Motorized wheelchairs, VA

November 9, 2002

I want to thank all the people who gave replies to my questions about

Sam's motorized wheelchair. I really find all the support very helpful. I

am still having tremendous problems with moving it around--the remote on

the back keeps falling off, ( of course, I have run into the walls with

it--but I do think it is badly designed,) and the joy stick in front is so

terribly sensitive. That sensitivity might be able to be adjusted). I did

a little better today, I think. One of the problems is the 8 foot

long ramp which goes out the front door and then a cement block (one of

the regular spaced blocks in the walk) to turn around, and it isn't

enough--We get stuck in the garden around the end of the ramp. I think we

have to put some additional width to the bottom of the ramp by boarding

over the corners of my garden (which I love--sigh)r- Or possibly build a

turnaround off the turning block. I really can't see using it in the

house, but perhaps things will improve. We got stuck in the mud when Sam

insisted in driving it up the long ramp to the road. Took a lot to get him

out--had to transfer him to a manual wheelchair.

Some of you have mentioned the VA--they have been wonderful to us, and I

wonder if that is because he goes to one of the 5 or 6 movement disorder

clinics they have in the US. They are doing lots of research there, and

every single thing I have asked for (and sometimes I feel a bit greedy, but

nevertheless ask) they give us. I am sure he won't be able to use the

motorized one in the house, as his hands don't work well or

quickly--outside in the wide road will be okay. He can't push himself in

the manual either. The reason we didn't learn enough about the operation

of the chair to begin with is that we had to wait over an hour for our

appointment (a rare occurrence) and then as we had a van coming for us at a

certain hour, we couldn't stay for nearly as long as we should. However, I

don't think more time would have helped. Now we can ask better

questions. They respond pretty well on the phone and we will go in a

couple of more times. This new quickie motorized chair (they gave us a

customized manual quickie as well a couple of months ago to replace the old

garage sale one we had been using) is top of the line, and I was told that

medicare would not do nearly as well for us; We have not spent one cent

for anything including all the dr visits--and we were never asked for any

financial information. Once again, I don't know if they are just doing

more for that particular clinic. Sam was not a POW and is not on

disability. Perhaps the different hospitals have different policies as

well. We still retain a private neurologist out here in the suburbs, and

he works with the clinic somewhat.

I'll look into the corner protectors, and note the trick of not turning

till the shoulder reaches the corner. The space inside is really tight in

places.

Thanks again for all the help, and I must add that Sam loves to hear about

the exploits of those men who run away and do outrageous things--things

that he is not able to do--and my sympathy goes out to the women who have

to work with these fellows.

November 9, 2002