iGLIDE ON IT'S WAY!!!! YIPPEEEEEE!!!!

[Guest guest]

Hi all,

I have had quite a case going on re. getting an iGlide power assist

wheelchair instead of " helper motor wheels " E-Motion for a manual

chair I already have.

I have never had any problems getting the right wheelchairs or other

things approved here, it has been wonderful. This was a bit different

though.

The reason for it being a challenge, was that the iGlide had not been

approved by the Social Security system here in Norway. So nobody had

one here in the whole country yet... But I have been so totally

convinced that this is the right option, and my Occupational

Therapist got convinced too, so we decided to try to get approval for

it anyway. That is not easy.

So we applied to the Assistive Device Central. Asked them to be so

kind to speed up the process too, since I was going to the US for a

conference and vacation, and really needed it while there. I wrote

lots of things about why it was the better choice, so did the OT.

Normally " users " are not allowed to contact the central, the people

working with these things there, are only meant to be in contact with

the therapists. But I figured that if I should have any hope,

especially in getting it done soon enough, I had to give it a try

anyway. I ended up talking with the guy for more than half an hour.

Explained everything to him, and also told him all about how I had

tested the chair, what challenges I gave the chair that weekend etc.

And he was very interested in why I travelled to these conferences,

and asked a lot about that too... He thanked me, because I had given

him even more important information that did matter. He really seemed

convinced too. But... A big BUT... He was not allowed to approve it.

He had to send it to Oslo, to the National Social Security. Oooooh

NOoooooo... Those bureaucrats are not easy to deal with... And there

things move slowly... He promised to call the person there as soon as

he had got the papers though...

Yesterday I talked to him, and he was really disappointed. He had

tried getting the person to understand, but he would not say a thing,

he would not promise anything, it could take a long time etc. So I

was so disappointed, both of us were. We really thought that we could

just forget about it.

Then this morning he calls me at work. Tells me that he had got a

phone at 09.00 this morning. From another person there. Obviously he

had been assigned the case, and he must be a whole other type of

person. So he had a long chat with him, told him all about things,

explained to him etc. Just a few minutes later, he got an e-mail from

him, telling him that he had approved the case, and I would get the

iGlide!!!! As soon as he heard, he was on the phone to me, to give me

the good news!!! He seemed so excited too, that it actually had been

possible to get this case through...

I of course on called the lady at Independence Technology, the

& company that makes the iGlide, immediately!!! She was

soooo excited too!!! Both for me, that they will have me test the

chair 3.5 weeks in the US, travelling and all, and also that they

finally made it into the Norwegian market. Because such a case does

make precedent for others after me as well... They are still a tiny

company here, just starting, so for them it is really exciting to

finally have a breakthrough.

I am leaving already in a week. Of course it is not possible to get a

chair that fast, but they are really nice, they are sending the demo

chair I tried earlier, by DHL from Stockholm, Sweden, so that I can

use that chair for the trip. Then when I get home, I get my own

chair. They have done all they can re. preparing it for me, I needed

some things done differently, e.g. a deeper seating than the demo

had. They have done that already. They only need to do a few small

things Monday morning, and it will be shipped when they are done,

since today is a national holiday in Sweden (Mid Summer's Day is a

" holy day " there!). Hopefully they can get it here already Wednesday,

so I have that day to do final adjustments, which I will do myself or

maybe get a bit of help from the mechanics at the Social Security

assistive device central (I may need some " manpower " to pull the

velcro's etc. so I get it right). But that will work out, I am quite

used to using tools myself too. When I get my final one, they will be

there to do it, but that is not possible right now.

At least, it is now final (talk about timing!!!), I will be going to

the US in an iGlide!!!! For me that is cool in more than one way, it

also means that people at the conference who have never heard of it,

will be able to take a look at it, see how it works etc. I truly

believe that this is a really good option for many with EDS,

especially those who are really not ready for a power chair. .And for

people like me, who needs something in between for when they travel

etc. I can't drag any of my power chairs with me when I travel,

because that would mean that I would have to have an accessible van

while there. It is just too difficult and too expensive to be a real

option. I can't believe that I will have such an easy time from now

on while travelling... It will be so wonderful... In August I am

going to Stockholm/Sweden, in September I am going to Cape Town/South

Africa, in October to the Faroe Islands. Plus several trips to Oslo.

So this means so much, will make things so much easier... It will be

wonderful to be so much more mobile and independent while away!!!! I

really can't wait to really test it out...

I know one thing though. I am going to get lots of sticky, elastic

bandages, and bandage all the metal parts for the airplane rides!!! I

don't want one scratch or dent in it while on my way!!! And maybe I

will make a laminated info sheet to put on it too, because it is a

different chair, that is for sure... The category this chair belongs

to, is a new one; Manual Power Assist Wheelchair (not a manual,

certainly not a power chair). It was a dream to travel with though

when I tried it. I just went to the gate as if it was a manual chair.

Then when I boarded, I pulled out the battery (easy to get to, has a

comfy handle to pull and carry it with, weighs 3 kg's) and took it

into the cabin with me... When you have taken the battery out, it is

pr. definition a manual chair. Can't be easier than that, that is for

sure...

How fun!!!! I am soooo excited!!!!!!

Aase Marit