Hi,:cowgirl: Our 12 yr old Granddaughter is at the level of a 5yr. old with a very short attention span. She loves WDW, hoping to get tips on best attraction's, time out area's etc. Thanks, Grandma :knit:
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Hi,:cowgirl: Our 12 yr old Granddaughter is at the level of a 5yr. old with a very short attention span. She loves WDW, hoping to get tips on best attraction's, time out area's etc. Thanks, Grandma :knit:
Hi, everyone! I'm Ellen and I've been battling cancer for six years now, have had multiple surgeries and deal on a daily basis with fatigue, mobility issues and medium-to-severe neuropathy due to adverse reactions I've had to certain chemo drugs. We started visiting WDW prior to my initial diagnosis and since then, I've learned how to best travel with the limitations I now face.
At my workplace, I'm very active with what we call our AccessAbilities network, and work with people with a wide variety of chronic conditions and physical limitations. It is wonderful to see the same awareness here in my "other job."
It's not that INTERCOT accomodated us! It's that INTERCOT is a COMMUNITY first and foremost, that welcomes all types of people, united by our passion for all things Disney! I think the other mods will agree that it doesn't matter how we get here, but that we ARE here! If we can share information about where the best dining spots or plushest towels are found, we most certainly will share tips we've garnered about travelling to our happy place. This forum will provide us with the opportunity to have more focused discussions about how best to do that!
:rocks:
Our focus has been around dealing with mobility challenges (my mom has used a scooter for her last few trips do to hip surgeries). And the level of ride "bounce" that she can handle as a result.
Well, Kay, I THINK we had this discussion before, but I don't remember which of us is older. We're both near the top of the heap, age wise, and regularly posting.
I'm Marilyn, and I have Multiple Sclerosis, and severe arthritis. I LOVE Intercot, and will ahppily try to answer any questions about getting around WDW, (or DLR), on wheels.
:thumbsup:
Hi, I'm Mikki. My husband Andrew, who some of you may have met at the meet, is legally blind by UK standards. He can see a little (something like he sees at 2 feet distance what I would see at 60 feet) and is totally color blind. This is since birth.
He has also had two kidney transplants. The first did not take properly but the second has been going fine for 28 years now! Just incredible! Inbetween the two his bones became very brittle and he actually lost 4 inches of height so has a slightly odd look and bent back. He also has some hearing loss, but maybe that is just the wife talking who says the husband never listens! ;)
He really enjoys Walt Disney World.
Hi all! My name is Kat and I wanna say thank everyone for this forum, I have hypertension and am partialy Deaf. And Disney is my favorite vacation spot because they are so wonderful to everyone and and they accomodate most anything.
I am willing to answer anything I can for people who need help with these two disorders. I am going to the world Dec 7-15, Mar 20-27, and April 20-25 so as long as I am not there I will answer.
Wow, congratulations!! 28 years is a long time and I sure hope my son's lasts that long! Who knows, by then they may be creating new kidneys from our own cells and we won't need donors anymore :thumbsup: We made it through the first year so it's looking good right now!
Well its not easy but it is not impossible either. For me its a lot of looking at menus before we select places to eat, but also knowing what I just won't be able to ride.
I was diagnosed a few years ago and during our first trip rode everything, but at that point I wasn't on any meds. The last trip we went on I was on an ACE inhibitor and that changed a lot for me. It took me a while to realize that I was getting incredibly dizzy after the rides from the meds. Now, for me, that was the only side effect but my doctor said to take it easy no Mission Space, or ToT, or Rockin Roller Coaster.
I just went on a pretrip check up and my numbers are good (how I don't know when I keep reading posts here and getting increasingly excited!)
Also I'm sure you've been told but watch what pain relievers you use they can push you up a few notches. By the end of the day I usualy have to take something for my knees or head from the noise, being able to hear out of only one ear in loud places does funny things to ya!
If you need help finding menus let me know!
