Torn meniscus 10 days before Disney

[meggybear17]

Well we leave in a week and a half for Disney and my husband just learned he has a torn meniscus. He thinks he will be fine at Disney, but I am concerned with all of the walking. He refuses to consider a wheelchair. he probably won't be seeing a specialist before we leave and his primary care doc said walking was fine, but DH did not specify that he was going to Disney and not just his normal everyday walking.

Anyone have experience with this type of injury? Should I insist on the wheelchair so he does not do further damage? Doc said treatment options would be surgery of physical therapy, depending on what the ortho says

 

[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 traveling 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!

 

[travelingirlie]

ooo thats a tough one. My husband had the same injury, and he waited so long to have surgery that they ended up not being able to repair the ligament, they had to take it out. My daughter also had this injury and they could repair it, but we got her in for surgery about a week after the injury. Don't put too much stress on his knee. He might be in awful pain walking that much! I'd get a wheelchair

 

[meggybear17]

thanks for the answers! i know he will be more comfortable with a wheelchair, i just hope he realizes he will be too!

 

[tictac]

Towards the end of Dec. I went to see a bone and joint specialist because my right knee was swelling severly and I had horrible pain. It turns out i have the same problem (torn meniscus) which I will need surgery on. Due to other medical issues though, I need other test to get cleared for surgery. It has been over a month...I have been walking on it, but if i walk too much it does tend to swell and have extra pain. With a wheelchair he would avoid putting so much stress on it. So from a personal viewpoint, even if your husband does not want to go see a specialist I would still at least go to your primary and get some pain meds (just in case).

 

[Nancyg56]

I tore my meniscus and my PLT. I waited a bit to go to the Dr, never do that.....and had physical therapy. I honestly did not think the therapy would help but was happy to find that it did. I went about two weeks prior to our trip, (I think), three times a week, and did all of the exercises that I was told to do in between. I did the exercises at Disney every day. I was able to walk, but did take it easy. I know that the injury varies with each person, my ortho wanted to avoid surgery if at all possible because of issues that can occur later on. I do feel badly for your DH, I came down wrong on my leg and on a scale of 1 to 10 I would say the pain I experienced was 12. I never felt that in 50 years and hope I never feel that again. Hopefully your DH does not have that.

Would your DH be opposed to a scooter? With a scooter he does not need to depend on help from family and he can get around without too much pain.

 

[musicmama]

Had surgery to repair a torn meniscus and floating cartiledge last August (2008). Have done some rehab since. Went to Disney for 8 days pre-Christmas WITHOUT a wheelchair or ECV. Not the smartest decision I ever made.

We had to take things much easier - and I am used to going all day, all night. Made park opening only once. Missed our 2am EMH at Magic Kingdom - left before midnight. Had to be wheeled out of Studios early one evening because I just couldn't walk on that leg anymore.

I didn't want the wheelchair because I thought it would be too difficult to maneuver in the crowds for DH or DD (more likely DD because DH is not the most careful "driver" and DD was used to wheeling my mother). I didn't want to spend extra $$ we really didn't have for an ECV and I didn't want to be one of those awful ECVers that don't know how to handle the thing.

If I could do it over, I'd rent the scooter. And I definitely recommend the surgery - before that, I had 4 weeks of being in so much pain that a cortisone shot did nothing and I could barely walk around my home and get in/out of my car to get to work.

 

[stitchbaby]

I had the same problem and did some walking at an amusement park while waiting for my surgery. If your husband doesn't want to use a wheelchair or an electric scooter, I suggest that he get a cane. It will definately help him with the walking and standing which can be just as painful. Make sure he has his pain killers and take your time. Visit Guest Relations for entry to the "back door" and stop and rest periodically. Actually have him elevate his leg if he can while sitting on a bench.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

I had the same problem and did some walking at an amusement park while waiting for my surgery. If your husband doesn't want to use a wheelchair or an electric scooter, I suggest that he get a cane. It will definitely help him with the walking and standing which can be just as painful. Make sure he has his pain killers and take your time. Visit Guest Relations for entry to the "back door" and stop and rest periodically. Actually have him elevate his leg if he can while sitting on a bench.

