Heartbroken!! May need to cancel

[lisid]

Booked on Majesty out of Baltimore July 26....final payment due in May and DH has tendonitis in his elbows...may have to cancel. This would have been our first cruise & I don't think we'll ever be able to afford a cruise in the future (especially since NCL won't be leaving from Baltimore anymore). Schedule won't allow us any other time this summer....I'm so sad!!!! We're a family of 4...any suggestions as to where to go in the future???:( Has to be economical.

[lovinlifeinSC]

It is quite some time until July. I've had Tendonitis 8wks or less to recover. I say you go on the cruise. Tell DH to take it easy and recuperate between now and then.

[CruisnGram]

I've never had tendonitis so may be talking out of turn. But, a cruise is a relaxing vacation and I don't see why he couldn't recover while cruising. Unless surgery is necessary at the exact time you are scheduled to go, I'd vote too that you don't cancel and tell DH to plan on relaxing/recouperating in beautiful Bermuda.

 

Good luck,

 

CG

[Karysa]

I play tennis year round and know many people who have been kept off the court for 2-3 months with severe tennis elbow. Rest and physical therapy are usually the remedy. Hopefully this is all that your DH needs as well. I would think that a cruise vacation in the middle of this would be just what the doctor would order.

I wish him a speedy recovery.

 

Karysa

[Stillfloatin']

Have your DH get a cortisone shot, let the elbow rest and recover, and there should be no problem with going on a cruise in July. He'll have 3 months to get better, and if he doesn't do anything strenuous on the cruise, there is absolutely no reason not to go. Heck, my friend went on a cruise just 7 weeks after surgery for a torn rotator cuff and she did great. She even went snorkeling, just didn't use that arm while swimming.

[uppitycats]

It's not clear to my why you need to cancel because of tendonitis? Maybe we can be more helpful if you explain further. As the others said, unless surgery happens to be scheduled exactly that week -- and it seems far enough ahead you could ask that it be rescheduled -- it shouldn't really matter.

[flashdog_1]

Booked on Majesty out of Baltimore July 26....final payment due in May and DH has tendonitis in his elbows...may have to cancel. This would have been our first cruise & I don't think we'll ever be able to afford a cruise in the future (especially since NCL won't be leaving from Baltimore anymore). Schedule won't allow us any other time this summer....I'm so sad!!!! We're a family of 4...any suggestions as to where to go in the future???:( Has to be economical.

 

Did you buy travel/cruise insurance?

 

Does he have surgery scheduled?

 

Sounds like you're concerned that final payment is due in May and hubby at that time will not be 100%. But if he takes it easy, follows doctor's orders, lets someone else lift the luggage, pays a porter to remove bags from car etc. he should do okay.

 

Can you and the other 2 lift the luggage? Pack light! Wash small things out in the sink in the cabin or use the ship's laundry if you can't take a full contingency of luggage. Cabins on Majesty are small anyway, so there's not a lot of room for extra clothes. Plan carefully and rewear clothes.

 

Also, with freestyle, no formal wear is necessary so that cuts down on the luggage weight as well.

 

If you have wheeled luggage, try to get clothes for all 4 into 3 bags and let the 3 of you roll them (unless you are talking about an infant here).

 

Please, more details about the ages of the other 2 passengers. We want to help but are running blind without enough information.

[HollyT]

I've had tendonitis - it took a year to completely recover - but there is absolutely no reason to cancel your cruise.

 

And like someone else has said, the cruise is probably the best medicine for it.

[paiagirl]

Booked on Majesty out of Baltimore July 26....final payment due in May and DH has tendonitis in his elbows...may have to cancel. This would have been our first cruise & I don't think we'll ever be able to afford a cruise in the future (especially since NCL won't be leaving from Baltimore anymore). Schedule won't allow us any other time this summer....I'm so sad!!!! We're a family of 4...any suggestions as to where to go in the future???:( Has to be economical.

 

Maybe you don't need to cancel your cruise.

 

I had terrible tendonitis about 9 years ago and went ahead with our China land tour. That trip was the best for my tendonitis. I took my medication and did my arm and finger exercises. It helped a lot because I wasn't doing many things that I would ordinarily do at home. By the time I got home, my arm and fingers were better. Thanks to the tour.

[dtracker]

Booked on Majesty out of Baltimore July 26....final payment due in May and DH has tendonitis in his elbows...may have to cancel. This would have been our first cruise & I don't think we'll ever be able to afford a cruise in the future (especially since NCL won't be leaving from Baltimore anymore). Schedule won't allow us any other time this summer....I'm so sad!!!! We're a family of 4...any suggestions as to where to go in the future???:( Has to be economical.

 

I had tendonitis many years ago, and I couldn't figure out what was causing it. I was doing some construction work on a home I was building and I was using a steel shanked hammer. Someone told me to switch to a wooden handled hammer and after several weeks, the pain went away and I've never had it since. It was the vibration of the metal causing it. It could be something as simple as that for your DH.

