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Express Mail Service to Germany

Hi- 2 weeks ago I fell and broke my ankle while in Germany and had to have surgery. I can't put any weight on my foot for 6 weeks. The only crutches available here are the ones that you support with your forearms but they don't work with the use of only 1 foot. I had my parents send me some of the underarm crutches you see everyone use in the US. They sent them via USPS Express Mail to the campground we are staying at in Germany. We received an email that said the delivery was attempted on July 8. We personally witnessed the mailman deliver mail on the 8th and he had no package. He did not leave any type of notification either. The next day, we again watched him deliver the mail to the campground and again, no package. He was even asked about the package and said he knew nothing of it. We went to the local post office to ask about where our package might be and they said maybe the next town up. They said they could not look up the tracking number and basically couldn't help us. When we visited the other post office, they said they wouldn't have the package either. We also found the local mail distribution center where the carriers get their mail and head out on the trucks. They looked for the package there and couldn't find it either. They also said that they could not look up the tracking number. They also said they do not handle Express Mail and that it goes out on a special truck. What???? I am at a complete loss as of what to do... I can not leave my camper, or even hobble to the shower until I get those crutches from home. Does anyone have any ideas of who to contact or where to find out where my package could be? I tried to contact USPS and they haven't responded yet. Is it possible that with Express Mail, another company handles delivery such as DHL?

Thanks for any ideas or tips you may have! My trip is ticking away and I can't get out to enjoy it!

Posted by
2779 posts

You can get underarm crutches at any Sanitätshaus shop in Germany. There is one in Oberwesel on Koblenzer Str. 8, Phone: 06744 1566. Packages sent to Germany from USPS are handled by Deutsche Post over here. DHL is Deutsche Posts's package delivery subsidiary. Here's the link to DHL Germany's English language website: http://www.dhl.de/dhl?tab=1&skin=hi&check=yes&lang=de_EN&xmlFile=4037I don't think Deutsche Post or DHL can handle or track USPS tracking numbers as they've got different computer systems. Only USPS can help you, maybe your parents can help you from States side. If you think contacting German customs might help here is there phone number: 069/469976-00 (I'd call between 9am and 5pm). By the way I'm sorry to hear you broke your leg on your vaccation!

Posted by
135 posts

Charity, where are you staying and what is the nearest post office location and the next bigger town? If the crutches have arrived at all, they are probably at some collection place where everything with customs due is stored. (I sent some photos via US Global Express Mail envelope once and my friends had to go about 45 miles to a large town to pick them up.) Unless the sender wrote "Geschenksendung" -Present or Gift on the package, they may have ended up in customs. Maybe someone on this site can do some research for you if you give us your location.
All the best! B.

Posted by
14 posts

Hi- Thanks for your reply! I'm thinking they might be stuck in customs somewhere too- the problem is that no one seems to know where we need to go. We are staying in Bacharach, Germany - on the Rhine River. The next town up is Oberwesel. How did your friends figure out that they needed to go pick their package up? Did someone deliver a notice or something? Or did they call the post office? Thanks again for your help!

Posted by
23642 posts

Charity --- the forearm support style of crutches is preferred even in the US. And they work with one foot. You are supporting yourself with your arms and wrists on the hand grips of the crutches. The clip around the forearm is not weigh bearing and is there only to stabilize the crutch. The same is true for the arm pit style of crutch, You support your weight with your wrists and arms on the hand grip. Again the curved shoulder piece is there to stabilize by crutch by preventing it from moving forward or backwards. You should absolutely put NO weight on the shoulder pieces. There is a tendency for people to swing on this style of crutch. That has to be avoided. Swinging weight on the top of the crutch can cause shoulder joint damage and nerve damage in that area. You have gone to a lot of effort to acquire a crutch that you should not be using. Please use it carefully and adjust the hand hold so you cannot rest on the curve top.

Posted by
14 posts

Andreas,
Thank you sooo much for all the information you gave in your reply! We had asked at the hospital in Oberwesel (that's where I had my surgery) about the other kind of crutches and they said no that was the only kind in Europe. Thank you so much for including addresses and phone numbers!

As far as what Frank said about the underarm crutches, I know that you aren't supposed to lean on them or swing from them. It's just that when you absolutely can not step on your foot or place it down on the ground, it's very, very easy to lose your balance on the other type of crutches. Because they aren't held in place by your armpits, they tend to swing out from your body and you lose your balance. Twice, prior to my surgery, that very thing happened and I stepped down on my broken ankle. It was very painful. I don't tend to use them to "swing" but to keep my balance and recover if I lose it.

Posted by
2779 posts

Charity, by the way the German word for underarm crutches is "Achselkrücken" [pronounced: axle-krucken].