son broke his leg 3 weeks before our 25 day trip to Europe, need wheelchair rental info.

Hello tbbeach

I'm so sorry this has happened so close to your departure.

As you are traveling to three different countries, wouldn't it be easiest if you rented a wheelchair from home before you left, checked it onto the airplane (certainly the airlines have a place for wheelchair stowage), and then you will have the same one throughout your trip.

You don't want to have to hunt one down when you get to each location.

Bummer, for sure. But at least he'll be three weeks into his healing by the time you leave.

If he's in a cast, is there any provision for a seat with more legroom for him on the plane?

Happy travels!

My sister broke her leg (rather badly) about four weeks prior to a planned trip to Scotland in 2006. We had to cancel, and rescheduled the trip for 2007 (adding a week in London to the start of the trip, and taking along our nephew). She was walking, but was still a little bit lame and used a cane. I can't imagine what a nuissance it would have been to try to do the trip with a wheelchair. It can be done, but you really need to plan it out and be prepared to change your plans.

I suggest that, if the trip looks too hard for your son, you consider leaving him at home: If he goes to Europe later with two good legs, he'll probably enjoy it more.

Just back from a month in Paris, with a wheelchair for my wife (she can walk, but only for short distances).
We found that it was easier (and probably cheaper) just to buy our own here in the States.
Check with Spinlife (there are other companies, of course - Google is your friend). We got a lightweight Invacare folding wheelchair from Spinlife for $249 (free shipping). Depending on the length of your trip, I doubt that you could rent one that cheaply.
It'll be extremely helpful at airports (you can bypass long lines for security, and board planes before anyone else), and at museums (in Paris, we bypassed the ticket lines at d'Orsay, and got free admission to the Louvre). It's not at all a nuisance on planes - push it right down to the door of the plane, they'll take it and put it in with the cargo, and it'll be waiting for you when you land.
I certainly wouldn't cancel a trip for fear of using a wheelchair.

http://www.medimad.fr/locations/location_fauteuils_roulants.htm

Thank you so much for your advice. This is a good lesson for others who may plan trips far in advance (we have been planning for a year and did not purchase insurance).

To elaborate...We are a family of 5, Mom, Dad and three teens, 18,16,and 13. The 16 year old fractured his leg in two places skateboarding; metal plate,13 screws, fractured tibula and fibula. We are going to Paris, Barcelona, then Rome where we board a 12 day cruise for the Greek Islands ending in Venice.

Since we really do not want to cancel and he is a strong boy (who knows what a difference the next 4 weeks will make, he may be in a walking boot by then)Here is what we will do....

I will check in to an upgrade for him into Business class. I'm sure that will help him to have more room. Thanks for the suggestion.

I will also check in to the lightweight wheelchair. Thanks for the information. I was thinking I need a giant umbrella stroller, nice and light!

On the positive note he has noticed that pretty girls at school that hadn't paid any attention to him are now very attentive! A cast and a wheelchair can be quite a chick magnet for a cute 16 year old boy..Bypassing lines doesn't sound bad, free entry sounds better and worst case scenario we sit in a cafe, watch people walk by, sip on a glass of wine and toast to life!

Thanks for your shoulders to cry on and your helpful advice.

A friend of mine who has two children in wheelchairs visited Paris last year. A couple of things she told me might be helpful: First, they brought the smallest wheelchairs they could because the larger ones wouldn't fit in the elevators. Also, because the metro stops usually have lots of steps, they used the boats up and down the Seine to get where they wanted to go. The boats were much more wheelchair friendly.

Good luck!

tbbeach - I am so sorry! I have an 11 year old dd that just had foot surgery - I know how hard it can be.

I would not leave him home - sounds like a fabulous trip that will need to be taken at a different pace.

Such is life in a family of five

I do suggest buying the wheelchair here and bringing it with you as well.

Even if he is in the boot by then, he will get tired easily imo and will need to be able to rest. You do not want to set his recovery back.

Best wishes and do let us know how it goes.

How about an electric scooter?