The normal response at Guest Relations for mobility and/or stamina issues is the suggestion that the person use a wheelchair or ECV.

 

[meggybear17]

Thanks for all of the great info. DH is going to drive me crazy! He claims his knee feels much better so he has not been to an Ortho yet. I just worry that he is going to do further damage when we get there. He is being so stubborn about this!

We are going to plan to take it easy and I think I may have convinced him to get a wheelchair if his knee starts acting up. He is going to ask his primary doc for some pain meds to get through the week. He wants to avoid stairs, which shouldn't be a problem.

 

[mechurchlady]

Get the GAC which will let him avoid stairs. Some people keep going even though they will do permanent damage. They will tough it out. You are in for a long battle and he might be in pain and unable to move then say that in a minute he will be fine. He needs to go to an othopedist and find out how bad it is and you may have to blackmail him or trick him to go. Use your feminine wiles on him, lol.

An ECV is better for him and you as you can park it and then walk around for a bit. Having been the pusher it is not always easy. If he cannot move and is stuck in a spot and in pain then tell a CM that you need a wheelchair and they will in theory get one. First aid has over the counter stuff like aspirin, ace bandages, gauze, and ice packs in case he finally goes too far. I had an uncle who would not see the doctor until he could not climb a ladder, he had cancer though. Stubborn old guy he was.

 

[OneLittleSpark]

I say rent an ECV for him, and tie him to it if you have to! OK, so maybe that's a little drastic, but these men can be terribly stuborn at times (of course, we women are never stubborn, just resolute ). If telling him how much good it will do him to have a chair / ECV doesn't work, try playing the 'family card'.

Tell him that you really want to enjoy the holiday as a family, and don't want to be waiting for him to rest, or feeling guilty for dragging him around and causing him pain. I know this is a bit of a guilt-trip, but it's also true (well, I guess it is; you don't sound like you're an evil person ), and maybe he needs to hear it. A lot of the time people spend so long worrying about being a burden with the chair, that they don't realise how harder it would be for everybody without one. With an ECV, he can drive himself, keep up with you (even if you're rushing around like mad things ), and even carry the shopping.

I've done Disney on wheels a fair few times now, and it really is so simple. Just ask the CM at the attraction entrance what the procedure is for Guests in wheelchairs, and they'll point you in the right direction. Most of the time, you'll just be going through the regular line, as you normally would!

Hope you guys have a great trip!

 

[stitchbaby]

I must have got lucky, as I was accomadated. We should follow protocol, then.

 

[mechurchlady]

I must have got lucky, as I was accomadated. We should follow protocol, then.

If a guest has an obvious disability like using a cane, rollator, wheelchair or ECV then the CM will treat that person like they have the GAC. There is no back door so to speak at the rides. How a disabled guest is treated depends on factors like how long is the line, the CM, and the guest. If the guest is smiling and happy they might charm a CM into special treatment as with any guest disabled or not. A CM might be extra nice to a guest because they remind them of someone or maybe the CM is just a nice person.

The GAC is for guests with limitations that are not obvious like seperate area to wait, no sun, no stairs, vision, and hearing. Of course, at WDW you never know if they are treating you special because of the disability or more likely because they try to treat everyone like a guest in their home, special. I want to go back as their I will be given equal treatment not special treatment as a disabled person.

Now to go try to find my lost E drive. Men and their toys.

 

[meggybear17]

I was thinking the GAC for the stairs issue and have extra money set aside for a wheelchair rental just in case! I can tell when he is in pain, so I'll know the cues to look for. I have a feeling that first long walk down Main Street may change his mind!


You have all been so helpful- I love the Dis!

 

[mechurchlady]

For me it was that long long long walk from the tram area up the steep ramp to the monorail to MK then the next time was the long long walk to the ferry to MK, lol. If you have a disabled placard bring it if you drive. If you take a bus or monorail to MK then he will be hurting just getting to MK from the resort.

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

I had to wait 4 months between tearing my meniscus and having my surgery and was fine most days, however I didn't go to Disney during that time, I did work in a doctors office and was on my feet all day every day. I did reinjure the knee 5 years later and now require the use of an ECV to be able to tour Disney.

Suzanne

 

[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 traveling 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!