Help leave in 12 days.

[james'mommy]

I leave in 12 days and I was just diagnosed with reactive arthritis. It's a temporary thing that basically caused my joints to develop temporary arthritis as a reaction to a virus I had a few weeks ago. I had a flu like think for 2 days a few weeks ago. Aches, fever etc. So all my joints started bothering me a week ago. The worst is my knees. They feel like someone took a baseball bat to them. The DR gave me pred and said it should go away in a few weeks. Cause we are going to WDW soon I asked him to give me cortisone shots in my knees. He said I was the first patient he ever had volunteer for cortisone shots. But I took one for the team since we are leaving soon. My problem is that if my knees aren't much better between now and then (right now I can't even get up off the floor it I bend at the knees or sit on the floor) should I get a ecv and maybe a GAC? I won't be able to stand for long period of time if things don't improve drastically. Would I even qualify for a GAC? TIA.

Plus this thing causes some weird thing that makes my eyes feel like someone is sticking an ice pick in them. Luckily it is usalyy only 1 eye at a time.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Hi and to disABILITIES!

First thing is that you are probably better off renting an ECV for the entire trip from an off-site location.

Once you have an ECV (or wheelchair) you will not need a Guest Assistance Card unless you have other problems which are not resolved by using the wheelchair or ECV.

I would suggest you click on where it says "disABILTIES" at the top of this page it will take you to the Index. One of the top items is the "disABILTIES FAQ" which will gives lots of useful information. Posts 2, 4 or 5, and 6 should be especially useful for you.

Or, if you want an easier route, click on the link in my signature.

 

[james'mommy]

We are only going to be there for 4 days and maybe in the parks for 3 days. Are all of the lines ECV accessible? I can barely drive my car under the best of circumstances so I'm not sure how I could navigate some of the lines like buzz or potc. Where would you recommend I rent an off site ecv? I'm clueless when it comes to this stuff.

 

[james'mommy]

Okay so the cortisone shots didn't do any good. I spent the whole walk up the stairs tonight hollerin "sweet mother of pearl" Had to edit my words around DS5. Not really thinking I'm gonna be park worthy in 12 days. And I didn't spend all that money to sit around in the jacuzzi.

 

[toocherie]

definitely get an ECV. There are threads on this board with the names of companies that other Dis-ers have used. Best wishes--I hope you are able to enjoy your trip!

 

[james'mommy]

DH doesn't seem real receptive to the ecv thing but it's not his kness that are aching so he's just gonna have to deal. Wanna bet I catch him playing with it?

 

[zumbergc]

definitely rent off-site, you'll have the scooter back at the resort. This way its easy to move around resort, and don't have to worry about the long way to the bus stops, and resort, and bus stops and the entrance where the scooter rental is.

Don't worry about your husband. You will be happier if you are pain free, and you will be less grumpy. If your having problems at home, things won't get easier at the parks, with tons of walking, standing.

Just follow the signs, and ask the CMs at the beginning of the ride, anything special you need to know. MK has a few exceptions, since its so old, other parks more straight forward hit the main entrance, and follow the line.

Have a great trip motering around. Practice back at the resort. Things to practice, parallel parking, backing up, turning corners.
Don't forget there is a knob which controls the speed of the scooter. Turtle (slow) and rabbit (fast). So, when your in clear area, not people around, you can move faster more of rabbit pace. When your in a store, in a line that is really pokey slow, turn it to turtle. When parking on the bus, or in an attraction space, turn it to slow. Something else to remember. When you push the handle, if you want to go slow, don't depress the handle all the way. When your trying to make a tight turn, only slightly press the lever, to turn in a small space.

 

[SueM in MN]

The ECVs from the off-site places are smaller and easier to manouver, so that is the way to go.
Look at the park maps because they have an icon that tells you what to do with an ECV in line. If there is a little picture of a wheelchair, that line is wheelchair accessible - if there is something different about boarding or you need to avoid stairs in the line, the CM will direct you. As you get to the boarding area for places like Buzz Lightyear or Imagination, look for a gate with a wheelchair symbol just before the boarding area. That will be the way to bypass the regular boarding area. Usually there is a CM somewhere near that area.
If the symbol on the map is a person getting out of the wheelchair and standing up, that means you can keep the ECV in line, but will need to get out and transfer to a ride car.
If the symbol shows a person getting out of the ECV and going to a wheelchair, that means the line is not accessible to ECVs, but you can transfer to one of wheelchairs at the ride queue entrance.

There is also a Guidebook for Guests with Disabilities for each park. There is a link to the text of the Guidebooks in post #3 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread. You can also pick up a copy at the parks.

 

[mechurchlady]

hugs

DH has three choices:
1. His wife is in pain and slows everyone down but no wheelchair or ECV.
2. He pushes the wife in the wheelchair and wears himself out. Trust me being the chair pusher on level ground in a mall is tiring let alone a whole day. Then there is the stress of not running over people who dart in front of you.
3. ECV and nobody suffers. Also the ECV has a basket for carrying cameras, brochures, clothing, and water bottles. Me lazy and me not like carrying all that stuff.

Good luck on the trip and read FAQS. There is a WDW guidebook link there that tells you what is asseccible (spelliing?).

 

[LynetteLyn]

We leave in 12 days for WDW, been to DL many times, never to FL. My son is a bit old for it (18), but took me a while to save up for the trip I really wanted. I came down with arthritis when I was 6, it has wrecked havoc on my body, but I try to not let it stop me too much. I have my own scooter, and that makes life much more bareable! Those joint injections, I would never ask for one unless I was ready to go crazy with pain, they hurt so bad! But do they ever help! Hope you enjoy your trip! Maybe we'll corss paths!

 

[james'mommy]

feeling so much better. even able to work out at gym with my normal routine (cept I pulled a butt muscle). last day of steriods. hoping that disney doesn't make it flare up but I can always get an ecv in the parks if it does.