Wheelchair advice

[Tinker'n'Fun]

We are taking a short trip in a few weeks. It has really come to the point where I will not be helping anyone by being stubborn and saying I can still walk our trip.

The problem is - the doctor doesn't want me driving at all. I guess this would also apply to an ECV. So I am thinking a wheelchair except, I don't want to burden/hurt DH or DS. DS will be there with his girlfriend, so not with Mom and Dad too much.

My husband has a problem with his shoulder and has been hiding the pain lately. I finally noticed yesterday and am trying to work with him with his muscle relaxers etc. He has a cervical rib that sometimes pops out of place.

Will he be able to push me say 60% of the time and I can push the chair the other 40%. How much work is this really. We are only doing one park per day, 5 days total.

Thank you for any advice.

 

[KPeveler]

We are taking a short trip in a few weeks. It has really come to the point where I will not be helping anyone by being stubborn and saying I can still walk our trip.

The problem is - the doctor doesn't want me driving at all. I guess this would also apply to an ECV. So I am thinking a wheelchair except, I don't want to burden/hurt DH or DS. DS will be there with his girlfriend, so not with Mom and Dad too much.

My husband has a problem with his shoulder and has been hiding the pain lately. I finally noticed yesterday and am trying to work with him with his muscle relaxers etc. He has a cervical rib that sometimes pops out of place.

Will he be able to push me say 60% of the time and I can push the chair the other 40%. How much work is this really. We are only doing one park per day, 5 days total.

Thank you for any advice.

If I may ask, what is preventing you from driving? Why would you not be able to drive an Ecv?

A rental wheelchair is really not meant to be pushed by the occupant and unless you have lots of practice and strength, you will not be able to push it much at all...

I am on my kindle so I cant type much. I will respond more tomorrow, but hopefully you can give us a bit more info and someone can help you...

 

[SueM in MN]

The answer is probably no, if your doctor doesn't want you driving because of alertness issues, sensory issue (hearing, vision) or medication that says not to drive or operate heavy equipment.
If the reason is something else (like not being able to use your leg to operate the gas and brake), the answer might be maybe.

I'd suggest asking your doctor about using an ECV, realizing that it takes a lot of alertness and ability to reach quickly to people who may step out in front of you from any direction.

Rental wheelchairs are not really set up for the person in it to propel it. The high armrests prevent reaching the wheels easily. The wheels are also set farther back and usually not as high up as on a wheelchair that is meant to self propel.
Could most people self propel?
Yes, but mostly short distances for a short time. Definitely not 40% of the time.

Depending on what your issues are, there may be another option. Some people who can walk, but need support and a place to sit, use rollators. Those are walkers, but have 4 wheels and a fold down seat. They are easier to use than traditional walkers and the fold down seat means you have a place to sit anywhere that would otherwise involve standing.

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

Thank you both for the replies. The no driving is due to limited mobility in my neck movement and shoulder movement and the fact that my meds are stronger now and he feels my reflexes are not as steady and consistent as he would have liked to see in my last visit.

I am working on exercises and walking. After a very long cry I realized he was right. My movement is really not what it was even 6 months ago.

Is this the rollator: http://www.walmart.com/ip/15423370?...1=g&wl2=&wl3=13690867630&wl4=&wl5=pla&veh=sem

Does anyone rent them? Can someone push you or would I be doing the pushing then stopping and sitting? How are they handled for lines? Can I put them with the strollers and or take them in line depending on the ride?

Sorry so many questions. I know there is a sticky. I appreciate all you have done, but every time I read about this and make the realization that this is what I need to do, I start crying and everything gets blurry.

Again, thank you!

 

[WheeledTraveler]

Your link is of one of the rollators available (there are many brands and models). I think at least one of the rental companies does rent them. There are rollators made so that someone else can push you while you sit, but that is not one of them and I don't know that you could rent that type.

Another option would be to rent a manual wheelchair and use it like a rollator. You could walk and push it when your husband needs a break (or you want to walk) and he could push you in it when you can't handle the walking.

Rollators and wheelchairs can be brought through queues or parked in stroller parking if you want to walk the queue unaided. (Personally, I'd bring it through the queue because of the length of some queues plus so you have a seat while waiting.)

