Being met by someone with a wheelchair...

[suseg]

Background: I had major spinal surgery about a year ago (was in the OR for more than 8 hrs). I am still in and out of a turtle brace and therefore stairs, luggage, standing in line etc...can be difficult. Consequently my PVP has arranged that I be met, at the curb, by someone with a wheelchair. So here are my questions:

 

1. Will the attendant take me to a special waiting area or will I be on the normal line?

 

2. Will the person with me (a friend not my hubby...it's a girl cruise) be able to stay with me or will she have to go to a seperate check in line?

 

3. It is my understanding that the attendant will assist onto the ship....do they drop me at the door and run or do they take me to our cabin?

 

I can walk, the major issue for me is just standing....sitting in a chair isn't much fun either.

 

Oh more more thing.....I take a HUGE am't of pain meds...all prescription...will there be an issue with me carrying a pharmacy with me? Should I bring any sort of additional documentation along with me?

 

For those of you who might wonder, Degenerative Disc Disease and Scoliosis...I had three discs completely removed, one partially removed, two baskets inserted, four rods and twelve screws put into my back...I will also be having another surgery in the not too distant future on another portion of my spine. Sooooooo....I have enought titanium in me so that my kids could melt me down, after death, and have a lovely titanium tea set created to remember me by! OK, I have a sick sense of humor.;)

[suebee53]

Hi Suse,

 

OUCH!!! When you say "major" surgery, you're not kidding!!

 

First of all, you might want to consider renting a WC for the week. The ship will be awfully big for someone recuperating from back surgery. . . I am curious how the PVP will arrange for a wheelchair for you at the curb. How would anyone know the exact moment you arrive? :::quizzical look:::

 

Secondly, the embarkation staff is always on the lookout for us "special needs" folks in wheelchairs, electric chairs, and scooters, and they wave us past the lines of the able-bodied. (We take our perks where we can get 'em!) Everyone in your cabin stays with you through the process. (On my last cruise, both sisters were with me throughout the entire embarkation process. On another cruise, girlfriends in a second cabin were not allowed to join us.)

 

On the Victory, Carnival staff pushed guests in wheelchairs only past the point of getting their picture embedded on their S&S card just inside the ship, then took the now-empty WC back into the terminal to get more guests needing assistance.

 

No, there's no problem with you bringing as many meds as you need. Whatever is in your carry-on is fine with Carnival.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

 

Sue

[katisdale]

Are you flying to the port? I am the queen of the "extra search" as I have artificial joints, use a metal cane and rollator (both of which have to be x-rayed by the way which leaves me very unsteady as I undergo the screening) and take a pharmacy with me when I fly. If you do fly, I have had good luck using the cruise line supplied transfers as they have had a wheelchair waiting at the bus drop off line. When we did the transfer ourselves we did get sent to the H/C line but no chair etc. was offered. I have not had problems with the medications. I leave them in the original bottles with the labels attached. In addition I have a set of labels (provided by my pharmacy) in my purse for the pills I expect to take during the flight.

[CaptData]

I also suggest that you rent a scooter or wheelchair. Bring a seat cusion for dinner (they are long about 2 hours). Ships are hugh (even the small ones). If you do rent a scooter ask for a travel size one (they are small). This will get you around the ship easily so that you can walk around in some areas but if you tire or need to rest your scooter is there to take you back to your room at the other end of the ship. You can use CareVactions or ScootAround.

[soocruise]

Background: So here are my questions:

 

1. Will the attendant take me to a special waiting area or will I be on the normal line?

 

2. Will the person with me (a friend not my hubby...it's a girl cruise) be able to stay with me or will she have to go to a seperate check in line?

 

3. It is my understanding that the attendant will assist onto the ship....do they drop me at the door and run or do they take me to our cabin?

 

We went through something similar on RCCL 4 years ago, hopefully this ship will be similar for you. We got off a transfer bus with my Mom, took her to a bench close by. Someone quickly came up and asked us if we needed help. We told them we had a wheel chair waiting for Mom in our room. They went and got someone with a wheelchair.

 

1.2.&3. The attendent with the wheelchair took us through the VIP boarding, he took all 4 of us. He wheeled Mom right to our room and we were with her the whole time.

[suseg]

Hi Suse,

 

OUCH!!! When you say "major" surgery, you're not kidding!!

 

First of all, you might want to consider renting a WC for the week. The ship will be awfully big for someone recuperating from back surgery. . . I am curious how the PVP will arrange for a wheelchair for you at the curb. How would anyone know the exact moment you arrive? :::quizzical look:::

 

Secondly, the embarkation staff is always on the lookout for us "special needs" folks in wheelchairs, electric chairs, and scooters, and they wave us past the lines of the able-bodied. (We take our perks where we can get 'em!) Everyone in your cabin stays with you through the process. (On my last cruise, both sisters were with me throughout the entire embarkation process. On another cruise, girlfriends in a second cabin were not allowed to join us.)

 

On the Victory, Carnival staff pushed guests in wheelchairs only past the point of getting their picture embedded on their S&S card just inside the ship, then took the now-empty WC back into the terminal to get more guests needing assistance.

