Broke my Ankle and leave four weeks from today!

[virginiab]

A decade ago, after ankle replacement surgery complicated by a wound infection and slow healing, I spent most of 6 months non weight bearing. The knee scooter was a huge help. SOO much easier than crutches. It was great for getting around the house and on short trips to the store (someone else was driving). Longer distances or waiting in line was more difficult, although my scooter's padding for surgical leg was usable as a seat, which as a help.

 

I would not want to cruise with crutches. I'm wincing at the thought of even gently moving decks and crutches. The knee scooter will also need a bit of extra care on the seas, although the newer scooters seem a little wider and probably have a bit more lateral stability than mine did.

 

If you are having any pain issues at all before you cruise, take materials with you for ice packs. I like to travel with a cooler and several of the reusable ice packs that are big enough to wrap around the ankle, plus a neoprene sleeve to hold an icepack and that can be used to fasten it in place. this is also handy at home.

 

You can ask for a shower stool for your cabin.

 

During my recovery, I found a great last-minute price on a river cruise that was only a week or 10 days away. It was close enough that we could drive. I arranged for the cruise, hotels, and a rental car to get us from the end point of the cruise back to our car at the point of embarkation.

 

Then the doctor said I couldn't go. Grr. The best I could get from the cruise line was the ability to change the passengers, so I sent my mom and a friend of hers on a nice riverboat cruise, while I stayed home and waited for insurance company approval of the treatment the doc thought I just had to stay in town for. Grr.

 

Anyway, stuff happens. Certainly cancelling is a safe option, particularly if you can do it without great expense. And that does support your workers comp claim, too.

 

Good luck with whatever you decide after you see the orthopedist!

[jfried8]

Thank you! I spoke with my workers comp rep and it's no problem if I go since it'll be vacation time that I'll be using and it was planned months ago. So that's good!

[Janet Foster]

I broke a bone in my foot last year when I rolled it. I was out of commission for two months but thankfully my husband found me a knee scooter from online ____ 'S LIST that we rented. It was local and some guy had a whole business that he operated from his garage.. had wheelchairs, crutches.. etc.. The seat was a little too hard for my knee so he found a nice lambs wool cover for it online I believe. THe knee scooter also served well as a foot rest when I got to my destination as I was told to prop it up as much as possible.

 

I didn't let anything stop me. I am 60 years old.. and there was NO WAY I was going to do the crutches.

 

If you have to have a cast I also purchased this nifty little waterproof cast cover... don't want to mention the name but they are rubber and blue and you can search for them online.. best thing ever.. you could even get in the pool with it on. I worked great for me when I had a cast and took showers. Then once I went to the soft boot I just would take it off when I got in the shower but I really had to have everything ready to go, towel and knee scooter for when I got out.

 

I used it for two months and crutches were NOT an option for me. You could get the knee scooter for getting around the ship and then get a wheel chair for off ship. I was exhausted after knee scooting around all day. Carnival has arrangements where you can rent a wheel chair from a couple different agencies and they will have it waiting in your room for you.

 

You will learn to love your knee scooter.. I called mine "Lambie Pie"

 

Hope this helped somewhat...

Edited July 13, 2015 by Janet Foster

[Hoosierpop]

I bought the insurance through USAA. We are waiting to see what the Dr says...I have my appointment with the orthopedist on Wednesday! I'll keep everyone posted.

 

 

Good luck. First, I hope there's good news in that it's a clean break and no surgery is required. Second, I hope you can go on your cruise. Again, if there were excursions you wouldn't be able to do, that's one thing. But if mostly you would be sitting and relaxing, I still think you can have a great time.

[asalligo]

I am really sorry you broke your ankle. That is never cool, especially before a vacation, but in my opinion, there is no better vacation for the mobility impaired. Where as on most vacations you may have to miss many parts due to mobility issues. On a cruise you can participate in just about everything on the ship.

[RuthlessBoss]

What if my doctor says I can cruise?

 

I think you'll be a little disappointed as you may have had plans to be a bit more active both on and off the ship. However, you'll have a great and different kind of cruise you won't forget if you go. Plus, it will give you more of an insight about limitations of people in your workplace.

[gtouch]

We went on a cruise with my sister and one of her kids and we took wet bikes out to the stingrays it was fantastic but on the way back she broke her toe on the ride back. When we got to shore she couldn't walk and the family that was waiting for us to return to go out on the excursion next saw her and was horrified. She stood up and said that was fantastic and they were happy to hear it. She went to the ships Dr. and he gave her crutches and pain meds and she went on to have a great rest of the voyage. It's your mindset that you are there to have fun and you will. It is so easy to see people who are dead set on having a miserable time and they do. So relax and you will have a great time.

[skittl1321]

Thank you! I spoke with my workers comp rep and it's no problem if I go since it'll be vacation time that I'll be using and it was planned months ago. So that's good!

 

 

Good news!

 

 

(Also- if you don't want to cruise, and you doctor says it is okay, you could probably ask him to say it isn't okay. That's not really the same thing as prescribing your own medicine. Just list your concerns, and see if he will change the recommendation for sake of the insurance. It is unlikely you will be covered if he gives you the go ahead.)

