Not sure what to do

[tigercat]

I have fibromyalgia as well as Hashimoto's disease. I am also always anemic. I do not have a disability sticker on my car as I am really trying to keep going and keep working my body. The problem I have though is walking for any distance and standing. I can walk but not for long and standing is really a no no. The last time I went to Disney I ended up renting a ECV for the last several days. I knew that I could get up and walk into stores and to the rides but the walking to them was difficult. I sometimes felt that I shouldn't have done that. I should have just perservered and withstood the pain and kept going. I know some people were giving me dirty looks when I would get off the EVC. This time my dh wants me to have the money so that I can rent one every day that we are there. He said that being in pain isn't worth it to anyone. I don't want to rent one if it means it is taking it away from someone else. Also, I am a short person so trying to keep up with everyone is also a lot of fun.... What would you suggest?
tigercat

 

[jann1033]

i have cfs, i'd get the ECV.
usually we go off season( winter) because i can't wait in the lines and the heat would put me in bed. i rest up a lot before we go( like not planning anything not absolutely critical for a good month, not doing anything for a week or 2 before we leave) and we don't go commando anymore, i spend a lot of time on benches and we take long lunch breaks( usually a sit down meal takes long enough). no late nights for us either. with me if i sit for more than 30 mins or so i get really stiff plus i have a vascular condition that needs me to walk to keep my blood circulating so i don't think an evc would be a good option for me even though it would help with the fatigue. but if it helps with your pain you need it as much as the next guy. don't feel bad about getting one and i know it is hard to have an invisible illness and get the glares but try to focus on how much fun you might miss otherwise due to the pain you feel.

 

[Chuck S]

Are you staying at a Disney resort? If so, I would rent an ECV from an offsite company (they are usually a little less expensive) and ou will have it for use around the resort as well as at the parks. The Disney busses are ECV friendly. That way, even if you drive to Disney you won't have to worry about loading an ECV into your car if you use Disney transport.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

First of all,

I do not have a disability sticker on my car as I am really trying to keep going and keep working my body.

when I first got a disabled hang tag my doctor's attitude seemed to be "what took you so long to ask for one". Get a tag; you can use it only when it is needed.

I would agree with getting an ECV for the length of stay and from an off-site company. I don't see how you can say, in your condition, that someone else needs one more than you do. I happen to know the opwners of two of the rental companies down here, and neither of them has ever run out of rental ECVs.

I don't want to rent one if it means it is taking it away from someone else.

Of course they work with reservations and if there is need they buy more.

The off-site rentals are much better than Disney's, and they cost less. If you will be driving to the parks (and not using Disney Transportation) you will need the disabled tag to park in one of the front areas. And it is fairly easy to take apart and put together an ECV, look in the disABILITIES FAQ for information on that.

 

[madenon]

All is allready said very well about using a wheelchair. I just wanted to chime in about the tag. Getting one doesn't mean anything. The tag can't make you do anything you don't want to do. However if you get in situations that you'ld really could use it, it's there and you actually can use it instead of wishing you'ld have it.

Having a tag doesn't make you immobile. That's what we do or don't do ourselves. The energy a tag can save you, could be used for other things. Ask yourself this question each time; do I want to spend this energy for walking to and from the car, or do I want to spend it doing some cooking/reading/fill in whatever you want to do?

You know that a lack of exercise within the boundaries of your body will mean deteriation. You're not stupid or crazy, so trust yourself. You'll know if you're doing enough to keep moving or not. Trust yourself with the fact that you will keep yourself moving enough, with or without a tag.