I hope he is in a walking boot by the time you go, many bathrooms are "downstairs" in cafes and restaurants in Paris. I also advise against metro and for buses, the boat bus is not the greatest as there are often no ramps to get down to the Seine, stairs again. You will waste time looking for ramps.
I love Paris, but it is not a wheelchair friendly city, I used to work with disabled, so each time I go I am surprised at how little progress has been made in making Paris assessible. Partly due of course to the fact Paris is old, and there is nothing you can do to alter some things, fair enough, but even the sidewalks rarely have the ramps needed to assess them. Many hotels have impossiblely small elevators, and it is not uncommon to have hotels with elevators that do not go right to top floors, or in the case of the last hotel I stayed at, the elevator was three steps up on a raised area in lobby!! LOL Check with your hotel, let them know you are bringing a wheelchairs, there are rooms so small you will not get a wheelchair in the room!
Lucky your son is young and strong, and I bet he will likely be able to hop around some, so even a few stairs won't be a huge deal for him as he is not actaully weak or disabled,you are just bringing wheelchair to give him a break from lots of walking.
I bet you will all have fun anyways, but there will be a bit more work and planning involved.
Hope you post back and let us know your experiences, I am sure they will be helpful to many others.

Best luck and enjoy the sidewalk cafes!!
PS If you decide to go to Versailles, they have golf carts for rent on the grounds, that would be fun.

I broke my foot and had to cancel, but got many replies to my post on Fodor's advising me not to, and some posters said "I went to Europe with a broken foot/leg" so I assume it's doable.

It is very important to keep the leg up to reduce the swelling in the foot. So please plan the days to come back to the hotel for him to have a mid-day rest. If he doesn't want to, pretend to be tired yourself.

Good advice about buying a wheelchair instead of renting. Maybe you have 2nd hand stores in your area, buy one, and leave behind. Or check Ebay.

Excellent suggestion, Faina, for purchasing a second-hand wheelchair.

When my mother needed a cane, walker, etc. after her knee replacement, I went to the Goodwill and Salvation Army stores.

I was amazed at their selection, and the prices were great.

It seemed foolish to pay full price. Many people use these mobility devices for limited periods, then get rid of them when they're done.

I have not had any luck with our goodwill store here - but it is located VERY close to Leisure World one of the largest retirement communities on earth - could be why.

I cannot stress enough what Fania said about resting. dd's foot continues to swell - it is elevated and icing right next to me right now...

Also, think of his bathing. Will he be able to balance on one leg to take shower? Maybe a small folding chair in luggage?

Yes, a lot of places in Europe only have showers - perhaps on the cruise as well. How will he do naviagating around hte curise ship?

even the sidewalks rarely have the ramps needed to access them

I beg to differ. Every single corner of every single intersection in Paris has been lowered to make it wheelchair accessible, and I see wheelchairs out on the street every day, often independently, crossing the street with no problem whatsoever.

What a thing to happen just before your long-awaited trip! You have my sympathies.

Be careful about buying a secondhand wheelchair. You don't know how it has been used etc.

A few years ago one of my sons broke his ankle and badly damaged his heel and foot just before a trip to Venice. He had an astracast to hold everything in place but because of his heel injury he was unable to walk on it. We live in England and I was able to hire a wheelchair from the Red Cross. It was supposed to have been checked over and 'serviced' but bits of it were loose and fell off, we had trouble with the footrest on one side and it just seemed quite 'wonky'. My son at the time was a small 13yo and not very heavy.

If I had to do it again I would bite the bullet and buy a new wheelchair as it will take a bit of a bashing on your trip. I don't know what the cost would be in dollars, but your trip sounds like it will be at least 3 weeks - divide the cost by the number of days you will use it for, and I think you will find it worth the expense.

Above all make sure it will fold easily and is not too heavy.