[jandb6266]

In response to SadieN post about reg. scooters not fitting in the cabin door.

At Special Needs At Sea they have two scooters that fit in standard cabin

door. One is a standard that will carry a max. of 250 pounds. Then they

have a heavy duty that will carry a max of 350 pounds and both of them

will fit in a standard cabin doorway. I get these all the time. They also

have one that is for a max. of 500 pounds but that one is bigger and

wider so you must have an accessible cabin for that one. I always rent

from Special Needs At Sea. HAPPY SAILING!!!

[Havingfun2010]

We did buy insurance and weren't really cruising for the ports...it's a Florida and Bahamas run...eh. I really don't want to cancel the cruise. Is it feasible to go under the current conditions?

 

Why not? It's your foot, and you will know if you can or not. People use knee scooters, crutches and have a ton of other disabilities and manage just fine.

[Colin B]

Just a couple more suggestions for broken bones:

 

If you can have a cabin with a bath that is a lot safer than a shower and easier to keep the cast dry - I just propped mine on the edge.

 

Swelling is a nuisance and can be painful if you neglect it. I was on my feet all day but at the first feeling of tightness I would stop work, sit down and put my foot up on the bench in my best "Chairman of the Board" pose. 5 minutes rest and I was good to go again.

 

If you aren't careful swelling can lead to friction which leads to blisters which lead to infection..........:eek:

 

You could try acupuncture - it was very effective for me but "works" best if you are familiar with the concept of Ki (Chi) or have a martial arts or Yoga background. My surgeon did not approve but he was quite surprised when he took the cast off and I walked unaided with only a bit of stiffness. Mind you it was another six weeks before I could run and go back to the dojo.

[Lily2515]

We just got back from a cruise on the Freedom. My husband uses a mobility scooter to get around. I can't say how happy we were with the scooter. He got around very well with it. If you want to know more specifics, let me know. I do know you can rent can mobility scooter and they will deliver it to the ship.

[jfried8]

We just got back from a cruise on the Freedom. My husband uses a mobility scooter to get around. I can't say how happy we were with the scooter. He got around very well with it. If you want to know more specifics, let me know. I do know you can rent can mobility scooter and they will deliver it to the ship.

 

 

Lily id love to know more specifics and will it fit through the door of a vista suite?

[Lily2515]

Iam new to cruising so I am not sure how big your room is. My husband has a go go elite. It fit thru the door on our balcony room on Freedom just fine. If you go to Special needs at sea, the 3 wheel one is similar to his. The biggest issues we had with it was having to wait for a free elevator. Most people were willing to let us squeeze on. We did have to take a power strip to change the battery nightly. You may check out the scooter dimensions and room dimensions. We have also used the travel insurance that you purchase from Carnival and did get our money back. I hope that you don't have to do that and can still be able to go.

[SadieN]

Lily id love to know more specifics and will it fit through the door of a vista suite?

 

 

The people on the Cruising Disabled Board have lots of ideas about scooters.

 

About the elevators--- remember they go up and down, lol bOur trick is to get into an empty one no matter the direction it's going. Eventually it'll stop at the correct deck.

Edited July 14, 2015 by SadieN

[nokidz]

Your going on the Pride, right? At check in, just tell them you need assistance getting on the ship. They will have someone push your wheel chair, or provide a wheel chair for you to get on the ship. That ramp is steep and long.

[near the beach]

I have seen many people on crutches, in wheel chairs and on scoters on ships.

 

There were two problems I saw.

 

One getting into a crowded elevator or have to with for one with room.

 

The second was some scoters would not fit into a cabin and had to stay in the hallway all night.

 

I would hate to go on a cruise with a broken ankle. I would still go.

 

Hope you have a fun cruise.

[jfried8]

Just met with my surgeon. I'm going to have surgery on Friday. He suggested I don't go on the cruise. I'm going to cancel this afternoon. Very sad.

[skittl1321]

Just met with my surgeon. I'm going to have surgery on Friday. He suggested I don't go on the cruise. I'm going to cancel this afternoon. Very sad.

 

:(

 

I hope your surgery goes well and you heal quickly.

[jfried8]

Carnival is refusing to refund my cruise cash!

[tandemcruzr]

Carnival is refusing to refund my cruise cash!

 

Can you claim this with your insurance?

[jfried8]

I'm not sure. I have $750 in cruise cash, $59 for the FTTF, the $130 wine package and some other things...I just can't believe carnival won't refund

[SadieN]

Could you book a future cruise and have it transferred?

[Barbluvstocruz]

Just met with my surgeon. I'm going to have surgery on Friday. He suggested I don't go on the cruise. I'm going to cancel this afternoon. Very sad.

 

Oh man...I'm sorry! :( I hope all goes well and once you are healed up you two can enjoy a wonderful cruise!! Good luck sorting everything out with Carnival!

[janrey1234]

If your vacation insurance won't cover it then look to your credit card company if you used a credit card, some like Citibank, provide vacation insurance to cover unreimbursed expenses. Citibanks is $1500.