 

I hope you don't have to cancel your trip. :(

Best Wishes,

 

DT

[melligene]

Had it. Also had what was diagnosed as carple tunnel. Was told to take vitamin B6 by a fellow construction worker who experienced the same thing and was suggested by a physician who was a friend. Worked. Can't hurt. Go to Kmart. Couple bucks. Bought the largest dose per pill they had and took it once a day. Just sayin.....

[peg013]

Unless he cannot work because of the tendonitis and you can't make the final payment, don't cancel. If it's still bothering him in July (hopefully he will be recovered) the rest/cruise will do you both good. I've had it several times and I know how bad it hurts but the cruise might help "make it all better". Cortizone shots sometimes work wonders.

[lisid]

It's not clear to my why you need to cancel because of tendonitis? Maybe we can be more helpful if you explain further. As the others said, unless surgery happens to be scheduled exactly that week -- and it seems far enough ahead you could ask that it be rescheduled -- it shouldn't really matter.

OK, so really it's "Ulner nerve damage" in BOTH elbows..He's afraid he MAY need surgery (one at a time & recoup is aprox 6 wks..per). Having final payment in MAY is what has him spooked...No, we did not yet get insurance (stupid....we just thought we could get it before final payment)..and having not purchased at the time of deposit...most carriers won't cover a pre-exsisting cond......those that will are a FORTUNE!

 

I keep telling him that me & our boys (16 & 12 ) will carry everything...he's scared...plus, being out of work is straining the budget a bit (I'm sure that also has him freaked out).

 

Thanks for all the comments so far...keep them coming!!!

[watchdiva]

I was diagnosed with tendonitis 5 months ago - had 2 cortisone shots, PT and home exercises. Still having problems but as you see, I'm still going on our cruise next week. Minor modifications to some shore excursions (no ziplining for me this year:() and probably no snorkeling (unless it's a drift snorkel) but we're still going and will have a blast. DH can snorkel and I was relax, beach time, etc.

 

I plan on spending some serious time in the spa just relaxing and being.

 

If you don't absolutely have to cancel by recommendation of your doctor, maybe you want to rethink and go.....

[flashdog_1]

OK, so really it's "Ulner nerve damage" in BOTH elbows..He's afraid he MAY need surgery (one at a time & recoup is aprox 6 wks..per). Having final payment in MAY is what has him spooked...No, we did not yet get insurance (stupid....we just thought we could get it before final payment)..and having not purchased at the time of deposit...most carriers won't cover a pre-exsisting cond......those that will are a FORTUNE!

 

I keep telling him that me & our boys (16 & 12 ) will carry everything...he's scared...plus, being out of work is straining the budget a bit (I'm sure that also has him freaked out).

 

Thanks for all the comments so far...keep them coming!!!

 

So it's the financial burden you are worried about, with his not working due to the tendonitis, and not knowing how long that will go on.... That is something just the 4 of you are going to have to figure out. If it's a cruise or 4 months mortgage payments I know what I'd do if there was no leisure money around.

[dustyroad]

i personally cant get by without my cortizone shots. i have a syst in the ball of my left foot and when it gets bad it feels like i have a sharp boulder in the ball of my foot that i am walking on. i go get a cortizone shot and i cant feel the pain anymore. i am allowed 3 a year but one does the trick for me. i swear by cortizone. please have him ask the doctor about it as an option to releive the pain. please do not miss your cruise because of this if you dont have to too. as others have said a cruise is for relaxation and not doing anything strenuous. have a great time.

[lisid]

Cortizone to no avail:( And we really won't break the bank...have had the $ squirreled away for a while...I think the trip & experience for the 4 of us outways the fear...Just the elbows are the true concern...the Ulner nerve is the nerve that hurts with "tennis/golfers elbow"

[*Luv2Cruz*]

It is quite some time until July. I've had Tendonitis 8wks or less to recover. I say you go on the cruise. Tell DH to take it easy and recuperate between now and then.

I had it also and was much better after 5 weeks! Just rest it alot and exercise it with light weight only! Hope it works out!

[LOWTYD]

MY DH hadba neck fusion done and 3 weeks later we were on a cruise. He recouperated on the ship instead of at home. Couldn't do a lot but enjoyed the relaxation. Best medicine for him!

 

Now, maybe you don't want to hear this but if he thinks he really can't go, can you just cancel him? That is something I would do and my DH really wouldn't mind because I just asked him:) . He looked at me and said "He should just go! I did it" It would be too bad to ruin everyone's vacation. Maybe your DH will be as understanding. Just a thought.

 

Good luck whatever you decided.

[Stillfloatin']

About 2 years ago I hyper-extended my L arm and ended up with Ulnar nerve damage. My doc put my on high doses of NSAIDS to reduce the inflamation and had me refrain from using the arm for lifting, etc. for several weeks. It actually took many months to heal, but it eventually did. Surgery is not recommended except in cases of extensive damage to the nerve, usually preceded by numbness. I hope you DH is able to recover without need for surgery. Your doctor should be able to test the extent of damage and determine if surgery is required. If it is not, there should be no reason to cancel the cruise. In any case, good luck to you.