 

No, there's no problem with you bringing as many meds as you need. Whatever is in your carry-on is fine with Carnival.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

 

Sue

 

Sue: Since writing this post I have had a call from someone at Carnival (not my PVP) who asked for an aproximate time of my arrival, I told her...she said that when I get to the terminal to give my name to the curb attendant who will be expecting me....evidently they have a list of special needs people...and that they would then get a chair and push me on board. I can't stand for long periods of time and walking up the ramps in a turtle shell (I wear a shell type of brace) would be nearly impossible. My friend was afraid that we would be seperated, which I thought unlikely but wanted to check. (On our last cruise hubby and I were in a suite, the rest of the family were in other cabins but they were all allowed to come to the VIP lounge for check-in).

 

I was pretty worried about the medication situation as well, so thank you for the reassurance. I have oxcontin, hydrocodone, soma, flexeril, neurontin....depends on the level of pain as to which I take, but it's a pretty significant am't of opioids. Between the drugs and the titanium I'll probably set off bells, whistles and barking dogs! :eek:

[suseg]

Are you flying to the port? I am the queen of the "extra search" as I have artificial joints, use a metal cane and rollator (both of which have to be x-rayed by the way which leaves me very unsteady as I undergo the screening) and take a pharmacy with me when I fly. If you do fly, I have had good luck using the cruise line supplied transfers as they have had a wheelchair waiting at the bus drop off line. When we did the transfer ourselves we did get sent to the H/C line but no chair etc. was offered. I have not had problems with the medications. I leave them in the original bottles with the labels attached. In addition I have a set of labels (provided by my pharmacy) in my purse for the pills I expect to take during the flight.

 

 

I am flying but arriving a couple of days early so that I can spend some time with my friend in Texas....due to my medical situation we haven't seen each other in a few years so we need time to catch up. My neurosurgeon has given me this odd little card...one side is his card and on the other a miniature x-ray of my back, with all of the hardware installed in case there are any questions. They laminated the two things together and I carry them everywhere...if they make me strip I'm sure the twelve inch scar running down my spine will be fairly evident!! LOL

 

There aren't many perks to this situation but not having to wait in the line is a good thing....

[katisdale]

Suseg, I also have a laminated card of my knee x-rays BUT I now dress so the TSA can see the scars - I wear either a skirt or capri pants to fly as I did NOT like having to take my pants down to show the scars. I've had to have 3 total knee replacements as one got infected so the scars are quite long. Apparently they were very strict about actually seeing the scars if you set off the metal detector in the period shortly after 9/11. We flew to England then and I wore long pants. I was taken to the private room in Raleigh, NC when we departed from the states and again at Gatwick when we returned. I haven't worn long pants since then but I don't think it is quite that bad now.

[suseg]

Suseg, I also have a laminated card of my knee x-rays BUT I now dress so the TSA can see the scars - I wear either a skirt or capri pants to fly as I did NOT like having to take my pants down to show the scars. I've had to have 3 total knee replacements as one got infected so the scars are quite long. Apparently they were very strict about actually seeing the scars if you set off the metal detector in the period shortly after 9/11. We flew to England then and I wore long pants. I was taken to the private room in Raleigh, NC when we departed from the states and again at Gatwick when we returned. I haven't worn long pants since then but I don't think it is quite that bad now.

 

I haven't been on a plane since the surgery, so thank you....note to self....wear the yoga pants and a top that is easy to lift....

 

What a nuisance!:rolleyes:

[Splinter]

My mother has a lot of implanted hardware, but never once has she been asked to disrobe or show her scars to prove it, and we no longer carry a letter from the doctor either. We always get a hand screen anyway as she cannot walk and must use a wheelchair, and just tell them that she has a lot of metal in both femurs. They always say OK, and pass her even though the hand scanner is going crazy over both her hip one one side and her knee on another. Don't freak out about it.

 

They won't separate your party on boarding. You can all pre-board together, both on the plane and on the ship.

 

Just keep your meds in their original container (have a copy of the prescriptions too), put them all in a plastic bag, and tell the screeners that you have prescription meds to hand screen. When you arrive on the ship, put any controlled drugs into the cabin safe...best not to temp any cabin stewards or risk them "walking away".

[suseg]

My mother has a lot of implanted hardware, but never once has she been asked to disrobe or show her scars to prove it, and we no longer carry a letter from the doctor either. We always get a hand screen anyway as she cannot walk and must use a wheelchair, and just tell them that she has a lot of metal in both femurs. They always say OK, and pass her even though the hand scanner is going crazy over both her hip one one side and her knee on another. Don't freak out about it.

 

They won't separate your party on boarding. You can all pre-board together, both on the plane and on the ship.

 

Just keep your meds in their original container (have a copy of the prescriptions too), put them all in a plastic bag, and tell the screeners that you have prescription meds to hand screen. When you arrive on the ship, put any controlled drugs into the cabin safe...best not to temp any cabin stewards or risk them "walking away".

 

 

Yes, I thought of putting all prescriptions in the safe. I will have to ask the pharmacy for copies of the prescriptions, or perhaps just a note from the Dr. on an RX stating that I do take the medications. I'm sure things will be fine...this is just my first trip since the surgery and I'm more than a tad apprehensive....especially since my husband won't be with me. Thank you, all, for the assistance.