Yes, after three months, two doctor visits, a loaner chair for travel, and some actual patience, my new wheelchair is here!
Even better —- there is no copay! The insurance paid 100% when I was only expecting them to pay 80%. And the cup holder is a promotion, trying to get me to buy lots of other wheelchair accessories.
What happened to the old wheelchair? Well, I was planning to sell it, hopefully for at least $300 or $400 to help pay the copay for this chair. But since there is no copay, I donated it to the muscular dystrophy association, which will use it for their teen programs and camps.
Since I know some of you have questions, and since I always think that information is better than misinformation, I’ll tell you about myself. When Texteen was Tex-Second Grader I volunteered in his school. On my way to class one day, one of the other students who knew me pre-disability asked me why I was there. I told him I was going to play math games with the second grade. He looked quizzical and said “But you’re sitting in that.” “Sweetie, I don’t need my legs to play math games. My hands still work, my brain still works, and and I can talk to the kids.” “OH COOL! ” and off he ran.
I have been disabled for nine years. I have several different neurological conditions, and that things became much worse over a short period without much warning. I have had three surgeries in 9 years, and I went to an outpatient program at a local rehab hospital when this all started.
I’ve also16 spinal procedures in the past 13 months alone, and don’t think I could even count the number of steroid and other injections I’ve had. I have considerable pain and a lot of difficulties lifting and using my left leg, but I am often able to get around with canes or crutches rather than a wheelchair. I have never considered myself wheelchair-bound, and I HATE that phrase. My wheelchair is my freedom, it allows me to get where I need to be, to sit comfortably, to carry what I need for work or life, and to look cool while I’m doing it. I have handles (push canes) on the back because I am perfectly happy to have friends push, especially on hills.
Always willing to answer additional questions, so feel free to ask. One day I may even show y’all the disability and pain-related artwork I started doing in art therapy at rehab.
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The new wheelchair is great news. Don’t let the Spookster convince you of the need for afterburners.
What’s an afterburner?
more kos:
Afterburner.
Great adoption for your life. And great news about the co-pay (or lack thereof).
May it allow you to continue with the freedom of thought and action you relish in life.
taylor marsh:
btw sharonlee we’re on the case fixing the comment confusion. will take a bit but we found out how to do all the posts in one blog and unify the comments. thanks for your feedback, too!
@Al the Spook -
Wow. Taylor’s looking old.
welcome to the future. the blogger tent at dnc:
it was the sex change.
In which Ahn-drew rips Doughboy a new one. Teh droll.
http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2008/08/jonah-on-elitis.html
@Al the Spook – thanks. I thought somehow if I was having problems someone else would, too.
The list for the calendar seems to work better than the calendar which filled the screen and had ads filling up a day’s worth of schedule.
Too much description of all the cool features of the chair? Or was the slideshow OK?
Yes, I think it works well.
YAY Betsy for your DM insurance covering ALL of that wheelchair! That’s the best thing that could have happened for that.
I”m pretty much waiting for Michelle Obama’s speech to show up on youtube, and i just finished watching Teddy’s. I have a bit of running around to do tomorrow but if i can play it right and not tire myself out tomorrow; i should be able to catch tomorrow night’s fun on the CSPAN stream.
Wed is a total loss, as i work until 9pm EST and then have a radio show starting at 11pm to 1pm. So i’ll miss that one too. But i have thursday off and i can see the Obama speech itself via streaming. XD Gotta love streaming media, which is so very good for those of us who can’t afford cable anymore.
Definitely feeling a little less frustrated tonight. Which is a good thing. Still annoyed at circumstances but not in tears anymore, over it. Mostly trying to come up with alternatives.
Happy Birthday Alias!
Let me go find your cake.
Alias, may the coming year see you free from financial insecurity!
Thanks Betsy ^_^ ;;
A few hours early but who’s counting? CHOCOLATE! :NOM NOM NOM:
yes,i was born 8.20am CST. Go figure that i’m a night owl.
Yay! Wheelchair heaven! Most excellent news.
Alias – glad you’ve found some respite. Hang in there.
Out of here, myself; something about time zones. *poof*
greenwarrior! hey! check out the new digs (we’re gonna shift back to one blog and use this theme and layout)
http://www.relaxedpolitics.com/politicalaffairs/
nite gordon. remember, the roaring sound in the night is the freight train, not the tyranosaurus. don’t want to have to bail you out again for charging the dayam thing in your loincloth with the flint spear.
good night Gordon. I’m off to bed pretty soon myself. Another early morning and long day ahead.
No, I found it interesting. The only thing that concerns me is the effort it must take to put it in the car and pull it out. Do you have help for that most times?
Happy Birthday, alias.
Night, Gordon.
hippo birdie, alias!
Just now got home, congrats on the new ride muffin!! It’s spiffy! Now you just need some cool graffics and some extra chrome and you’ll be set
I sit on the edge of the bumper. One hand on the foot of the left side of the chair, other hand on the right wheel. Then swing it in. Just one swing. It’s not that heavy, and the cushion and the back are entirely off.
Having had it all of 8 hours, haven’t had the opportunity to ask anyone else to put it in.
Good night Bumz. Will try to check in from work if we get some down time tomorrow. After school is the search for school supplies.
nite supermuffin will be up a while and put in overnight post in a bit. rest well and pain free.
Night, supermuffin
and all.
Staff meeting tomorrow, so have to get up earlier than normal. Ugh!
This can probably stay up. Why don’t you work on a 9 am instead.
Congrats on the new wheels, Muffster!
A victory over an insurance company? Has hell frozen over?
Just wanted to say hi and goodnight. Silly things keeping me busy. I miss you all.
