Friday, May 22, 2009

Wheelchair evaluation

Went for the new chair evaluation. It was really informative and not at all what I expected. We spent a little over an hour there. The intent was to go and be measured for a new Quickie wheelchair. That's what the insurance company authorized. After talking to the owner (it was nice dealing directly with him and not a salesperson) at length about my MS and the course it's taken over the last year he felt that the Quickie wouldn't meet my needs and it was time to go into an electric chair. Well, an electric chair was brought up several times in rehab and I was completely resistant. My mindset was that I wanted to stay in a manual wheelchair for as long as I could to keep my upper body strength. Of course, there are days when it's hard to push the chair because I simply don't have the energy. I can't even go check the mail because it's across the street and I can't get the chair over the small bump at the end of the driveway. So in some respects the manual chair limits my ability to be more independent. So, I tried an electric chair (and it just so happens today is one of my "off" days where I'm very tired, shaky and having almost constant spasms in my left leg) and frankly it would make things a whole lot easier. So, now my physiatrist is writing an order for the electric chair and they will submit it to the insurance company. Now we wait and see.

2 comments:

JC said...

I hope your ins co pays for one

Kimberly said...

That makes two of us. I know the electric chair will make a big difference with energy conservation and independence. Hopefully, we'll know something by the end of next week.