[Karysa]

I had my ulnar nerve repositioned when I was 16. It was done under general anesthesia then. If he were to have 2 general anesthesias in a couple of months that also takes a toll on ones health. I wish him all the best.

I also would be leary about the travel health insurance. Many of them need a 3 month time period from the last doctor's appointment before you are considered covered for that particular reason.

 

Karysa

[mactrio]

Booked on Majesty out of Baltimore July 26....final payment due in May and DH has tendonitis in his elbows...may have to cancel. This would have been our first cruise & I don't think we'll ever be able to afford a cruise in the future (especially since NCL won't be leaving from Baltimore anymore). Schedule won't allow us any other time this summer....I'm so sad!!!! We're a family of 4...any suggestions as to where to go in the future???:( Has to be economical.

 

I have tennis elbow in my left and a torn rotator cuff & split bicep on my right and I still went on my cruise and enjoyed myself. Why would you have to cancel?

[velvetred]

Don't cancel your cruise - go and enjoy. - You can work around your husband's tendonitis - cruising is not a strenuous activity - get some meds from the doctor and follow the doctor's advice related to activities. However, it doesn't take much to kick back in a lounger with a drink in hand.

 

BTW - a couple of years ago my daughter and I were booked on a cruise out of New Orleans. Three weeks before the cruise I slipped on ice while shoveling snow and fractured my tibia and fibula in multiple places requiring surgical intervention. My daughter did not want to cancel so we went on our cruise as planned. I was in a cast and brought my rented wheelchair along for mobility as I was totally non-weight-bearing on the right leg. My doctor approved the trip and he even provide me with something to cut the cast with in case my ankle swelled too much.

 

We still went on some handicapped accessible excursions and enjoyed the entertainment and dining options aboard. Other than my daughter saying it was &*^* pushing me in my wheelchair at the Quirigua ruins in Guatemala, we had a fabulous time - we went to see some Mayan ruins in Guatemala and Costa Maya, toured a brewery and the city in Belize, and enjoyed Mexican folk dancers in Cozumel. Don't look at your husband's limitations - see the possibilities.

[Lvteks]

Around 1974-75 I was working only on comission and several circumstances occurred which left me extremely concerned about staying afloat. (so to speak). In all of this mess my DD and I had to decide about a unnecessary expense. I finally said to myself..."well if this is all that going to make the difference....at least have the satisfaction of something joyful. Outcome?? The worst never happened! But I did discover something....it is not always possible to save to get something, but I will do everything possible to keep it.

 

No one can decide for you, yet it was a determined positive attitude the seemed to help me the most. If this cruise gives you and DH a good opportunity to be together and have time to share hopes, dreams and concerns, consider it . So much TV hype and rifle shot news deliveries are creating more panic and fear for the sake of presentation. I watched ten or fifteen minutes about some urgent breaking news. In the paper, it rated three inches on page 5. Go figure.

 

A favorite quote on how to raise children is for parents to love one another. I vote for what is loving and positive....only you know what that is.

 

 

Blessings,

 

Gail

[beachchick]

I have tennis elbow in my left and a torn rotator cuff & split bicep on my right and I still went on my cruise and enjoyed myself. Why would you have to cancel?

 

I think she explains well in the post below. The bottom line is that health problems affect each person differently. I notice several people suggesting cortisone shots. They can be very helpful, but they don't work for everyone and they aren't always appropriate. It's kind of like when someone assumes that because a friend of theirs had some type of cancer and recovered quickly and well, then all people who have that type of cancer should be able to do the same. Ditto with things like MS and RA; some people can live mostly unaffected lives, while others are unable to function normally in most areas of life. Really though, it's a personal decision, and I don't think any of us should "scold" her and her family for considering cancelling, especially because her DH may need two surgeries and they may happen in that time frame (including the cruise dates perhaps).

 

OK, so really it's "Ulner nerve damage" in BOTH elbows..He's afraid he MAY need surgery (one at a time & recoup is aprox 6 wks..per). Having final payment in MAY is what has him spooked...No, we did not yet get insurance (stupid....we just thought we could get it before final payment)..and having not purchased at the time of deposit...most carriers won't cover a pre-exsisting cond......those that will are a FORTUNE!

 

I keep telling him that me & our boys (16 & 12 ) will carry everything...he's scared...plus, being out of work is straining the budget a bit (I'm sure that also has him freaked out).

 

Thanks for all the comments so far...keep them coming!!!

 

He obviously cares about his family's financial health more than he does about what would surely be a wonderful cruise. If you need to cancel and do it before final payment date, you might want to consider putting the refund aside into a "future cruise" account. Then this fall, look at the cruise schedules for summer 2010. It will give you time to set extra money aside into that future cruise account, making it not so difficult to budget for and perhaps allowing you to take a really special cruise. My best to your DH and to you too. I hope he recovers well and that this is soon behind you.

 

So it's the financial burden you are worried about, with his not working due to the tendonitis, and not knowing how long that will go on.... That is something just the 4 of you are going to have to figure out. If it's a cruise or 4 months mortgage payments I know what I'd do if there was no leisure money around.

 

Exactly. I know what we would do, sad as it is to consider.

 

beachchick