You say you are going to be in Venice at the end of your trip - OK, this will be difficult as there are many bridges as you probably know, but they are ALL stepped. A few bridges do have wheelchair lifts. We got a key to operate these lifts at the airport, but they don't always work due to humidity, and when they do they are VERY slow. My son would get out, hop or use the crutches that we carried as well, and then I would have to heave the chair up and over. It was not an easy time in Venice. But we have an excuse to go back and see all we couldn't then!

Vaporettos are very easy to use with a wheelchair however. Just wheel them on and off! Also we used the traghettos, my son would hop on with help, I would fold the chair and carry it on to the traghetto. We also took a gondola ride, though we planned it so my son could get there on his crutches.
We went to Murano, Burano, the Guggenheim museum was manageable, we went into St Marks, and the Frari, but more was difficult.

One good thing came out of it all - while trying to research Venice with a Wheelchair I discovered fodors!

I have posted on previous threads on the topic so have a search here, as others have posted links to other helpful websites. There is one by someone called Durant Imboden (not a name to easily forget!) who has lots of useful information.

I hope this helps a little, and I wish you all the very best, and your son a speedy and successful recovery.

Several years ago I was in Paris in a wheel chair and didn't have any problems. In fact, we got two free admissions to the Louvre (for person in wheel chair and the person wheeling them),and we also received free admissions for two people. We also visited the Eiffel Tower and took a boat ride on the Seine. I can honestly say we encountered no problems.

The people were wonderful. If there was a negative it was the wear and tear on the wheels incurred while rolling over the cobble stones.

I'm sure your son will manage very well.

Type VENICE WITH A WHEELCHAIR into the search box above and there are several threads about it.

If you try the same with Rome, Paris and Barcelona you'll probably find more help.

Good luck!

In Paris you can rent wheelchairs at pharmacies.

Again, thank you for your suggestions. My son is able to use his crutches so it is more the lengthy days that I am concerned about.
As far as the lack of ramps etc. He can get up and crutch when needed. I found some very light weight (as low as 14 lbs) wheelchairs. I think I can even get my insurance to cover it if my doctor prescribes it.

On the cruise he can crutch, wheel or hopefully walk in a boot. By the time we get to the crusie ship it will be 6 1/2 weeks since his surgery.

Keep the suggestions coming...the more positive ideas I hear the more I think we will be able to pull it off and still have a great time.??
I am nervous about it though!

tbbeach - you can definately pull it off imo. You just have to modify - you are blessed to have your dh going with you - so one of you can head back with your son if he needs to rest.

tbbeach, your son will do wonderfully, I'm sure about it !!!
He is a 16 years old perfectly healthy boy , he won't have any trouble managing his temporary disability The wheelchair is a good idea in case he gets too tired but I believe you won't be pushing it too long Also pit stops in parks, cafes...any place you can sit down for a while

Never, ever think about cancelling the trip for such a reason. I have a permanent disability myself and I'm also in poor health...but I travel as much as I can (certainly, it is not as much as I would like to). There is no reason to stop doing it, you just have to think a bit more when planning and maybe giving up a few things for another trip...but then you always have a reason to go back

Hi tb beach. This is your sister daffy!
I know your son is tough and can handle getting around Europe in spite of it all. If he whines, leave him in the room.

There is a big difference in a "wheelchair" and a "companion chair" especially for travel.

You can rent one.

The companion chair is really much lighter, but usually requires someone to push it, (thus the companion). The wheelchair is bigger & heavier and has larger wheels, allowing a stong boy with good upper body strength to propel himself to a cerain degree with his arms.

examples:
http://www.medicalproductsdirect.com/tranwheelcom.html

and

http://www.medicalproductsdirect.com/ligwheel.html

but then again he IS 16 so maybe this
http://www.medicalproductsdirect.com/scooters.html

By the way I would take my own chair they are too unprediactable and it takes a little while to get the right one.

I realize that buying a wheelchair is an unforeseen cost and won't be cheap. However, it sounds like your family already has a positive attitude about dealing with the situaton as best you can. Here is another suggestion. As your son seems to have found a silver lining for this injury (the girl-attracting impact of a cast), so might you convert the expenditure into something positive - by donating the wheelchair after you get back to an organization like the Red Cross. It will get a barely used wheelchair, you'll get a tax deduction and, more importantly, you and your son will turn misfortune into a gift for someone who might not be able to afford to buy a wheelchair.

