UPDATE DS just diagnosed with achilles tendon problem

[Cora]

Hi All,
We leave in 19 days for WDW. DS has just been diagnosed with Sever's Disease (a separation of the growth plates in the heel resulting in pressure against the achilles tendon). He will out grow this (2-3yrs) but in the meantime we're dealing with it. He limps when in pain and with use the heel becomes more and more painful. We just went to the Dr. and won't have orthodics until after we return. I'm trying to figure out the best way for him to deal with this at WDW. I don't know if renting a wheelchair is necessary since he'll probably need assistance later in the day.

I know I'm rambling...sorry...any insight????
Cora


4/1/04 I just received an email from DS's Dr and she agrees with the use of a wheelchair if he is in pain. She doesn't think he will need it but her thought was better be prepared. Also, I have it in writing from her so DS can't freak out about it! Now I'm making calls and looking into wc rentals...thanks so much!

 

[cupcake]

Welcome! Could you please tell us a little more about your ds? (age, height/weight). Also, are you planning on staying in the parks the whole time, or doing other stuff? Finally, do the foot problems cause any other issues? (eg, would he want grab bars for the bathroom). I have a foot bone problem (4 extra bones in my feet) and it can make me wobbly when I'm tired.

With some extra info, I am sure this great board will have some good suggestions for you!

Cupcake

 

[Cora]

My DS is 10, 51" and 68 lbs. We expect to be in the parks in the am and at night back at the pool/room in the afternoon. We'll be doing Discovery Cove on Monday which will probably be good since it is more water/swimming stuff.

Any insight, suggestions greatly welcome.
Cora

 

[cupcake]

See http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=450650&highlight=+weight++stroller. Also http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=459604&highlight=+weight++stroller.

If you were to rent offsite, you could bring it with you and either use it all day or leave it at First Aid, who I am confident would hold it for you until you needed it. With respect to using it for part of the day, the distances at WDW are far, far greater than one would think. I can't quote them off the top of my head, but I remember reading someone saying that just World Showcase alone was several miles. The amount of walking that one can do in even a partial day at WDW is phenomenal. Also, for those with foot issues, asphalt often is the worst of the worst (I can last far longer in a mall, supermarket, etc.).

The regular wcs could also be an OK thought. They have mesh slingstyle seats and thus tend not to be comfortable for adults during a day of touring and are obviously adult-size (I doubt there will be a serious availability issue at this time of year that would land you a wide wc, even considering spring break, but it is a small risk). The wcs that you can borrow from your resort if you are on property are often although not always in better shape and you can take them from park to park and other places too. They may not be available, although I hve had excellent luck (but others here haven't). Price-wise, you are not saving any $$$ by renting from WDW and it would be easy to transport an offsite rental, which would also be a better fit, but you will know what you think your ds will like.

If you are using a non-std wc/stroller-type wc, you may wish to get a GAC allowing you to take it into lines to minimize standing. Lines are longer than they look.!

I am concerned that as your trip goes on, your ds' walking tolerance may diminish, so that you would be better off using mobility assistance. Has he ever walked a LOT many days in a row? My issue gets worse the more I am on my feet successively and my bones rub against my Achilles. I don't know anything about your ds' condition, but that definitely came to mind. Once tendonitis kicks in, it is no fun.

Hope this helps!

Cupcake

 

[Cora]

Cupcake,
Thanks so much for the information. This is a recent diagnosis and, thank God, he will out grow it. However, we need to get through this vacation.

We are very familiar with the amount of walking at WDW (we own at Boardwalk) and he has walked throughout the day with no problem. I'm kicking around the idea of renting a wc because I know the pain will be more as the day progresses. However, I mentioned it tonight and he freaked!

The good thing is we do have a rental car so we don't have to do the buses if we don't want to.

Thanks so much for your assistance. If you or anyone else has any other thoughts, advice, please post...
Cora

 

[JudithM]

Cora, if you are staying at a DVC, then you might want to call Member Services & ask about using a wheelchair from the resort. Also, do you need a first floor unit for medical reasons. Member Services can add that info to your reservation, too.

 

[Cora]

With the elevator we'll be ok with any floor. Since DH and I are able bodied I would prefer to leave the first floor units to those who really need it...but thanks for the thought. I usually request 1st floor with my parents (bad knees). I think I will call Member Services and see what they have to say...
Thanks...
Cora

 

[JudithM]

Originally posted by Cora
With the elevator we'll be ok with any floor. Since DH and I are able bodied I would prefer to leave the first floor units to those who really need it...but thanks for the thought. I usually request 1st floor with my parents (bad knees). I think I will call Member Services and see what they have to say...
Thanks...
Cora

Cora, as one of the DVC members who requests first floor or elevator building at OKW for medical reasons, I can appreciate you not asking for first floor on a regular basis. However, this is a different trip for you & your family. You mentioned your son "limps when in pain and with use the heel becomes more and more painful." I would think he has a right to a first floor room for medical reasons. He may not have a visible disability all the time, but he does have a disability at this time. You mentioned "we need to get through this vacation." I would think the first floor or elevator request for medical reasons would help you all reach that goal.