My name is Beth and I'm a single mother of 3 adult kids. I'm very fortunate to have very healthy kids who suffered a severe trauma as children and are all ADD combined type but all college grads so there is hope! Has anyone here ever read the studies on ADD symptoms and violence or trauma? There is a pretty high correlation.
Anyway, I will try not to get too technical or use clinical terms ad nauseum and will try to make this brief... I have my Master's in Psyc w/ a strong background in Neuro psyc and my master's Thesis was on Eating Disorders. Before obtaining my master's I worked w/ Hospice development (primarily fundraising and promotion but very involved with the patients which brought me back to school where I worked at a developmental clinic.
I've worked on an evaluation team for children for the state and SSI (disability benefits). Then I was a program director for a program called Wrap which was designed to help families stay intact but I also had about 15 disability clients on my caseload (waiver program for those familiar). I supervised an average of 23 workers who provided services in homes so I have a lot of experience with problem solving and family struggles and communication. I can't think of a disorder that I haven't seen.
Currently I'm trying to finish my PhD and I have been working with coping and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
I also have older parents (since I'm no spring chicken;)) My dad has been a diabetic for 25 years, so was my gf and I know I have symptoms and have been checked regularly. I agree that WDW could do a lot to help diabetics and their menus and available foods... My parents also have limited mobility. My dad has had 3 strokes and has problems w/ balance and gait, speech (wernicke's aphasia) he wants so badly to go back to WDW but we have trouble managing him there:( so here you can help me:thumbsup:and my gm died last Dec. but suffered from dementia so I have experience there too.
So I'm here to listen, of course I prefer to give you options and let you chose what works for you or what is best because every family is different. :pixie: to you all....
Hi All!
First, my prayers and a lot of pixie dust go out to all of you who are traveling a harder path than I am. God bless you all! :pixie:
I have been diagnosed with a mild to moderate case of Crohn's disease. This requires me to watch what I eat...in my case, fiber is bad! It's not too hard to find good stuff to eat at Disney, but I do have to ask for plain white rolls rather than multi-grain. The medication I am on (Imuran) caused fatigue and some dizziness.
Dave, my better half, is a stroke survivor. He is also on lots of blood pressure meds (stroke caused by undiagnosed hypertension...it really is the silent killler!). He is easily fatigued, but is doing great right now.
I'd be happy to share information with anyone who has any questions.
I quite agree - things have moved on so far since he had his transplant. back in those days you were in isolation for a week and hospital for a lot longer than that. Now you are in and out in a couple of days. In another 20 years maybe that Star trek film scene will be true - give someone a pill and they regrow the kidney!
I am sure most of you know of me and my problems.... I am a whiner and post long whiney posts in the Water Cooler when I can't sleep and I am in pain...
Anyway, I am Angel. I was diagnosed with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis at the age of 9. (I am now 44) I have been lucky that the RA has not affected my hands too much, but my knees are gone. I had knee replacement on my left almost 6 months ago but still have not quite healed. I also have OsteoArthritis and Fybromyalgia. I am also hypothyroid... wow, I sound sick.... Anyway, I live with cronic pain and the things that I find that help most are laughter and my happy place. I try to surround myself with positive people and laugh as much as possible... when all else fails, I book a trip to Disney World! :mickey:
I did have problems with hypertension but since I have lost 48 pounds I am now off of my heart medicine and blood pressure medicine. ( :clappy: )
My father has been battling cancer since 2003. He has managed to beat 4 different cancers that were supposed to be terminal. The latest cancer scares me... this time he has it in his lung and jaw bone.
It looks like we all have a lot of different illnesses. I am glad to see that we have a place where we can talk about it and offer help and support.
Jen (Mickey'sGirl) was a lot of help for me when I was going through some really painful RA days. It is nice to find someone that can relate to what you are going through and offer words of encouragement when you need them.
Jennifer, one of these days I have to meet your mom! She sounds like such an amazing person.
Hi,
I am Wendy and one of the Magical Journeys TA's! In my "former life" I taught Special Needs for 12 years...everything from Learning Disabilities to moderately delayed/autistic, etc. My teaching background really comes in handy helping my clients who have special needs.