My husband broke his ankle with such twisting force that it broke the top of his lower leg as well. He is also a very big fellow and after surgery was out of commission for 4 months.

All that to say we had great success traveling in the states (not quite the same, but still airlines, airports etc) with what was called a "Transfer Chair" and very reasonably priced. It was much lighter weight, easier to fold and sounds very similar to what Amsdon describes. It even fit onto the airline lift which raised him up from the tarmac to the plane so he didn't have to hop up all the stairs. It's only drawback, really, is that it doesn't have the 4 large swiveling wheels that a regular chair does (just two) and so needs someone else to push it for any distance (up at a table or to get across a small room, he did fine on his own).

Do plan lots of extra time to get through security with the extra metal chair, metal in the leg, etc. We also took copies of the x-rays with us (they lie nice and flat in luggage) 1) in case there was a problem so they had ones to compare with and 2) he did have to have occasional new ones to make sure the bones were healing as planned - I'm sure you would get clearance from the Doctor before you left anyway. 3) if your son gets a walking boot, be sure to purchase an extra liner and take it with you...they can get rather odiferous from sweat etc, and though washable do they do not dry quickly so you quickly realize the need for the second one to "change out".

Good luck. This will certainly give your son a different view...when given lemons, make lemonade if possible!

I have a question. I am studying in Germany right now and I am planning on having my mother come and visit me. She has problems walking for distances and on rough terrian. Do you have any other suggestions other than getting a wheelchair for her? Anything would be awesome at this point.

As I lug around wheelchairs frequently for my mom, I have this point to add to those already offered: I love the light weight of the transit/companion chair. However, the small wheels of such a chair can be a pain. (The bigger the wheels, and the wider the treads of those wheels, the easier it is to roll a chair, especially over rough terrain. Think of the problems of rolling luggage, multiplied a hundred fold.)

Unfortunately this must be balanced against the heavier weight of such wheels, and the greater awkwardness in packing such a chair (such as into the trunk of a rental car or taxi.)

Les offers valuable experience since unlike me, he's actually pushed a transit chair around the cobblestoned streets of Paris - mentions an "Invacare" wheelchair by Spinlife. Since I have no personal experience with this brand, I did an Internet search. I can't tell which wheel size he used, but Les if you're still around, maybe you can illuminate? It's an important detail.

Very best of luck tbbeach - and Imay you and yours enjoy the 'lemonade' you are now making!

IMHO I would forget the wheel chair. If your 16y son is healthy and fit, he will be able to navigate just fine on crutches. Most likely easier than the effort another person is going to use to push a nearly full grown man in a wheelchair. If he finds he is unable to keep up at times, he is 16Y and old enough to return to the hotel by himself on the metro/bus/cab or sit in a cafe and wait for the rest of the family. During the cruise I doubt there will be any big mobility issues.

When you actually ride in the companion chair, notice that the smaller wheels make more rotations than the very big wheels, thus a bumpier ride.

IMO from experience pushing my mom for years, the companion chair is easier on the pusher (companion) but the regular or large wheel version is a smoother ride due to the big tires, better comfort for the person in the chair.

The chair can always be left in the room if you don't use it. I agree it may be a back upmeasure, I just suggest you test and try a partiicular chair first....

and rent it don't buy.
(check with your insurance too)

Have your son try one and take him around town. Go on the streets not the malls.

See what he thinks, after all if he decides not to use it it will be a waste.

I hate companion chairs, I believe a 16 year old with a broken leg would hate them too. It is not only the bumps..it is that you are totally dependent of the pusher, which is not any good if your arms are in normal shape and maybe you want to move a bit independently. The seats are also more confortable in wheelchairs
It's just my opinion, but I've tried both as a user (after surgeries and also at airports).
If he is still wearing a cast...I don't think a scooter is a good option, he cannot stretch his leg. But I really don't believe he will need it very much except maybe on the days you plan to walk the most.