 

[Cora]

Thanks so much for your kind words and help. I will speak to my DH about requesting a first floor room.
Cora

 

[gardendame]

Hello Cora,
This post is meant to reassure you, so please don't take it the wrong way. This 'disease' is being diagnosed more and more often every day and has always been around. It is what all of us 'old folks' were told were growing pains from growing too fast. My son's best friend was diagnosed yesterday, as is 3 other kids on our 11-member baseball team (DS's friend is also on the team, so that makes 4 out of 11!).
DS's friend will be in Disney the week after Easter too!! So far, they are not planning to changes their accommodations or do the wheelchair or anything. Parent's response: Why would we want to do that? His heel is sore. Doctor gave us anti-inflammatories." I wish they were going before you, so I could let you know how their trip actually went.
BIL just returned last month. He had crushed his heel a few years before and his wife was worried about all of the walking, etc. He ended the day by soaking in the resort hot tub! There were a few times he would find a place to sit while his family waited in line, just to get the pressure off of his heel. Sometimes he was uncomfortable, but he was on vacation! He was uncomfortable, but smiling!
I guess what I am saying is that, yes, he will outgrow it. I'd say, have him do the achilles stretching exercises the doctor should have given you every day BEFORE and DURING his trip, take the anti-inflammatories religiously, even on the days he is not in pain, and please, please don't treat him as if this is anything other than a normal part of his growing up. Just from my small, unofficial poll on the baseball team, approximately 1/3 of all children this age have this. Does this mean that 1/3 of his class has it also? Or 1/3 of the kids at Disneyworld on any given day? If he is uncomfortable with the wheelchair idea (as my son would definitely be), then don't get him one.
Think 'preventative maintenance'. Have a wonderful time

 

[Cora]

Gardendame,
Thanks so much for the kind words. I've actually gotten in touch with his doctor to get some feedback from her. I hope that these kids were diagnosed early on because it is awful the longer it goes undiagnosed (this is our case). My son was to the point where most days, particullarly afternoons, he could not walk and would drag his foot behind him as he walked. My underlying concern (and I should have mentioned this before) is he is going for his Karate Black Belt Pre-Test 2 days after our return. If he cannot test he cannot go for his belt in June...so we trying to keep him comfortable and I don't want him to get to the point he was a month ago.

Again thanks for the reassurance...I'm realizing how common this is!
Cora

 

[cupcake]

If there is one thing I have learned over the years, it is that you have to do what is right for you individually. If your ds can't walk comfortably in the afternoons, then he needs to do whatever he needs to do in order to enjoy his vacation. It is great that many others with foot issues have sore feet at the end of the day, but if your ds gets to the point where he's dragging his foot in pain, he isn't doing himself (or your family) any favors by trudging around in pain. If he's feeling sensitive about the wc, well, no one knows him at WDW and he is doing what he needs to do so he can fully participate in everything and not affect his activities when at home. You, your ds, and his dr will be able to make an educated decision about what's best. If you do decide not to rent a wc guaranteed to be size appropriate offsite, you can always wing it by renting at WDW.

If the difference between pain and no pain is a wc, by all means go for it!

Cupcake

 

[SueM in MN]

We just got back from WDW and I wanted to add a little bit.
Some CMs who post on the DIS boards have mentioned that the WDW rental strollers will fit up to a small 12 year old, so your options include strollers, not just wheelchairs. There are more than one size of strollers and some peopel rent a double for one large child to give more room for stretching out.
We saw lots of kids (yes, some who looked about your son's size) in strollers. This might be more accesptable to him than using a wheelchair (and even might be more comfortable for a child than using an adult size wheelchair.
Another thing to think about is the things that most people think of as rides that are alos transportation - like the Friendship boats that go across the water at WS or the train at MK than can be a nice ride - or save you steps getting from the park entrance to Frontierland and back again.
I lost track of when you will be there, but if it's busy, send someone else in your party ahead to get fastpasses. That way, you can limit your DS's time waiting in line and avoid having him walk all over to collect fastpasses.
If it's not busy, you may find the standby times are short. Our last day at Epcot (3/30) they had actually stopped giving out fastpasses for Mission Spcae and Test Track because the standby line was less 20 minutes for both rides.
Good luck and have fun.

 

[Cora]

Sue,
Thanks so much for the info on the strollers. As a matter of fact I was looking at a picture from our April 2002 trip and noticed that my son, then age 8, our friend's daugther, then age 7, and her brother, then age 6 were all sitting in a double stroller with no problems. The stroller may be the way to go for us. I think we are going to wait on renting a wc ahead of time and play it by ear. I imagine I can call walker when we are there and have one either later that day or the next. I'm also going to check with BWV and see how many they keep on hand.
Thanks so much for everyone's help!
Cora