Need advice,injured knee, should I cancel trip?

[talulabelle]

Hi all, I've read through the FAQ's sticky about Disney with a disability...but I am still trying to decide what to do. I need advice.

I booked a trip to WDW for the end of July. We were really looking forward to this as we haven't been in 4 years. My DS16 fully tore his ACL a month ago. He needs full reconstructive knee surgery. This happened just as he was about to leave on a trip to study abroad for 2 months, so the surgeon said we could delay the surgery until he returns. (He is hobbling around on a knee brace, but no longer needs crutches right now). The doctor also said that it would be ok, to squeeze in our family summer vacation right after he returns and then he would do the surgery as soon as we come back.

Dh wants to cancel the Disney trip. He says that there is no way ds can handle the walking (true, but I figured we would just rent a wheelchair). He is also concerned about how much enjoyment my ds would get out of sitting in lines all day with us, yet not being able to do some rides. Since it is end of July, we were planning on spending a good amount of time in the waterparks, and we know there is little he could do there except for the lazy river. dh doesn't want ot paythe money, if ds cant get the full experience. He would rather do this trip when dh is clear to do everything. (you hsould also know that DH is NOT a Disney fan at all - espesically in the summer - (this is why I can only tak him into it about every 4-5 years) and I think was way to happy to have any excuse to cancel the trip.

We definately need a vacation, we haven't taken one in a while, and it will be some time before we can take one again. My feeling is that he is going to have limitations wehre ever we go, even the beach (which he doesn't enjoy that much anyway) so we should go, put him in a wheelchair, and make the most of it. Altough ds wont be able to have the same experience he would have had, I feel as though -at least he would still be able to go, and any vacation is still going ot have it's limitations for him. I don't kow when we will ever be able to go back again.

DS16 doesn't seem to have an opinion. He isn't a huge disney fan, but does enjoy it. He is willing to make it work, but won't be too upset if we don't go. The rest of our kids were really looking forward to it and will be very disappointed if we cancel.

So can any one give me advice on what to do? Do you think ds will still be able to enjoy the trip? Should we wait?

 

[JennyDrake]

I don't have an answer for you but I will just throw out these few points--YMMV--other than water parks and Swiss Family Treehouse, your son should be able to do about everything. OTOH, Wheelchairs are hot and sticky to sit in with minimal ventilation. If go that route, be sure to take towels to sit upon. Also, I would really, really consider an ECV for him (Apple Scooter) instead.

 

[ToddyLu]

I tore my right ACL and LCA in a car accident at age 20..That was 23 years ago. It was reconstructed and then 6 months later I tripped and tore the LCA again and finished tearing the PCL (which they do not fix). It was reconstructed a second time and the rest is history. I would have jumped on a scooter and gone to WDW if that was on the plan back then. I think with careful considerations and my Mom hounding me about staying off my knee I would have had a great trip.

Tell your son I empathize with him. With the modern techniques they have today I am sure he will have an excellent recovery. My knee gets me around WDW today just fine . Rent the scooter and have a blast--I was in 2 weddings on crutches and would have died if I knew my parents had to cancel a trip. Take it slow and he will have a great time in the pool.

Sending Pixie Dust to all of you!!

 

[SueM in MN]

I don't have an answer for you but I will just throw out these few points--YMMV--other than water parks and Swiss Family Treehouse, your son should be able to do about everything. OTOH, Wheelchairs are hot and sticky to sit in with minimal ventilation. If go that route, be sure to take towels to sit upon. Also, I would really, really consider an ECV for him (Apple Scooter) instead.

Since he is only 16, most of the companies would not let the family rent an ECV for him to drive. Most of them have a minimum age of 18 for the person driving. Randy's will sometimes make an exception for older teens, but it is on a case by case basis because they actually come out to meet the teen.

He will at least need a wheelchair because the distances will be too far for him to hobble. There ate plenty of things - mostly shows, but some rides too - that can be done without ever leaving the wheelchair.
Other things to think about:

1) there is a list of rides with warnings in a post on page 2 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread (not sure how far you got reading in that thread). You will want to discuss those with his doctor to see which he can ride and which he needs to skip.

2) on page 2 of the FAQs thread, there is also information getting on rides - the type of transfer and how big a step. There will be some he can get on with no problem, but others might be very difficult, especially as probably won't be able to put his full weight on the injured leg to step into/onto some.

3) you already know that you planned to do the water parks a lot, which won't have a lot he can do.

4) how does he feel about having to skip things that the rest of the family can/will do.

I would weigh all those things to decide whether to go or not.
It may be that the things he can't do or would have a hard time doing are not that important to him. He may not care if his siblings go on things he can't.
If that's the case, I'd say, go for it.

But, if you have concerns that he will be able to do so little or be so unhappy to miss things the rest of the family will be on, that would weigh more toward not going.

 

[jdb in AZ]

One other consideration -- who's going to be pushing the wheelchair? The parks aren't quite as flat as they seem, and pushing does get tiring in the heat. If your DH is pushing, will that make him dislike WDW even more?

Does your son's school have a fall break? Just wondering if that would be more convenient and cooler.

 

[Bete]

I do see both sides. The most important factor has to be your son's safety. You sure do not want to injure him any more than he already is.

Will your 16 year old enjoy doing more passive activities like seeing shows instead of thrill rides? Not sure about the ages of the others, but if everyone is going on thrill rides and your son is left behind too much then I don't think it's fair to take the trip, now. You said it yourself that he's not really that disappointed not to go.

Using and pushing a wheelchair is not so much fun for the pusher. In hot July weather it could be an issue for the pusher. The wheelchair helps, but it still won't get your son on thrill rides.

