Type 2 Diabetes and DAS

[mamabunny]

I absolutely hope your perspective has changed on viewing people who use ECVs. Do people really judge ECV users this harshly? my lands... You mention dented pride to have to use an ECV. If that's how you view people with mobility impairments, then you are excluding an entire group of people from being a part of your life.

If you had read any other posts I have made around here, you would see that not only have I had to use an ECV for many years now, but I also have a Fold&Go power chair that I use as well. In my daily life, I now require a personal mobility device to move about the world. I *AM* a person with significant mobility impairments.

Then "dented pride" you reference is an all-too common reason why folks don't want to use an ECV - myself included the first time *I* had to rent an ECV. I have made no secret of the fact that the first time I ever had to rent an ECV at Disney World, I ugly-cried right there in the middle of Epcot. But wait! There's More!!! I'm not the only person who posts regularly here who has had that experience. There are other members here who have also posted that they cried, or experienced strong emotions the first time they were faced with using an ECV. The whole point of talking about that openly is so that someone who may be lurking, who is considering using an ECV on their next trip, can see that other folks had those same feelings.

Go back and re-read the post in question. Re-read any - all! - of my posts, and then if you still feel that somehow MY perspective on people who must use mobility devices is discrimanatory, then by all means use that handy little "BLOCK" feature so that you never have to hear from me again.

 

[momz]

If you had read any other posts I have made around here, you would see that not only have I had to use an ECV for many years now, but I also have a Fold&Go power chair that I use as well. In my daily life, I now require a personal mobility device to move about the world. I *AM* a person with significant mobility impairments.

Then "dented pride" you reference is an all-too common reason why folks don't want to use an ECV - myself included the first time *I* had to rent an ECV. I have made no secret of the fact that the first time I ever had to rent an ECV at Disney World, I ugly-cried right there in the middle of Epcot. But wait! There's More!!! I'm not the only person who posts regularly here who has had that experience. There are other members here who have also posted that they cried, or experienced strong emotions the first time they were faced with using an ECV. The whole point of talking about that openly is so that someone who may be lurking, who is considering using an ECV on their next trip, can see that other folks had those same feelings.

Go back and re-read the post in question. Re-read any - all! - of my posts, and then if you still feel that somehow MY perspective on people who must use mobility devices is discrimanatory, then by all means use that handy little "BLOCK" feature so that you never have to hear from me again.

i see, so it’s more an issue of grief because once you were whole and now you are not. See you suggest that people with disabilities sacrifice their pride when going out in public on an ECV. I will argue that this is not actually what you intended to say. But more of experiencing grief over a loss of your previous ability.

I will ask that you consider the different perspective and try to understand why a person with a disability might feel you are insulting their “pride”.

 

[OurBigTrip]

I will ask that you consider the different perspective and try to understand why a person with a disability might feel you are insulting their “pride”.

And I will ask that you consider the different perspective and not actively look for insult where there is none.

 

[VandVsmama]

First of all, the intent was never to offend anyone, and I feel certain that you - with the wisdom of your years - would know that.

Many, if not most, of the people who *rent* mobility devices to use at WDW never have to use one in their daily lives at home. They have, by design, knowingly or unknowingly, created routines, habits and preferences that allow them to move through their days at home without need of an assistive device.

When they arrive at WDW, they are suddenly confronted with a habitat where they are expected to walk (on average) between 3 & 10 miles *per day* . It's often impossible for them to do one day, let alone a week or more.

*Those* people are the one who resist the use of a "scooter". They believe if they don't need one at home, then why should they use one now that we are at Disney World? What they don't realize is that creeping around, bench to curb to planter to bench all day ruins not just their vacation, but everyone who travels with them, not to mention it often requires a vacation to recuperate from their vacation when they get home!

They are often in an emotional state; they may not be rational. Even just talking about it while planning their WDW vacation may stress some of these folks out. I know that the first time *I* had to use an ECV I was not at all thinking straight. I was working under the delusion that I was fine, and I just needed to "sit for just a minute" before struggling on to find another place to "sit for just a minute" more. At the time I wasn't even 50 years old. I also had not yet been (officially) diagnosed with any of the conditions and diseases that I was clearly suffering from at the time. I considered myself to be "normal".

