Voted Today, Sidewalks Are Still An Issue

      Went to vote today, yay democracy! Went by myself out amongst the humans, so I was 4 wheelin  through the streets of Perry Hall. Not a bad trip, about 1 1/2 miles, I can do that with my eyes closed. The county put in all new curb cuts on my route to the shopping center, unfortunately I vote in the opposite direction. 

So this was what was waiting for me on one side of the street, not exactly wheelchair friendly. No biggie, I'll just cross the street and find a driveway I can go up.  

 

  Couldn't go down the front  of  the school, no cuts. It's 2022, how can a public school not have accessible sidewalks? Am I the only  person who needs them? Am I the only person that goes out? Damn discouraging  is what it is. 

Abscess Time

     Recovering from an abscess,  not a pleasant experience anywhere,  this one took unpleasant to new heights! The abscess was at the base of my testicles. Yes, the base of my testicles. I'll wait for the guys to finish squirming and the women  chortling, he said testicles. ok, the doctor thinks it was an irritation from the catheter tub, the constant rubbing. In 24 hours it went from the size of a grape to the size of a lemon. The doctor velcro'd my ankles into stirrups, the nurse held "things" out of the way, and the cutting began. The incision was large enough that the doctor stuck his finger in the hole to clean it out,  he and the nurse will definitely be getting Christmas cards next year, that's how close we are now. Now we have weeks of packing the wound, trips to the doctor's office,  good thing is I don't need to stay in bed.

No Steak For Me

     We were all set to go out tomorrow for a monster steak dinner at Michaels steak and lobster house, then the wife went on a recon mission. They aren’t wheelchair accessible, but they do have ramps that they use to overcome the couple of steps. The real problem is the bathroom, not only are the doors too narrow to enter the bathroom, the stalls are way too small also. Oh well, I will survive, I don’t expect the world to change for me, plenty of other places to eat. But a 40 ounce steak for $25.95, come on!

Wheelchair Finally Fixed

        I got my wheelchair back! You are probably wondering what all of the fuss is about, a wheelchair is a wheelchair. I used to think that way too, used to. Imagine your favorite chair, then imagine one you hate, it’s uncomfortable and too small. Now imagine sitting in the latter every waking hour of your day. My chair was literally made for me. They took measurements and made it custom, just for me. I hate having to have it, but I’m so happy to have it back.

Wheelchair Woes

     This was the first tilting wheelchair I had, a quantum hd. It was awesome, except the motors kept burning up. I threw a royal hissy fit and they took it back.

Next I got my Permobil, was great for the first 2 years, then the tilt motor went up. Looking at maybe Monday to get it back? No big deal, it’s not like I need it!

Van Transfer an Issue

     Me and the wife went out amongst the humans this morning, ran some errands. We went to Rousedale farm, Huber’s, and grabbed some lunch. Do you remember the movie “Cool Hans Luke”? I have become the character of Luke’s mother. Do you remember her? She goes to visit Luke in prison, she is laying in the bed of the truck, visits with him without ever getting out. That’s what I have become. At Rousedale the wife went in and got what we went for, mostly fresh, organic blueberries, I stayed in the van. Steve and Vicky came out and visited with me there. Same thing at Huber’s, Mrs Huber came over to the van. We even ate in the van. It’s so hard to transfer that we choose not to. We have to keep an eye peeled for a van that I can stay in the wheelchair, that or come to grips with being Luke’s mother. Worst case scenario I won’t even have that, I’ll just stay home.

Disgusted With Home Mediservice , or Roberts, or Whatever They Are Called Now

     A quick update, the parts ARE in, they just don’t know how to put them in! We are waiting for the representative directly from Permobil to come fix it, though a tiny problem exists, they haven’t been able to get in touch with him. So, I’m in an indefinite holding pattern. The wife and I are moving the controls from the right side to the left, I have to go to the wound care center.

Permobil Dealer Lied

     The wheelchair dude came Monday, picked up my chair, dropped off a loaner. He told me I would have my chair back later that day. He called later that day and told me they ran out of time, they would finish it up Tuesday morning and I would have it back after lunch. As 4 pm came, I called, spoke with Maggie, the woman that told me on Friday that we were a go, all the parts were in. First thing she told me after I gave her my name was that they were waiting on parts, someone should have called me. So no chair, at least not mine, the one that was made to fit my measurements. Instead what I have is a chair that is way too small for me, controls on the right armrest, and no charger. They came out the first time May 8th, I am beyond pissed, but what can I do?

Doctor Week, My Permobil is in the Shop

     Busy week on tap for me, starts off with the wheelchair dude coming today. He won’t be fixing here, he’s picking it up and dropping off a loaner. Good news is I will be able to incline, taking some of the pressure off of my butt. Wednesday I go to the wound care center about said butt, hoping for the best with that, don’t want to go through another debridement. For those of you that don’t know what that is, they open the wound, use a surgical rasp to clean out the bad tissue. It only hurts for a few minutes, it’s the packing it with medicated strips and the bed rest I dread. Friday takes me to the neurourogist, see if I need to increase the number of times I use the catheter. Right now it’s 3-4, but I don’t think it will stay there, I’m guessing it will go up to 5-6? I feel at times like a leper, waiting for the next body part to fall off, we should start a pool!

