In Need Of Guidance (Wheelchair)

[Cheshire Figment]

Please ask the following questions. Here are the suggested answers to go with them.

1. Are you disabled (even temporarily)? Yes.

2. Do the people you are travelling with, such as your family, know you are disabled? Yes.

3. Do you expect to meet anyone you know during this trip who may not know you are disabled. Probably No!

4. Do you expect to meet a bunch of people who you will probably never meet again in your life? Probably yes!

5. Is there any reason at all that you should care what these people think about you? Absolutely No!!

6. Will using a wheelchair or ECV make for a better vacation for you and your family? Absolutely YES!

 

[Amirah95]

Please ask the following questions. Here are the suggested answers to go with them.

1. Are you disabled (even temporarily)? Yes.

2. Do the people you are travelling with, such as your family, know you are disabled? Yes.

3. Do you expect to meet anyone you know during this trip who may not know you are disabled. Probably No!

4. Do you expect to meet a bunch of people who you will probably never meet again in your life? Probably yes!

5. Is there any reason at all that you should care what these people think about you? Absolutely No!!

6. Will using a wheelchair or ECV make for a better vacation for you and your family? Absolutely YES!

I read these to him and yes, he's a log . He did express that I am right and that he will think about it. So, I'm thinking it's a yes right now, then, I don't know. I have to keep working him.

He really doesn't care what others think about him, instead he sees himself as a "potential burden" on the rest of the family and when you got someone thinking like that it's hard to get them out of that mind state. I can't explain it well, but I hope you understand what I'm trying to say.

 

[LindsayDunn228]

I'm a little confused. Are you saying your husband wants a wheelchair and that he doesn't want any help? If he truly feels that way, why force him to get an ECV? Sounds like it's his decision to make, not yours. Maybe I missed something.

ETA: I totally missed your last post. My bad. Sorry about that!

 

[shovan]

I read these to him and yes, he's a log . He did express that I am right and that he will think about it. So, I'm thinking it's a yes right now, then, I don't know. I have to keep working him.

He really doesn't care what others think about him, instead he sees himself as a "potential burden" on the rest of the family and when you got someone thinking like that it's hard to get them out of that mind state. I can't explain it well, but I hope you understand what I'm trying to say.

Maybe he'd consider using one towards the end of the trip, when his feet start giving him trouble. I sure can understand his hesitancy to use an ECV, it sounds like you will need all the help you can get with the kids!

It really is not a problem using one to get around WDW & if he starts having foot problems he'll be happy to have it! Good Luck!

 

[Amirah95]

I'm a little confused. Are you saying your husband wants a wheelchair and that he doesn't want any help? If he truly feels that way, why force him to get an ECV? Sounds like it's his decision to make, not yours. Maybe I missed something.

ETA: I totally missed your last post. My bad. Sorry about that!

No, that's not what I'm saying. The point is getting him to get a chair, but he thinks it would be too much trouble for the family if he's in one.

My last response was commenting toward the other posts. Sorry you got confused.

 

[LindsayDunn228]

No, that's not what I'm saying. The point is getting him to get a chair, but he thinks it would be too much trouble for the family if he's in one.

My last response was commenting toward the other posts. Sorry you got confused.

Read my edit, please.

 

[StephPf]

I highly recommend the "electric scooter". My dh had a bad car accident last fall. He was in a wheel chair for several months and both he and I got sore from pushing ... I even got blisters on my HANDS after on particularly trying day in a downtown, not WC-friendly area ... and at first he wasn't much help because one hand was in a cast and he had a broken sternum, preventing and too much shoulder movement caused pain.

He's walking now, but but not quicky and he fatigues easily. We were at Disneyland (Calif) earlier this week. After lots of talk, and me doing things that forced him to take "test walks" (like dropping him at 4-5 blocks from his office, or taking him shopping in downtown Boston rather than a suburban mall) he very reluctantly arranged to rent an ECV. It was waiting at our hotel when we arrived. After our first HOUR in the park, he couldn't praise it enough. It was the best thing we could have done.

And like your dh ... he IS ambulatory, so he could 'park it' and get on and off rides ... or one time we parked it near a train station, took the train to a 'smallish' area of the park (New Orleans Square), did the attractions there, had a snack and took the train back to where we left the scooter. If he had to walk all that, he wouldn't have made it and I would have been left w/ 2 very frustrated children who were excited to be there and would have had to repeatedly wait for Dad.

Print off this thread and few others (I answered another similar one started by a woman who's bf is reluctant to use a chair/scooter) and see if you can get him to read them. He may just see how easy it can make things.

I know for my dh, it was a very difficult decision. (((hugs))) and good luck to you both as he makes this decision.

As far as 'traffic' ... we had no problems in California, but it was considered 'off peak' and the short attraction waits confirmed that ... I always thought that October was not 'peak' in Florida? Is that true?

 

[StephPf]

Here's the other thread that may help convince your dh to rent some sort of 'personal transportation'. http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1425262