Broken wrist - would you cancel?

[Bonnie J.]

I fell off a roof and fracture BOTH wrists. (7 & 3 fractures!) Weren't cruising then but certainly wouldn't have let that stop me.

You mom needs to have the cast removed and replaced with fixatures! This is what I had. I had surgery (I was in the hospital after the fall) to place them but they can be done in an office. Then they use novicane. Fixatures are 2 rods drilled into the hand, above the thumb, and 2 in the arm. The rods are about 5" apart. Then there is a large rod that connects them. These were GREAT! I could shower with them but couldn't get in the hot tub or go swimming. Three times a day you go around the rods with hydrogine peroxide on a Q-tip. Because I was in the hospital, I had an orthopedic specialist.

When I had them removed 6 weeks later, I had NO novicane, they were just unscrewed and I felt no pain at all. You should be able to look fixatures up on google as my husband did. He found they can be put in even in the jungle! If your Dr. isn't familiar with these, ask him to refer you to an orthopedist. Good luck and let us know what your mom decides!

[Debbers]

I would not like to cruise with a broken wrist, and I am a long way from 75! I have had broken bones and coped reasonably well around home and work, but I found myself often tired and cranky. Everything took greater effort and more time--dressing, eating, writing, even reading. Unless this trip is impossible to reschedule, I would postpone it for a better time (assuming I was insured and would have no major financial loss)>

 

One more thing--how will a one-handed lady manage on stairs, if the rail is on her hurt side? If the weather is rough, will she be able to use the handrails in the corridors? If it were me, I would wait.

[shooshoo2]

We recently sailed on the RCCL Voyager. While on board we met Sally. The night before Sally left to take cruise, she hit her shin bone on a treadmill. Sally thought she just bruised it good. (2) days into the cruise the medics on board exrayed leg and found a break in the bone. She was put in a cast from toes up to knee, and everyone on ship catered to her every need for the remainder of the cruise.

 

Good Luck

[lovebug33]

If her doctor is good, go for it. I fractured my wrist and I still went everywhere I wanted to, even sledding with my cast (which is how I fractured the wrist). Oh, hell, I even polished an entire set of silverware with one hand. Enjoy the cruise. I am sure your mum most probably didn't have a biking excursion already planned!

[GardenAngel]

Thanks for all your replies. Mum is feeling a lot better now and she wants to go. Her wrist is still in a cast at the moment but the hospital doctor said he will replace that a couple of days before the cruise with one which fastens with velcro. She is not in pain from her wrist anymore, has some bruising from the fall but is walking with her stick and thinks she will feel well enough to go. I went with her to see her general doctor on Friday to get her advice and she said it would be the best thing for her to go if she wants to. I've arranged with the airline for her to get assistance boarding and leaving the plane as she needs her one good hand for her walking stick and the plane steps are so steep. And they just need a doctor's letter to say she is fit to fly.

 

So it's looking good so far and we've not cancelled. We are even daring to get a little excited! The only reservation she has now is whether she will be able to get in and out of the tender (we tender into Santorini and I think maybe Dubrovnik). But we could miss those ports altogether if she can't make it.

 

We never do anything active when cruising anyway, just take things easy, and she's not someone who likes going in the pool or sea that much. And she will have her two daughters along to help her. There is so much she will still be able to enjoy, so I'm glad she wants to go.

 

I will let you know how we get on! Thanks again!

[dforeigner]

Cool, thanks for the update and enjoy your trip.

[Starr Mtn]

Your Mom could probably find it easier to

use a shower chair . It would probably

be difficult for her to stand in the shower

and balance, etc. You could request

one ahead of time, or ask your cabin steward

for one once on board.

[ehfl]

At her age, she should take every opportunity she can to have fun. She should go for it, and not let a cast ruin the fun.

[okfarmerswife]

IMO, it will be easier for her to be on the cruise than at home. She'll be waited on and pampered on the cruise and at home she'd have to cook, clean, make beds, etc....NO WAY would I let a broken wrist keep me from cruising....a broken leg maybe.....

[azspring]

My 70 y.o. mom broke her ankle the day before our Panama Canal Cruise (in June 2005). She got a plaster cast put on and had doubts our cruise too. I wanted her to be comfortable and told her the decision was hers. She decided to go, in a wheel chair, and loved every minute of our trip.

A few months after our trip, I asked her if she had any regrets about going - she told me "Not a one."

 

In all probability, your mom will not be the only person on board in a cast. No one will think anything of her eating with one hand or anything else. But when it comes right down to it she is the one who has to make decision if she feels comfortable going. Let her read some of these posts.

[sail7seas]

Good you and she have decided to go on your cruise. Crew will assist her getting into and out of the tender. The stairs down to the tender dock could be steep but there will be crew on the gangway to assist.

 

Let us know how it goes. Have a great cruise.

 

[Krazy Kruizers]

So glad you are going on your cruise.

 

We have seen lots of people in casts. On one of our cruises we saw a man with BOTH legs in a cast. Most of the time he was in a wheel chair but there were times when he used crutches. The crew was great in helping whenever they could.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

[loosygoosy]

Unless your Mom is someone who would normally be rock climbing, snorkeling, riding a motorcycle or bike, scuba diving, sailing or doing any such activities....................then I say go for it. You still have to eat, sleep and drinkg at home!

There is NO PLACE to be pampered like on a cruise. ENJOY and live in the now.