love my dr but the misconceptions abound!

[KPeveler]

I love my doctor. She just told me (and wrote a note saying it) that I have to use a wheelchair from the start at Disney World, and not to walk any more than necessary. this is what i thought, but my family still sees me as a child (i am 22, so still young!) but they will listen to a doctor. so i love my GP!

however, she said that I will get head of line privilege at all rides and shows! now, i am not going to argue, since I love my dr and don't want to annoy her (since she is the first person to listen to me in years!), but i know that is not true.

i think i am going to write her a letter when i get back from WDW explaining what it is really like there...

which gave me an idea - do you think we should come up with a letter to give drs that explains that you do not get head of line privilege, and the services that are available? Just a short one-page thing with a brief description of the resources available (first aid, GAC, etc). NOT what to put in a letter to get a person a GAC or head-of-line, but just what the GAC is and different ways it can help (sun sensitivity, etc)...

i was thinking if we all created one here we could all give input on wording and experiences, we can give it to our drs and therapists and nurses and whoever else will benefit from it. that way people like me are not given false information (not maliciously, but there is no good source of information for doctors)... my dr is great but she is not going to randomly start searching the web for disney information all by herself - she has enough to do...

ok, i have rambled long enough...what do people think?

 

[Mickiethepooh]

Why did you need a dr note, for your Family? You certainly don't need one for Disney in fact they usually will not look at it, since they are not really suppose to.
As to how things are, they are variable with each person and one person's experience may not be the next persons. That being said It is not a Dr.s place to give advice about Disney in regard to what you will or won't get there. Only in giving you advice on what you Need to do for yourself. as you say your Dr. has told you to use the wheelchair as much as possible there, that is for your information, not the parks etc.

I don't wish to dampen your enthusiasm but I don't feel that if we did produce such a document that phyicians would or should use it with other patients they may talk with.

I know what you mean about a Dr who listens though they are a pearl beyond price.

 

[KPeveler]

I did not mean a letter about what works for people, like wheelchair advice. I more meant something that was worded in a clear, non-confrontational manner, that says that you do NOT get head of line privilege if you use a wheelchair, and maybe a 1-2 sentance description about what a GAC is. basically a cliffnotes version of access at disney. i dont want my dr telling people they get to skip lines when they don't. i know a lot of other people have this problem, and i guess i was looking for input in info to give drs, without basically saying "no, you're wrong!"

my family and i have a very long history of communication issues, and I know i don't need a note for them. however, we have had several members of our family use illness as an emotional crutch and "give up" once they used wheelchairs (i know not everyone does, but some people i know have)... also using a wheelchair in daily life would be easier for me (less pain, no random subluxations), but in the long run it would be bad for my health... so i think that my family is just concerned that i will take the "easy way" out and end up doing damage in the long run... (and yes, i know being in a wheelchair is not easy, but it would be easier to use a chair much more often rather than deal with my problems with walking). also, i like having a dr's advice on what i should do about medical things.... i just didn't know she was going to feel so strongly about my using a chair rather than walking at disney!

so i was just looking for constructive advice about what to tell drs who have patients going to disney. obviously they dont need to give unsolicited advice, but for people like me who ask, if she had known about the GAC, i bet she would have told me to call and ask about it...

 

[PrincessWendyBird]

OK, I'll add a little something here. I have spoken with my doctor several times about WDW and what a great place it is for someone in a wheelchair, like myself. He has never been to Walt Disney World, so he was completely unaware of what things are like there. I've talked about how accessible things are and how easy it is to rest when staying on-site. We've also discussed Disney's willingness to work with us on certain dietary restrictions/reccomendations. He was pleasantly surprised and has used this information to help other patients who have been fearful of travel due to mobility restrictions.

If I were you, when you return from your trip and see your physician again, explain how Disney has really worked to create accessible queue lines. You can explain your personal experience in a way that will let your doctor know it's not a "jump to the head of the line" pass without having to try and confront her misconceptions. Just an idea.

Oh, and enjoy your trip and use the wheelchair. Better to use the wheelchair than to be exhausted or in pain for your trip!

 

[RNMOM]

Personally I don't think it really matters that the doctor is not aware. I feel you should perhaps mention that they do a lot to help but not head of the line just so she doesn't tell anyone that and they end up getting upset about it. Other than that I think she has enough information coming at her all the time and it really isn't a priority that she know that. You might mention there is a lot of disability info on the net and at Disney's website as well if people need that help. She might want to pass that on to others.

A letter might make her feel she did something wrong or insulting to you....you never know how others will take a simple letter.

 

[KPeveler]

i dont want to really instruct her, but i have never done dsney with a disability, and i dont want to tell her something wrong! also, there are 12 drs and more than 20 nurses, so i thought a note may be easier to pass around...

i mostly just don't want to give the wrong information....

 

[Michigan]

Sorry but I'm still confused why did the doctor give you a note?

 

[KPeveler]

actually, i am not quite sure... honestly i wanted to know if she thought I should walk as much as i could, or if i should start the day in a wheelchair...she said that she doesnt even want me waiting in line. i think she wrote the note for the nurse, so the nurse knew what to tell me, but they offered to give me a copy of the note in the event i needed it. i think she thought i would need it for disney, but i am not sure...