DO watch with cameras)- If your (unconcious) condition were observed, it would probably result in an emergency stop and you could be manually evacuated from the ride and transported to a medical facility.

I suggest, at a minimum, ensuring you, at all times, carry appropriate documentation, including proof of insurance.

-steve

Randomly losing conciousness is pretty much the same as epilepsy but the seizures don't come from brain activity, they come from heart activity.

I won't be deboarded if I collapse on flight, I already discussed this with the airline and it is not a medical emergency. I fly several times a year with work and it's never been a problem. As to rides I won't go on any that have a heart warning, that's pretty much all I can do there and if I come round in a hospital then that's just where that day went. I have awesome travel insurance.

I don't think the Disney CMs will be too perturbed at someone fainting anyway, they must get people collapsing in the heat all the time. What happens with me isn't much different.

 

[ladyjubilee]

I do think some accomodation can be made for the UV sensitivity. While its true that a lot of attractions have shade, not all of the attractions have shade--or even shade at the normal "alternate entrance." So I would be sure to discuss that need with GAC.

Also, WDW does hearing impaired staff that communicate with guests via notepad, so I think they should be familiar with that form of communication.

The Glasgow accent, well, at least its easier to understand than the Borders!

 

[MegRose1107]

Jellifer- First off, I hope you have an amazing time at WDW when you go! With you passing out as much as you do, I would suggest carrying a doctors note and/or a notarized letter saying that if you do pass out, that you don't want to be treated medically. If you were to pass out on a ride or such, the CM will have to call the medics because they won't know if you passed out because of heat, or if something worse has happened. If one of your friends holds on to the letter and doctor note for you, they would be able to present that to the medics when they come to help you to show that this is a normal thing and that you wish not to be taken to the hospital. The CM's might see people collapsing in the heat everyday, but they don't know that fainting for you is a normal thing because of your condition.

 

[disney david]

Jellifer- First off, I hope you have an amazing time at WDW when you go! With you passing out as much as you do, I would suggest carrying a doctors note and/or a notarized letter saying that if you do pass out, that you don't want to be treated medically. If you were to pass out on a ride or such, the CM will have to call the medics because they won't know if you passed out because of heat, or if something worse has happened. If one of your friends holds on to the letter and doctor note for you, they would be able to present that to the medics when they come to help you to show that this is a normal thing and that you wish not to be taken to the hospital. The CM's might see people collapsing in the heat everyday, but they don't know that fainting for you is a normal thing because of your condition.

All you would have ti do is tell them you don't want To go to the hospital. You can have a note but you would still have to sign a release from the medics releasing them from getting in trouble later if for some reason it get worse. They have a signed form saying you refused to go to the hospital hat the only real way of not having to go to the hospital. If your still passed out or in bad shape they my take you to he in the safe side to make sure your okay.


You think you could get a medical alert bracelet that states your medical condition they would look at that I your by your self.

 

[Jellifer]

Thanks guys, I wear a Medicalert all the time, it's the only jewellery that I wear so no one can miss it.