You could think about buying a scooter. There are some out there for $600 or so brand new. This could probably help him post surgery, too. When you consider the rental prices of scooters it's not so bad to get your own and own one. If you own it you don't have to comply with the over 18 years old rule.

My hubby could pass on Disney World; so, I try very hard to please him there. He will tolerate it that way.

Keep in mind you have your 45 day mark coming up on cancelling your trip without penalty.

Personally, I think I would pass on the trip and hope for another time. I would never forgive myself if something worse happened to your son. He could get carried away and harm himself some way. I don't think it's worth the risk. Also, it's an extra strain on everyone and that could put everyone over the top and you could have a miserable trip. This all sounds like you could have argument after argument under the circumstances.

Try thinking about alternative vacations.

 

[talulabelle]

oh, i hadnt thought about him having to be 18 to rent a scooter - and i dont think i can financially justify buying one...i dont think dh or i would mind pushing the wheel chair however i didn't mention that our youngest ds is 1yeasr old and will be in a stroller that needs to be pushed. This could be a bit much with us both pushing and trying to keep our other three together too. i'm just think of the crowds leaving the parks -I know it could be a pain. The water parks are the only things my husband likes about disney in the summer.

We do have a 4 day break in the fall, but he will be 1 1/2 months out of the surgery and in PT. I don't know how much he will be able to do then.

i guess i feel like the safe thing to do is cancel...but it is just so hard. I have 3 other little faces looking at me begging me not to. arhhgg.

 

[Dismom55]

Ponder this, put the injured son in the Wheel chair and the 1 yr old on his lap, he will still be able to get up from the chair to do the rides, you will not have to stand in the lines as you will use the wheelchair entrance and I would take a small stroller for the baby when it become necessary for the baby to be in the stroller.

My son injured his ankle one week before one of our trips, while his situation was totally different, our doctor told him to use crutches and my son being the son he is, he put on the brace and never used the crutches at all.

I personally would not cancel, but that is me and I would figure out a way to make it work and talk to the 16 yr old and take his feelings into consideration as to what he feels comfortable with. What does he WANT to do and what is in your budget to do. He does have some healing time and what does the doctor say.

We also had to push my aged mother in a wheelchair in 09, while hard and not as much fun as without, it was not fatal and it was horrible hot, we just had to take our time and reconcile ourselves to the fact that we would not get as much done, but we would get more done with the wheelchair than the snail pace walking my mother suddenly adopted once at WDW.

Hard decision, wishing you all the best on a decision that must be a real hard one to make. Good luck.

 

[canopynut66]

get him a ECV and then no one has to push him and you will enter wait lines and rides with everyone else (is some) that take you in the side door but thank goodness they about got them where we on EVC get to enjoy it all. I use walkers mobility and order before I leave home and it is waiting when get to the resort so have to get from the room to buses and on and off and in the parks as I have MS. and staying home not option for me.. have to learn how to park them on the bus but only takes a couple of times to learn that. and KEEP in mind people watching you have no idea how to park one either so just do your thing. pushing a wheelchair around Disney is very hard on the pushees back...and your entiled to a vacation as well as any able bodied person

 

[SueM in MN]

Just wanted to point out several things -

Most of the rental companies will not rent an ECV to be used by anyone under 18 yrs old. (Randy's is the only company I know of that sometimes does, although there might be others. I know the parks and most of those listed in the FAQs thread do not).

Most lines have been widened to allow guests using wheelchairs and ECVs to wait in the same line with everyone else. So, very few wheelchair entrances where you are not waiting in the regular line for the majority of the time.

 

[bankgirl05]

I am sorry your son is hurt. I hope his surgery and subsequent PT goes well!!!

Last November we went to WDW during my extremely long recovery from hip surgery. We rented an ECV and while this made things easier, it was not the "miraculous solution". Since I was still only weight bearing w/cane, I still had to climb on and off rides very gingerly, plus some "lower rides" like Small World, Pirates, and Space Mountain etc. required me to take a very awkward step down to board, and then up to get off, and also required bending more than I was comfortable.

I am not certain if your son will be required to wear a leg brace that stabilizes his knee and does not allow much flexion, if he is, MANY of the rides will not be comfortable.

Also important to mention: the overcrowded buses at nights end(can't imagine standing on one of those for him) Finding a seat may be difficult, and then if he has a flexion problem even more so. Several times on our trip, I had people "fall into" me or allow thier children to "bounce around" practically on top of me at risk of great pain and more injury.

Needless to say, if I had this knowledge beforehand, I would have cancelled my trip.

Good luck, and speedy recovery to your son!!!

 

[subtchr]

Is there any chance he will be fine to walk around by the end of July?

Here is the reason I point this out - I had a complete tear of an ACL playing softball about 10 years ago. Although it was very painful for a few weeks afterward, within a month I could walk without pain, at least straightforward walking, being careful not to put any "torque" on it. And even when I inadvertently did that, it was not really painful, just "gave out" on me somewhat.

What the doc told me was that at my age (I was mid-40s at the time), many people do not even repair a torn ACL. The only reason I had the surgery was because I participate in activities that require twisting and otherwise putting a demand on the knee, like softball, skiing, reffing soccer, and the like. He said that once the initial inflammation is reduced, no reduction in everyday activities is required.

In fact, he would not schedule the surgery until I had spent a couple of months building up my hamstring muscles, which I did by biking with toe clips. This was particularly because of my age, to ensure that rehab would be effective.

Anyway, there is a possibility that since WDW does not require running or other such actions, he might be fine even without a wheelchair. Of course I don't know about his particular injury, but as I said, I had a complete tear, and that was my experience.

Good luck whatever you decide!