not looking good for walking by the trip

[eek40]

Well all, about 6 weeks ago I had to have surgery on my left ankle and had my check up today, I just needed a place to vent. I have been a walking cast for 4 weeks, and thought today the doctor was gonna cut me lose from it. But I have at least three more weeks with it, and still am not allowed to walk on it. I can walk around my house with it, but I am still in a no steps, no uneven places(hills, rocks), no crowds... I am so frustrated, I leave in 3 weeks, and now it looks like my trip plans will have to change. I am going no matter what, but looks like I will be needing to rent a evc to manage the parks. I am not worried to much about the cruise since I plan to just relax on that part. Thing is I am taking my nephew on his first trip to WDW and wanted to be able to get around , and thought I would be able to. I did a test run(well, walk) in walking cast tonite for about 2 hours and I am now in so much pain that I wish I wouldnt have told my dr I didnt need anymore pain meds I know I have a lot to be grateful for, and am trying not to dwell on this, but I guess I am just sad and frustrated.
Thanks for listening
Aimee

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Hi Aimee

If you are still in the cast when you go to WDW ask the person who will cut it off to draw a dotted line on it where the cut will be. Then take some "sharpie" markers with you and have the Cahracters autograph the cast. Just tell them to be sure to not cross over the line. After it is cut off you can glue it backtogether (without damaging any of the signatures) and have an interesting souvenier.

Mike

 

[Nanajo1]

Pixie Dust for a great trip. I'm sure your nephew will enjoy himself.

 

[SueM in MN]

More pixie dust.
If it's your nephew's first trip, he will likely be so overwhelmed by everything that no matter how fast you get around, he will have a great time.
We took my niece on her first WDW trip last March. We were a little concerned that she might be bored by our slow (purple wheelchair speed) trip around WDW. She wasn't at all. She was just so awed by everything.
One of the things she really enjoyed doing was finding the pressed penny machines and adding to her penny collection. Most of them are in shops in very accessible areas. (Someone on the Theme parks board probably has a link to a list). It was a good way to be in slow down mode, a good inexpensive memento for her.

 

[Figaro]

Hi eek40!

Call your doctor back and have him write a prescription for enough pain medication. And see about getting a temporary handicap sticker for the car too. I speak from experience here...and have learned to take enough stuff with me so that I can manage to get a decent nights sleep and sometimes to even be able to keep going when I should have sense to stop. Or as my spouse says: "We can sleep when we get home."(smile)

I don't know if you are staying on or off property, but renting an ECV from one of the off-site providers might work better for you than trying to make it in from the parking lots and not knowing if there will be an ECV available at the parks. The distances from the parking lots can just wear a person down, especially on the way back to the car after a long day.

Being able to walk a few steps means that you should be able to go on most of the rides that you want to go on. We used to be much more commando like before the wheelchair became a part of our lives(smile), and I have to tell you that the slowing down has increased our enjoyment at WDW, which I wouldn't have believed before it happened to me(smile).

Hope you have a wonderful trip!

 

[eek40]

Chesire,
I have a walking cast but its not a hard cast, its fabric. But that is a great idea, I wish it was white not black! Maybe if I take some metalic markers or something that would work.

I think I will call my dr and get more pain meds, I was hoping not to need anymore, but after 2 hours I was in major major pain, not wanting to feel like that at WDW at all.

As far as the evc's go, I need information on that I guess, we are staying on-site at the poly, and I am not renting a car, I am going off season, Nov 13-16(then the disney cruise after that). Do you think I could just get one at the gate? How much do they run? Would I be better off getting one that I can have at the resort? Do I need a drs note? Should I notify the hotel and ask for a room closer to the monorail? ACK..I was really hoping I wouldnt be needing all this information. I am travelling alone with a 5 year old, and going slow doesnt bother me, I want him to really enjoy stuff. With the park evcs do you have to get a new one if you park hop?

Aimee

 

[Figaro]

"Do you think I could just get one at the gate?"

eek40, if you get an ECV from an off-site provider, they will have it waiting at the hotel when you arrive and take it after you leave. This means that you won't have to walk from your room at the Polynesian to the monorail or bus stop. And since you are staying at a monorail resort, it will be easy for you to drive right on the monorail with it, as they will put down a ramp for you. Plus you are guaranteed of having it if you decide to park hop.

Sue has a great post with all of the names, numbers and websites of the off-site providers and hopefully, she will be along to post it. If not, look for any other thread on wheelchairs/ecv's and you will probably find that post.

"How much do they run?"

I'm not sure, but I think they are definitely cheaper than the ones that Disney rents. The last time we rented an ECV, it was for my mother and it was three years ago. At that time we rented from Randy's and it was $150.00 a week, but I don't know how much they are now.

"Do I need a drs note?"

No note or prescription needed. Just your credit card to pay for it(smile).

"Should I notify the hotel and ask for a room closer to the monorail?"

I don't think you will need one close to the monorail if you rent one from an off-site provider and it will be with you to use not just to get to the parks, but also if you decide to shop at Downtown Disney.

"With the park evcs do you have to get a new one if you park hop?"

Yes, and there is no guarantee that there will be one at the park you hop to, as it will be later in the day and they might all be rented out.

Hope you have a wonderful and magical time at WDW!