As I have stated here before, I ugly cried the first time I had to break down and rent an ECV while in the Parks. Well before the end of that first day I realized that my pride, and my fears had prevented me from using a *tool* that would not only make my vacation better, but that of my family as well. The next morning, I saw clearly that my use of the scooter was better for everyone; my family no longer had to wait for me as I was now able to keep up easily with them. We got twice as much done in half the time, and at the end of the day I was the one who was still raring to go, ready to grab a ride to Disney Springs for adult beverages.

In that moment, when I was sitting there in Epcot, crying my eyes out over the thought that *I* would have to use a horrible old granny scooter, one of my family members handed me a tissue, and told me "It's just a tool, to get a job done. No different than wearing your prescription glasses to see better, or Gpop's (grandpa's) hearing aids to hear better".

That explanation resonated with me in the moment. Since then, I have used that explanation to help others overcome their discomfort with the idea.

So, again - I certainly didn't intend to offend anyone, least of all you. If that concept does not reflect your idea of the best way to help someone overcome that fear, that reluctance to use a device to improve their situation, that's fine.

I don't want anyone to *have* to use a mobility device at WDW, but there are many who clearly benefit from it. That particular explanation has helped a lot of folks have a better trip, and accept using an ECV without denting their pride.

I really like the concept of using an ECV as a "tool." A few years ago, I injured a toe a few days before we were to go to Disneyland with my sister. I thought that I could tough it out. But after hobbling around for half a day, my DH realized that I was being a fool about it and he went to rent an ECV for me. It totally saved the trip. I felt self conscious for the first couple of hours, but I quickly got over it when it became apparent that I'd be able to keep up with my family and I wasn't slowing anybody down anymore. It was SUCH a valuable tool and I'm grateful that it was available.

NONE of the CMs treated me any different. EVERYONE was great.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

I really like the concept of using an ECV as a "tool." A few years ago, I injured a toe a few days before we were to go to Disneyland with my sister. I thought that I could tough it out. But after hobbling around for half a day, my DH realized that I was being a fool about it and he went to rent an ECV for me. It totally saved the trip. I felt self conscious for the first couple of hours, but I quickly got over it when it became apparent that I'd be able to keep up with my family and I wasn't slowing anybody down anymore. It was SUCH a valuable tool and I'm grateful that it was available.

NONE of the CMs treated me any different. EVERYONE was great.

to help think of ECV as a tool, if you wear glasses would you leave them home because you would not want to look different or loose them on a ride. been there and done on both counts

 

[VandVsmama]

Re: DAS, an ECV and other items as "tools" for the disabled...

We have an elderly relative who, at times, has been extremely reluctant to change. Another poster mentioned an example of leaving your glasses at home because you wouldn't want to look different. Well, this relative does exactly that...hates how she looks wearing glasses, so even though she has eye glasses and can't see very well without them, always purposely leaves them at home and never uses them.

Same relative for years has desperately needed hearing aids...to the point where we were shouting at her all the time and she was missing at least half of all conversations. She'd try to make up the difference by trying to read lips, but would misinterpret what people were saying, and she would make assumptions about what was said, etc., etc. She finally got hearing aids last year and said, "I can finally hear everything! I should have done this a long time ago!"

I get it. Change is hard. Especially when maybe before, you COULD physically handle ___, but now, you can't anymore. It's very frustrating.

The great thing about a Disney vacation is that they ARE so accommodating to the disabled. But one has to be willing to actually USE the tools which are available. To not use the tools available is an unfortunate decision.

For a very heat sensitive person in MY travel group, I would be recommending the following:

• drink fluids all day, even when not thirsty. Alternate sometimes with Powerade or Gatorade as well.
• bring a solar umbrella. I bought one on Amazon for about $40 and used it on our trip at the beginning of June last year. My DH at first teased me about it, but after 24 hr, he was begging to use it, too.
• bring a fan. Preferably a USB-chargeable one, but also have an old-fashioned fold-up human-powered fan as a back up, too. Fan + solar umbrella = much more pleasant.
• if physically unable to handle 10 miles of walking per day, consider renting an ECV. In that case, the fan will need to be a neck fan instead of handheld...they make USB ones which sit around your neck and have 2 "arms", each with 1 small fan on the end of the arm...you bend the arms to the right positions however you want. DH loved this kind of fan.
• consider your clothing - wear loose, breathable fabrics
• wear a big sun hat
• take a break in the afternoon. Somewhere that's indoors. Doesn't matter where. Could be at your hotel room or in a hotel lobby or wherever.
• talk to Guest Services and explain your needs to them and find out what they recommend re: DAS.