"This will certainly give your son a different view...when given lemons, make lemonade if possible!" - NO, NO!! In Italy, you make limoncello, not lemonade

I'm assuming you spoke with the doc and he gave you the ok? I'm thinking of blood clot issues. If there was no surgery, I don't think..but am not sure..that it would be a problem. Just check. It's a long flight and you don't want any medical problems then.

I spent a month in Italy some years ago after having an open reduction for a tibial plateau fracture. We deferred our trip for awhile since I was not able to put any weight on the leg initially....but once there, I spent the month on a cane, earning the name "gimpy." I still had a great time, and I think the family (teens at the time) were not too much inconvenienced. Here's the thing. None of your cities is handicap accessible. Cobblestone streets, steps without ramps, narrow, narrow sidewalks, tiny elevators and little cafe tables in restaurants are all going to be challenges. I think I would ditch the wheel chair and rely on the crutches. He can save a lot of energy by using taxis - although the max number of persons is usually 4 - so you will need two to travel together. Attitude will be key to everyone having a good time. But it is a chance for everyone to take the grand tour a little more slowly and perhaps let a little more of the local cultures absorb. Have fun.

I would be cautious about ditching the idea of taking/renting a wheelchair. Initially I wanted to just use my crutches, but family insisted on the chair. I was glad they did. It was no problem and at times was a lifsaver. Using crutches can be tiring and the wheelchair was light weight and collapsed easily which meant it could easily fit into the trunk of a taxi. Yes, cobblestones are not easy but they can be managed without too much fuss.I was only in Paris but can't imagine Rome or Barcelona being much diffeent.

This doesn't answer your wheelchair question, but one interesting way to get around Paris might be by taking a Segway tour.

I would imagine you would have to look into the liability issues with the (Segway)tour company first, but I thought this might be at least an idea for the whole family to get around Paris and see some things and still be fun. Not sure about the logistics of dealing with crutches but maybe if he's in a walking boot....

This is just another option to maybe think about. It would at least give you all some mobility, and maybe a little fun.

Hi.. tbbeach
Take a look a the local Goodwill/Salvation Army. You can buy a wheelchair there very inexpensively. Hopefully he should be better towrards the end of the trip, just donate it before heading home.

Dashing off to the dr. for a check up on MY broken foot, which I broke falling off a pyramid in Mexico last Feb.

Anyway I"ve not read all the advice but I'm sure its worthy! But be sure you have a signed letter from your dr. saying he is in good health and able to fly!!!

I almost didn't have this...the last medico I saw told me I would need it and I did. The airlines wanted to see it on my way home. If I had not had it, I would not have been able to fly.

Upgrading to biz is great for him. I'm too poor...but they put me in a bulk head which was not good for me...fortunately the plane was half full...and I moved to the back of the plane and was able to put my leg up on the empty seats!!

He can do it...just depends how dedicated he is to the trip. Also a wheelchair would be easier on YOU too!!!!

I agree with the advice to NOT ditch the wheelchair.

Having an athletic dd who has been on crutches for 6 weeks now. It is not easy to get around for long periods of time.

A lot of work.

This is a very good lesson in why purchasing travel insurance is always VERY good idea.

One last suggestion -- have you looked into your credit card to see if they offer any travel protections. (Some do, most don't). Putting off thetrip by a few months would make it much more enjoyable for the whole family.

Doesn't your health insurance refund the cost of renting a wheelchair? Nobody has to pay for using a basic wheelchair in France, even if visiting most other countries.

My health insurance would not cover the cost. They said that she was fine on crutches.

My insurance would not cover a wheelchair, we rented for full price. Blue Cross HMO.

When my older son had an injury, his insurance Kaiser did not cover a wheelchair, only gave a discount.

Well for what it is worth that makes me feel a little better Faina.

At this point,I have to say I wish I bought the wheelchair 6 weeks ago. Now, I keep remaining hopeful she will be walking without crutches at somepoint soon.

Anyway to the OP if you can afford it buy it. And if you cannot afford it you should not be going on this trip anyway

The site I found renting wheelchairs for 40 euros a week in Paris with online booking doesn't seem to indicate the need for buying a wheelchair for transcontinental travel, especially when it won't be needed after another week or two.

Great idea re the thrift stores.
I would CALL the thrift stores re the available wheelchairs for sale. They usually get snatched up right away. Calling ahead is a good idea.

Just FYI as a tangent, did you know that my mom was wheelchair bound for about 10 years. Most of those years medicare rented & paid for her chair. I was shocked as I knew it was paid for many times over. They would not "buy" it, we checked. No wonder we have problems with medicare.

Bring zipper bags. After I had my knee replaced (age 50)I started traveling with plastic zipper bags to ice down my knee. I would double bag to help with melting ice. Really saved me on the plane (never had a flight attendant turn me down for ice when I explained the situation)and at night after walking around all day. I also agree with the other posters in trying for business class. Being able to stretch out and have your leg raised somewhat really helps with the swelling.

gwen that is an excellent idea. I will do that in the fall with dd for her foot.

Yes,my insurance will cover the cost of the wheelchair..the doctor prescribed it today. Great idea for the ice. I checked out the online stores for wheelchairs you can buy a companion chair for about $200.00. I think we will go to a store and see what is available first. I really don't think we would cancel if we had insurance the logistics of getting a month off of work is not easy and if we were to reschedule who knows what my come up. Dr. said he is fine to fly, unfortunately no business class available on the flight. Maybe there will be some empty seats. Thanks for all the advice, it sounds like we are not the first in this situation.

Since everyone gave me such great advice I wanted to update and tell everyone how it is going on our trip. Great! We took advice and purchased a wheelchair from spinlife.com for 149.00. (it is actually a companion chair it can be pushed but not wheeled independently) It weighs a mere 19 pounds. Luckily the doctor gave the ok for my son to start putting weight on his leg so he is able to get up when we need to carry the chair down stairs etc. We have pushed him all around Paris and now Barcelona with no problem at all. The metro in Paris does require a lot of stairs so for someone confined to a wheelchair it would be very difficult. I suggest the person pushing needs to be in good physical condition as well. My son weighs about 165 pounds and pushing him up some of the streets in Paris was quite a workout. I am so happy we did not cancel our trip. Attitude is everything and with the "we can do it" attitude it is easily done. We did not have to wait in line at the Muse de Orsay, and were lucky to have empty seats on the plane so he could put his leg up. I will post updates along the trip. Barcelona does have elevators in the Metro, I never saw any in Paris but there are some escalotors. Thanks for the advice and encouragement! Hasta Luego

Thanks tbbeach!

It is great to get feedback. Hoping the rest of the trip is fab....be sure to have the crema catalana.

It has been mentioned a couple of times but the one thing I would be the most concerned about is the plane ride. It is long and he has had major surgery traveling a relatively short while afterward. I wouldn't cancel the trip but I would definitely consult with his ortho to find out how to care for him on the long flight.Business class would be ideal because he could elevate. Having that leg down for so many hours will cause him a lot of pain when the plane trip is over. The swelling is still going to be bad anyway and the plane will make it worse.I don't mean to exagerate but I would anticipate a 7 or more hour flight in coach and that leg will just be throbbing half way through if he can't elevate it. I had almost an identical injury two years ago and still swell more on planes than ever before. (though I am in my 40s so that may make a difference)

I agree that you should keep the wheelchair but I would also bet he'll want to use his crutches as much as possible. Is he well practiced using the crutches on stairs? He'll need to be for sure. But he's young and strong and will do just fine. Plus his siblings can pitch in to help! Have fun but please, please consider implications of the air travel.

TTT

Glad your trip is going so well!

It's great you went on that trip! The physical pain will go away, the joy and memories will be with you forever!

Hi tbbeach - glad to hear your son hung in there and you had a good trip. You're an inspiration to us all!