Hello Again and Need Advice Again

[TheHendrixFamily]

Hello Again to everyone on this great board. All of you helped me alot when I was planning our 6/00 trip to the world and all went perfectly. As of today Joshua (12 y/o) has been free from an arthritis flareup for over a year.

We have a new trip in the planning stage but a new medical problem. I recieved a moderate head injury 3 months ago and have lost low pitch hearing in my left ear. This has also caused me to have a balance problem (I run into/ fall into a lot of things). I also lost periphial vision on the left side which doesn't help either.

So any advice on how to handle WDW with three very active kids and not have to slow them down to much because of my needs.

Thanks to everyone for all the help in the past, present and future.

Also I saw the best thing on the spare wheel cover on a wheelchair ramp equipped van.
THE ONLY REAL DISABILITY IS A BAD ATTITUDE

 

[Tiiiigergirl]

OK here goes. As a post closed TBI survivor of almost 14 years now I'll do what I can to help. I did not lose my balance with mine but ironically have since due to another condition. If you can go in the off season. I would not consider a visit to the World during a busy time. If you can still drive one then do the ECV. That will leave the other adult (do you have another adult going with you?) in your party free to run after the little nose miners, munchkins, rug rats etc. I didn't lose my peripheral vision but have lost some depth perception. (Please do not leave your cupboard doors open. I think I kept making my head worse because I kept bonking it. LOL. I still can't cook with my mother.)

In terms of not slowing down the kids that may be another story. My other disability is an autoimmune disorder that has left me mobility impaired. I guess the hard truth is that sometimes I do slow down my family but I've learned that if we keep everyone's expectations in line with reality we can have our own good time. We just move at a different speed. Your kids my see things that they wouldn't get to if they were traveling at warp speed.

It's getting late and I have to be at work tomorrow so if I think of anything else I'll post it. Feel free to ask any specific questions.

 

[teri]

I remember!!! I am glad that Joshua's arthritis has settled down. Sorry about the other problems you are facing right now. {{{hugs}}}

Check the FAQ - click the link in my signature - for information about the GAC and pacing. Have you considered an ECV?

 

[SueM in MN]

I'm glad to hear you are making another trip to WDW and the good news about Josua, but very sad to hear about your own problems.
I like that slogan you saw. Thanks for sharing it.

Anyway, besides the good advice the others gave, I suggest you sit down and explain to the kids that you need their help to make this trip possible. Get their suggestion on how they can help. Maybe the younger kids will help by agreeing to not run ahead. Maybe the older one can help by watching things that you might miss on your left side. They are more likely to be cooperative and keep themselves from getting too wild if they have a reason and a purpose. They may actually surprise you and come up with some really helpful suggestions that you would not think of yourself. We look on it the same as other family duties (like doing dishes and making beds); these are things everyone one in the family does to help the family do something we want to do.
If they understand the reason you can't do a certain activity is because of the balance problem, they are more likely to accept it and less likely to whine. We have been going to WDW since our shildren were one and 4. The younger one uses a wheelchair and since it takes two to get her out of it (a wheelchair wrangler and a lifter), having a cooperative older child was vital. When she was little, our older DD's job often was to hold onto the back of the wheelchair while we got younger DD out. It really didn't serve a purpose (except to keep her in one place), but she thought it was an important job to be help us out. She was very serious about it and we didn't have to worry about her running ahead onto the ride because she had her job to do. She didn't mind any of the "jobs" they were just part of what our family needed to do as a family for all of us to enjoy WDW. Now that she is an adult, she is very perceptive about what she can do in a situation to help someone out (a very nice young lady, if I'm allowed to brag a little).

You may not be able to see/go on everything that your whole group wants to. Try to have each child come up with several rides/attractions on their "request list" of things to do. If they know that their top request will be met at some time during the trip, that will help them be more patient.

 

[TheHendrixFamily]

Thanks everyone. I had not even considered an ECV but now I will.

This trip will be me-33y/o
dh-34y/o
dd-16y/o add/bi-polar(is it possible to hide for the remaining teen years)
ds-12y/o jra(in remission)/add
ds-10y/o adhd/odd

Tiiiiggergirl, I know what you mean by keep hitting your head and making it worse(LOL). They keep teasing me at work about needing a helmet before I kill all my brain cells. Its to the point my husband keeps saying "I hope they don't think I'm beating you" cause my arms and legs are always covered with bruises.

I think my biggest problem is not going on my biggest love-ROLLERCOASTERS. I tryed the one at Dollywood(30 min. from home) and DH had to help me off cause I could not stand on my own afterwards.

Thanks everyone for all the good advice. {{{{{{{hugs and pixiedust}}}}}}}