I am also the mom of two boys...one of whom has struggled with a blood disorder which causes him to have clotting issues! We have done WDW with very low blood counts as well as remission!
This forum is a great addition to the boards and it is looking like a great group of people with great information to share!
I look forward to "hanging" around in here!
Wendy
Hi there, I am Heidi, and my DD9 is a stroke survivor (in-utero). She is moderately affected on her right side (her official diagnosis is right hemiplegic spastic cerebal palsy - whew, what a mouthful!) and wears an orthotic on her leg/foot. She has stamina issues (both walking and standing), and when she gets tired, she is subject to "toe-drop" and general unsteadiness - there are times during growth spurts when I think we are single-handedly supporting the bandaid industry as she is very prone to scraped knees as a result of stumbling.
We use a Maclaren special needs pushchair in the parks, and it is wonderful. She can walk, but Disney wears her out in about 30 minutes, so she uses the pushchair intermittantly.
Other stroke/CP related issues that we deal with include sensory integration and hypersensitive gag and startle reflexes.
WDW holds a special place in our hearts for many reasons, but the primary one is that every CM we meet seems to go out of there way to make DD feel special/normal all at the same time. She still loves all the princesses, but has also discovered thrill rides - she has plans to get me on RNR in a couple of weeks :blush:
This is a great addition to intercot - thanks for thinking of it!
Im really happy to see that there is a forum just for special needs.
My husband has cerebral palsy. He walks differently. Hard to describe. He used to walk with a cane but now walks with a walker/rollater but in Disney will be renting an ECV from Buena Vista Scooters.
Im hearing impaired. I wear a body aid because I was born with out an inner or outer ear. I had reconstructive surgery to make outer ears. I talk really well but when Im in noisy places I have trouble hearing. People are amazed that I speak well and have balance. They cant tell Im hearing impaired either. Im also obese & will be renting an ECV when Im in Animal Kingdom & EPCOT.
Off topic but Im afraid of roller coasters.
I have not been here in awhile. This new section is nice. My name is Susan and I have an adult son Brian who at age 13 was severly brain injured in a automobile accident. Brian was in intensive care for almost 5 months at the age of 13. He is now 28. He is in a wheelchair, blind and has a feeding tube for water and meds. Brian surprised all the doctors and therpist by being able to eat. Brian could walk but due to the brain injury doesn't understand the concept of walking. Brian can only say a few words. He can only say things like I sweet, I hurt, and he call's me an OLD FART:blush:. "I don't know how he know's this......" Brian requires the care of nursing 24 hrs. This is covered by insurance. Brian lives at home with me. I lost my DH to cancer in 2003. At that time my DD moved back home and she helps with Brian when she isn't working at her job at the hospital. I also have another DS who is a truck driver and when he is home he also helps. I became a DVC member so we could take Brian to Disney and accomadate all his stuff(LOL) and his caregivers. When we take Brian to disney I have no problem with help wanting to come with us:D. We will be taking Brian to Disney again in November 2008 for 12 days. We find Disney to be very accomadating during our stay with Brian. Susan
My DS, 10, has an autistic spectrum disorder and we've been taking him to WDW since he was 4. I'm happy to see this forum as a great resource and if I can be of any help to anyone please feel free to PM me.
Hello everyone.:wave: I'm deb. I have taught middle school and elementary aged children for 30 years. About 20 of those years I taught special needs children. My students have dealt with mobility issues, autism, developmental delays, cerebral palsy, genetic disorders, learning disabilities and health impairments.
I have had a heart attack and a stroke. I had heart surgery to correct a physical defect in my heart that caused my MI. I am diabetic and hypertensive.
For years my doctors would not allow me to ride Rock n Rollercoaster, Mission Space and ToT. This past year, I was allowed to ride these thrill rides after a ten year hiatus! :yay:YAY!
I did all of the above during Intercot's anniversary bash!
Anyhoo, I hope I can help if I am needed.
Yes, Intercot rocks and so does its members!:thumbsup: