gotribe

I've seen people in Las Vegas, at amusement parks, etc. on crutches. If I had to spend my vacation hobbling on crutches, I would cancel it. I'd sooner lose the money than have a miserable time.

One time before we met, my boyfriend actually PLANNED a vacation when he would be on crutches! How much fun could that have been? He won't even go on a trip now....when he doesn't HAVE to use crutches! (eye roll)

Ms_Jingles

Sounds odd unless the trip is a driving tour. When there's a lot of walking required such as Washington D.C. or NYC, then I would not go on crutches. Vegas would be possible with the trolley and just sitting around watching shows or gambling. The amusement park makes sense if you can move to the front of the lines for the 'disability'!

aileen679

Perhaps hobbling around on crutches is better than staying at home hobbling around on crutches. They may be having a fantastic time. Doing things takes your mind off what hurts.

I spent six months in a plastic body cast. Trust me on this, going was much more fun than staying at home.

cheriberry

gotribe
Going to the bathroom is a task on crutches .NO Way would I go on vacation or to an amusement park. Id rather stay home .

Cheribery

OO

I was on crutches when we had a trip planned for Epcot. I did not want to use a wheelchair, but I didn't get far into the park before my family sat me down and got one. It was summer, it was hot, and it was miserable getting around on them! From my experience, if you are headed to a major amusement park, I wouldn't let that hold me back.

As it turned out, the wheelchair was a good deal as we went to the head of all the lines. Felt a little embarrassed to not be waiting, but the rest of the family got right into it.

gotribe

Using a wheelchair is one thing (going to the front of line IS an advantage) but hobbling around on crutches is quite another. I never thought of using the bathroom....yeah, that MUST be tough.

When my boyfriend went, he went by plane to North Carolina and walked along the beaches on crutches!

NO WAY!

Patrick

Plan a trip when you're going to be on crutches? I doubt it.
But give up an already planned trip and sit at home pouting because I'm on crutches? Never.
I'd still go in a hospital bed with IV's attached if they'd let me. Who wants to stay at home when you can be doing something travelwise?
Now of course if the planned trip was doing 50 miles a day on bicycles, or was a "hiking in Ireland" holiday, well, then I guess not, unless they'd let me sit in a pub all day gathering sympathy and free drinks from the locals.

lcuy

gotribe-
Some people are permanently on crutches. Just because they need assistance walking doesn't mean they are having a miserable time.

I has to use crutches for a short period and didn't let it stop me. They caused me no more misery than hot weather, rain, or hay fever might have caused, and in some ways made that trip more interesting.

I guess my question is why would you care?

gotribe

Just curious, that's all. Other people post opinion type questions.

gotribe

Oh, I forgot. The people I've seen weren't permanently on crutches. They had a cast. I figure why go then instead of when the cast is off?

OO

In my case the trip was planned and had been for some time. Our kids were visiting from other areas of the country and my accident occurred two days before we were to go to Epcot, including a nice weekend at Grand Cypress resort. I could have kept everyone in the house miserable with me, or I could have gone and done as much with them as we could.

The day after my accident (tore my calf muscle in aerobics class) we had planned on going to Hilton Head to the beach. We went...fortunately the sand is hard packed there. I sat in a beach chair and enjoyed their frisbee game...watched as my daughter went up for one high over her head and came down landing on her arm, which immediately began to swell and change colors. We whisked her back to the ER in Savannah where she ended up in a cast to her elbow. We were quite the pair the next day in Epcot...looked like we must have been in a terrible car wreck at best.

The bathroom wasn't an issue, getting onto some of the rides which don't stop completely to load, was, as I could put no weight on that leg. It was sort of like hopping onto a cable car in SF...position yourself to go, wait until it's in just the right position, then swing out. LOL

rb_travelerxATyahoo

Why not go when you're on crutches? You're probably off work anyway and who the heck wants to stay home ... especially when once you are back to work there will be piles of "catch-up" to contend with.

After 2 1/2 months in a hospital followed by 3 1/2 more months home with a combination of wheelchair, walker, and crutches don't you think staying confined ANYWHERE had gotten a little "old"? I don't think anyone who'd say they'd prefer to stay home has really HAD to make such a decision.

gail

If flights are not cancellable and one does not have travel insurance - that could be one reason.

mamajo

We were on a two week tour to South America in April with an 80 year old gentleman who used crutches to help him walk. And he had been on the pre- trip and post-trip extensions to Peru and Brazil, so he was gone over 3 weeks. He kept up with us, made the trip enjoyable, had a great sense of humor, did not expect special treatment, and told us that was his FOURTH trip this year! Why not go? I hope I'm as active as he is when I'm 80...and that's not too far off

GBelle

We were scheduled for a trip to London and two days before I fractured an ankle. There was no way I wasn't heading to London with my family. But instead of crutches, I opted for a cane. In all the London museums and places we visited, I was offered a wheelchair which I gladly used, especially after flying with a swollen leg that needed to be elevated by the end of the day. We moved a little slower, but it was still a great trip.

Litespeed_Chick

GoTribe: there's a problem with your original assumption that being on crutches means one "hobbles" and would be guaranteed a "miserable time". A person who is in otherwise good physical shape can get around on crutches faster than lots of not-so-healthy people.

Let me take this opportunity to explain how one walks on crutches. You hold the handles and then walk putting your weight into your hands. You do NOT ever let the top of the crutches touch your underarms. It drives me crazy to see people...yes, you're right...hobbling...trying to balance their weight on their underarms.

As for my own story, I broke tib/fib and got plates/pins. After the initial "i'm gonna die give me drugs" couple of weeks, I went to Asheville every weekend, wandered around the arboretum while my friends rode their bikes, then walked around downtown for amusement. When it was time for my planned vacation to Charleston, I went, and I have some really cute pictures of me in the surf w/ my crutches. I will advise, that if you ever go to Charleston, SC on crutches, look out for the cobblestones.

Cassandra

If your assumption is "I'd never do THAT," then you won't -- and you might miss a lot. (And I'd be careful of kharma here ;-) )!

My sister seriously sprained an ankle just before a month-long trip to India. I was worried about her, especially since she was traveling alone. When she came back, she had some great stories -- and the best of it was that she got all kinds of help from people all along the way, got to know people quickly and got to know them in a different way from what would "normally" happen.

If you're in a lot of pain or drugged, going on an optional trip probably isn't the best idea. Otherwise, you can have a miserable time or a great time -- your choice. For myself, I'd make sure I took advantage of all the "perks" (special seating, priority in lines, boarding, etc.)!!

aileen679

And now a word about going to the bathroom on crutches.... If you are a man, most of your goings will be standing up so there would be no problem. For the Women, you get to use the handicapped stall. It's a lot easier to get up and down on that high- off-the-floor toilet than it is on the regular one at home. It has those nice hand rails to help a person to stand.

With all the handicapped ramps, getting around on crutches is no problem here in the USA. Don't know about overseas and Mexico.

FainaAgain

For some workaholics being injured is the only time they can go

Seriously, I've noticed how many people in casinos are in wheelchairs, with oxygen, etc...

I think it's the choice of being home alone or with people in the surrounding which takes your mind off the injury.