 

[franw]

I don't know if there are any left at this point but you might call CRO and ask them to talk to special needs about a room with a walk in shower. The tub and toilet area can be very tight even if you don't have a problem but you might have an easier time in a room that is designed for people who need extra room and safety. The Poly has elevators in all bldgs. (correct me if I am wrong someone) so a ground level isn't as important as it is in some resorts. As busy as it looks like it is going to be during the time you are going to be there I would definitely make any reservations you might need in advance. You can always cancel them usually with 24 hrs. notice. Every trip is an adventure and we have had more than our share of problems we have had to deal with so my best advice to you is to relax, do only what you are physically comfortable doing and have a different kind of a trip. No one will be the wiser and you will have a far better time than if you were sitting at home. My family will all be there when you are and we'll give you a big smile when we see you. You'll be able to spot us right away - my dad will be in a wheelchair (79 yr old) my mother will refuse to be in one and walking very slowly (81 yr old) and my DIL is pregnant with morning sickness. We'll have a ball regardless. So will you. Have fun and heal up soon.

 

[eek40]

franw,

I pm'd you

 

[SueM in MN]

Here's the list of Medical Equipment vendors that Figaro mentioned:
Care Medical:
http://www.caremedicalequipment.com/
Phone (407) 856-2273 • Toll Free U.S and Canada (800) 741-2282

Walker Mobility:
1-888-726-6837
www.walkermobility.com

RANDY'S Mobility is in Kissimmee 407-892-4777
http://randysmobility.com/

Colonial Medical
http://www.colonialmed.com/about_cms.html
(800)747-0246
These are the companies that DIS posters frequently report good experiences renting from. All of them will deliver and pick up the ecv from your resort. Randy's requires that you be there for delivery and pick up. The others will leave it without you being present.

Here's the phone number for WDW Resort Special Reservations:
(407) 939-7807
(407) 939-7670 [TTY]
They can help you with any other special needs (like a roll in shower or a shower chair, if needed).

For signatures on your walking cast, you might be able to get a light colored fabric marker from a craft store. I'm assuming the black fabric is probably nylon. Just call some craft stores and ask if they have anything - either in the fabric craft area or maybe the scrapbooking area. Gel markers might work. You might be able to get some hints about what would work from the Scrapbooking Board here on the DIS.

 

[eek40]

Thanks everyone for the help, and support, I am just at the end of my rope as far as pain goes. I am trying everything to help it, and it hurts badly. I did get more pain meds from the dr. I bit the bullet and rented an scooter from walker for the resort part of the trip, I dont think I will need it for the cruise part of my vacation, I just hope I have more control of the pain by then. Any one have any ideas on how to manage pain?

Aimee

 

[Talking Hands]

If you are going to Castaway Cay or planning to get off the ship at all you will need it. In fact distances on the boat are such that you may be more comfortable with an ECV. I wish I had not left my power chair. I did bring a manual but I hate to let anyone but myself be in control of my chair so I was not a happy camper.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Sharpies come in various colors, including white, silver and gold; not just black. You might want to get one that will contrast to your cast. This will at least give you a souvenier.

 

[franw]

eek40 - I am worried about you still being in so much pain after all this time. You might want to see your doctor shortly before you go to have him evaluate it. How about a massage and get the muscles in your leg, hips and back worked on. I know that walking a new way with a cast can throw your whole body out of whack and some of the pain might be referral pain from that. If you are still in pain I would definitely rent an ECV for the ship. The decks are very long. Best case you won't need it but you'll have it just in case you do.

 

[eek40]

Franw....

Thanks for your concerns, I am currently in physical therapy and have about 9 more visits and we have been really working on pain management. I just dont seem to be getting on top of the pain well enough, today is actually a good day as I didnt walk much this weekend, did a lot of ice and elevation, and in general relaxed. I have only been in the cast for 1 week with the complete movement in it, so I have a full range of motion in my ankle which is most likey whats causing so much pain. I am hoping that maybe it will get better, its just really easy to lose hope, I struggled for almost 2 years before I had the surgery with daily pain, and now this, mostly I am just frustrated.
Aimee

 

[FloridaCat]

Resorts have wheel chairs you can use. Every park has wheelchairs for 8.00. They also have battery driven, but I do not know the cost on them.
Guest Services can make arrangement for you to have one reserved at the park for when you get there.

 

[Figaro]

FloridaCat, I have always been told that the wheelchairs at the resort and at the theme parks are on a "first come, first served" basis and that there is no way to reserve a wheelchair at the resort or at the parks? At least this was the way it was for me when I used WDW's wheelchairs before I got my own(smile).

 

[FloridaCat]

During our September trip DD just got out of the hospitial. WL staff got her a weelchair, I ask if we could get one for the next day at AK, Guest services told me it was taken caare of. When we got there and gavee the CM our name it ready to go.

 

[SueM in MN]

Originally posted by Figaro
FloridaCat, I have always been told that the wheelchairs at the resort and at the theme parks are on a "first come, first served" basis and that there is no way to reserve a wheelchair at the resort or at the parks? At least this was the way it was for me when I used WDW's wheelchairs before I got my own(smile).

That is what it says in the official WDW literature. Sometimes CMs go out of their way to be helpful to guests, but I wouldn't count in that as the norm, especially when it is busy.