I don't know if this will help you (it helped me when I transitioned to using a wheelchair), but whichever you get is a tool. It's a tool so that you can go out and have fun doing what you want to do. It's no different than using a car to get 10 miles away, just used for shorter distances. And you may walk 10 miles in a day at WDW, anyway, while most people wouldn't ever think of walking that much daily at home. But using a mobility aid isn't demeaning and doesn't make you any less. Instead it makes it possible for you to do more and can be quite liberating.

 

[Piper]

Are you going to be driving or flying? If you are going to be flying, you may want to rent one at home and bring it with you. Also if your doctor prescribes it, your insurance company may pay for one. The ones at WDW are not good ones or easy to push. It definitely sounds like you may need to use one at home soon.

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

Your link is of one of the rollators available (there are many brands and models). I think at least one of the rental companies does rent them. There are rollators made so that someone else can push you while you sit, but that is not one of them and I don't know that you could rent that type.

Another option would be to rent a manual wheelchair and use it like a rollator. You could walk and push it when your husband needs a break (or you want to walk) and he could push you in it when you can't handle the walking.

Rollators and wheelchairs can be brought through queues or parked in stroller parking if you want to walk the queue unaided. (Personally, I'd bring it through the queue because of the length of some queues plus so you have a seat while waiting.)

I don't know if this will help you (it helped me when I transitioned to using a wheelchair), but whichever you get is a tool. It's a tool so that you can go out and have fun doing what you want to do. It's no different than using a car to get 10 miles away, just used for shorter distances. And you may walk 10 miles in a day at WDW, anyway, while most people wouldn't ever think of walking that much daily at home. But using a mobility aid isn't demeaning and doesn't make you any less. Instead it makes it possible for you to do more and can be quite liberating.

Thank you. You are right. I am just coming out of the denial phase and into the angry phase. I am hoping that since the trip is small that it will help me transition as easily as possible. I doesn't help that once again I was yelled getting out of the car in a handicap spot. DH obviously drives and looks so so normal, but I am hunched and still get the dirty looks. It was just a bad weekend I guess.

Are you going to be driving or flying? If you are going to be flying, you may want to rent one at home and bring it with you. Also if your doctor prescribes it, your insurance company may pay for one. The ones at WDW are not good ones or easy to push. It definitely sounds like you may need to use one at home soon.

I am going to call the doctor and insurance tomorrow. I have until December 6rh. Not sure if that is enough time to get my own but if not we have a few companies who rent them. We are flying. So do I gate check it then?

 

[Cheshire Figment]

How about asking your doctor if he means just no driving of cars. He may allow (or even recommend) driving an ECV. And when you take your hand off the throttle lever on an ECV the brakes automatically apply.

 

[loveshak22]

How about asking your doctor if he means just no driving of cars. He may allow (or even recommend) driving an ECV. And when you take your hand off the throttle lever on an ECV the brakes automatically apply.

I agree with this! With the ECV they are hand controlled and you can turn the speed down pretty low so that you are going at a very slow pace and can react as needed to what's going on around you. You definitely won't be at risk of any "high impact" injuries like you would a car. Even with slow reflexes, if your vision is O.K., you'll be able to see lines ahead of you or people standing so you can stop or slowly move to the right or left as needed. The only big issue is if someone quickly steps in front of you or tries to cross in front of you. However, my dad uses an ECV and this happens often and it's not really the ECV drivers fault because they are not made to stop quickly or swerve easily.

Although with your shoulder issues you do have to keep your arms up at the steering control levers and I don't know if that's having your arms up too high for you? As far as your neck mobility I'd think you'd be looking forward most of the time unless you are turning right or left and then your husband can look for you and tell you when it's safe to turn so I don't think that'd be a big concern on an ECV. I think it'd be easier for your husband to be your profile vision as opposed to trying to push you in a wheelchair. You'll just have to take it slow until you get used to it.

You can rent an ECV from a local company and they will bring it to your hotel so it's there at check-in and they'll pick it up from your hotel after your trip is done. It's very convenient.

I'd suggest talking to your doc and then going to Target or your grocery store and using one of their in-store ECVs. They are free and will be a great test for how you can handle the machine.

Good luck and stay positive! I'm sure it is very difficult adjusting to the mobility issues and everything that surrounds your condition. Good for you for still making the trip and pushing on! I hope that you and your husband get better soon!!!