And special thanks to Charlie for thoughtful responses to my blue dog comments.
yeah but if you don’t go, you get stuck with the worst jobs. been there, done that. still have the scars.
i’m easy.
we miss you too! working on the new digs tho. have pretty much figured out how to go back to one blog and still do the ads we need without fragmenting the community. doing a secret test blog now and when we have the bugs shaken out will switch over.
That’s not what ndfg said
thanks for the really great post, too! we may recycle it for next week after the dnc shindig stops stealing all our readers. *pouts*
not that kind of easy! *blushes*
ROTFLMAO!
BTW, Muffin… I love the anti-tip bars. No more unpleasant upsets!
moments in awkwardness:
Spook-sorry, couldn’t help it. It was a softball down the middle of the plate.
TJ-the anti tip bars are nice. Though it does limit teh wheelie popping, though. Muffin’s just going to have to reign in her hot rod tendencies, I guess
Thanks, Spook. This is a good week for light posts and long dreamy comment threads, I think. Sorta the snack bar for the main event….
(and that billboard is the BEST!)
as my daughter used to say, “why shouldn’t my mind be in the gutter? it’s warm and you meet the most interesting people there?”
and we’re getting muffin the afterburner attachment. mach 2 in a wheelchair, woot!
yep. which is good cuz lotsa backstage stuff going on. excuse the sawdust, noises, and occasional falling HTML tag.
I wanna tee shirt with that on it. and a coffee mug.
Another bank failure, this time in \Denmark.
I am watching Michelle’s speech. OMG! Can’t believe I missed this and Teddy’s tonight.
oh it hurts to laugh but i can’t stop
First Day’s Schedule of the RNC Leaked:
7:00 pm – Ceremonial burning of the U.S. Constitution
7:15 pm – Spiritual Medium Sylvia Browne performs psychic séance in desperate attempt to raise Ronald Reagan from the grave
7:35 pm – “The Pleasu res of Adultery” – with Newt Gingrich & Rudy Giuliani
8:05 pm – Gay sex party in Men’s Restroom hosted by Senator Larry Craig
8:35 pm – Transvestite Ann Coulter – “My Life as a Man”
8:55 pm – Live satellite feed from Federal Prison – Ohio Rep. Bob Ney
9:05 pm – Guest speaker ex-Florida Congressman Mark Foley ” Joys with Young Boys”
9:25 pm – Oliver North – ” Iran is Evil, but I sold them weapons anyway”
9:40 pm – Bill O’ Reilly – ” The costs of sexual harassment and phone sex with employees”
10:00 pm – Gay sex party in Men’s Room hosted by Ken Mehlman and Geraldo Rivera
10:25 pm – Check John McCain to see if he’s still breathing and if his adult diaper needs changed.
10:35 pm – N.R.A. President hosts an assault riffle target practice on Gays and Mexicans.
10:45 pm – Call emergency squad after a drunken Dick Cheney accidentally shoots his friend in the face.
11:00 pm – President Bush performs his hilarious comedy routine where he looks for Iraq’s fictitious WMD’s under guests tables.
11:15 pm – Governor Mike Huckabee does his famous uncanny imitation of Gomer Pyle.
11:20 pm – Group intervention to get Rush Limbaugh back into drug rehab
11: 45 pm – Go up on rooftop and throw rocks down at homeless Vets sleeping in alley.
12:00 am – Live satellite feed from Federal Prison – California Congressman Randy “Duke” Cunningham
12:20 am – Convicted felon/Fox News analyst G. Gordon Liddy – Lock picking secrets
12: 40 am – Guest speakers Donald Rumsfeld and Paul Wolfowitz – “How to lie your Country into a War”
1:00 am – Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay – “Tips on Money Laundering”
1:15 am – Hookers arrive for after party
they’re already on c and l aren’t they?
@Al the Spook -
I’m getting itoff Huffpo, just cause that’s where I found it as I was going through my blogroll.
nice ride, Betsy
Off to bed, finished watching Michelle’s speech, saving Teddy’s for tomorrow. If it is half as good as hers…
Goodnight all!
hey pun!
night madmommy!
And I appreciate your passionate devotion to the cause that unites us, my friend. This joint is about learning from each other, staying connected, and keeping our eyes on the ball. Don’t be a stranger, okay?
Somewhere in Denver on Thursday morning, there is going to be some very serious pickup basketball played. I’d pay to see Craig Robinson and Reggie Love go at it.
@Al the Spook -
hey there!
It pains me to praise David Brooks, but he nailed it this time.
all i can say before clicking on the link is “this better be damn good” :~)
burns – you’d almost think Brooks was an Obama supporter…
I disagree about not indulging in Bush-bashing however. That can be done by others, but Mc3rdterm has to be laden with his albatross.
I coulda sworn I heard someone say “Albatross!”
You and a few other Dukies, I’m sure!
BTW, did you happen to catch the USA b-ball team putting their gold medals on Coach K after the ceremony the other night? I wondered if he could get pros to go along with his plan, but he did, and it sure worked.
Morning Bumz, trying to get the madkiddies out the door without losing my mind. It’s a close race!
Yes it is
Morning Bumz. Back to work. Oy.
Madmommy’s last evening post was 11:59. Her first morning post was 5:58. You need to sleep more!
No kidding!!!, hubby actually woke me at 5 till 5. Once upon a time I could run the streets all night, go home, shower and work all day. But that was long ago and far away
I’ve gotten to the point where I can get by on 5-6 hours a night, even on weekends I cannot sleep past 7.
In my defense I often get to steal an afternoon siesta before the madkiddies get home from school. If I can ever get a real day job, though. my evening blog activities will be curtailed.
spooky’s upstairs.
madmom, i am also a big fan of the afternoon nap.