Sidewalks Aren’t For Wheelchairs

     I’m trying to get a curb cut at the back of Perry Hall middle school so I don’t have to travel on the broken sidewalks. It’s hard to get up on the sidewalks anyway, no access, not enough of those curb cuts. I spoke with the county, they will put in 9 of those cuts, but can’t fix the sidewalks, different department or some other nonsense. The truth of the matter is that the sidewalks aren’t for people in wheelchairs. They are narrow, have expansion joints, grass encroachment from homeowners that don’t edge, bushes that block the path, toys, low hanging trees, tree roots that push up sections, not a cake walk. Those 9 cuts the county will put in are all at intersections, they won’t do one in the middle of the block, which of course is where I want one. No biggie, I will use the street, use 1 of the 9 cuts the county has offered, then a short trip to the middle school on the sidewalk. Brings me back to the cut at the middle school. That cut isn’t in the purview of the county, it belongs to the school board, different bureaucracy. I’m looking for just one! They don’t see the need. I know who to talk to, Mohammad Musti, no luck convincing him, yet. 

Permobil Wheelchair Repair Scheduled, Getting Closer

     They are picking the wheelchair up on Monday, dropping off a loaner, taking it in for an overhaul. I’m getting 6 new tires, a new armrest, a new seat cushion, and a new motor to control the incline function. I’ve got 817 miles on the chair so it’s to be expected to need a tuneup, I just wish it wasn’t like pulling teeth to get it done! With a retail price of $32,000 I guess they are busy selling more than they are fixing the ones they already sold?

Compression Wound May Have Opened Up Again

     Well, I think it happened? Taking a shower last night I forgot to get the seat wet, when I went to slide forward my rear stuck to the seat, I think I opened my spot? I’m waiting for the wife to get home for her to take a look. I am dreading this, last time it meant weeks in bed. I’m not buying trouble until I know it’s for sale, but I can feel something isn’t right. Keep your fingers crossed, I can use all of the help I can get!

Permobile Parts Slow Coming

     I mentioned that my chair is busted, had the service call on May 8th. It’s now June 10th, seams like a long time to wait for parts? My insurance is in order and ok’d, just waiting for Permobil to send the parts. Maybe they should have ordered them through Amazon prime, had them in a day or 2. I now have a spot on my rear that is sore, right where my leg is sewed onto my ass. There is a little bump, no open wound, but how long will it stay that way? Do I continue to call, or will they put me on a complainers list? Either way I can not afford a lengthy bed stay, hope the parts arrive soon.

Busted Permobil Wheelchair

     I’m supposed to incline in my wheelchair every 20 minutes for a period of 2 minutes, a real drag, but it prevents pressure sores on my buttocks, something I want to avoid at all costs. Problem is the actuator motor that controls the one function has gone up, waiting on parts. Second problem is what do I do in the interim? Standing for 2 minutes isn’t an option, do I transfer to bed? I had an abscess once before, was in bed for 2 months, I fear if I end up there again I may never get out. Keep your fingers crossed it doesn’t take too long for the parts!

Stuck In Bed With A Sore Butt, Got A New Set Of Wheels

     Long time no see, I know. I find myself with more time on my hands than I know what to do with, and that's saying something, considering how bored I am normally. I find myself in bed, have been here for the last three weeks. I developed an abscess on my rear, just what I needed! The doctor at the wound care clinic thinks it is just one of those things, not caused by pressure from sitting in the wheelchair all day. Not much of a difference, I still find myself laid up in bed.

   About a year ago I received a new wheelchair, state of the art, and a piece of garbage! It was a quantum heavy duty by Jazzy, tilt, all the bells and whistles. In the first three months I had it, four of the motors went up. I threw a royal hissy fit and the company took it back. I went with a new company, figured it would just be a matter of ordering a new one, right? Nope, I had to start the whole process over from scratch. Finally I got the new one, a Permobil M3000, so far so good, except I flipped it over going top speed on the sidewalk. That story is for another day.

      

Wheelchair Accessible, Steps Are A Problem

We took the wheelchair out to dinner, or did it take me? Funny how you notice things when your perspective changes, and your altitude. One of the thousands of local eateries, the bar we met in, is a great place, if you are walking through it. In the chair there wasn't enough room to get past the tables and booths to get to the bathroom! I guess it was wheelchair accessible, as long as you didn't have to use the facilities?

Have to figure out how to navigate the 4 steps to the bedroom level of the house? They have wheelchair platform lifts, but how do you go about getting them? They made me take medicare, I suppose I go through them? Never imagined those 4 dinky little steps could cause such a problem? I suppose I could just live my life upstairs, but I'm not ready for that yet. We will figure it out, we always do.

Proud Owner Of A New Ramp, My Back Is At It Again

We finally broke down and added a ramp to the side porch, I'm spending more time in the wheelchair, figured it was time to get it in the house? The brother came and built the ramp, enlarged the patio at the end to give me plenty of maneuvering space as well. A friend from high school came and did the railing with his wife, thanks to them. Imagine my surprise when I wheeled up and the chair didn't fit through the door! Luckily another friend had a chair for sale that did, thanks to him. Last obstacle are the 4 steps up to the bedrooms and baths, sure we will be able to tackle that one too. Thanks to everyone that helped, George Bailey has nothing on me!

The time I spent down waiting for back surgery all but finished my legs, not much get up and go left in them. Think of how ticked off I was a couple of days ago when I got in the shower, turned to close the curtain and found myself laying on the floor! This last surgery lasted about 3 months or so, same problem is back with a vengeance. Now we have to decide what to do? I can manage the pain I'm tempted to do nothing, surrender to the chair full time, it's coming anyway. At what time are you excepting the inevitable or giving up?

Free Van For The Wheelchair, Skating Show Madness

Have a guy giving us a 1987 Chevy van fully wheelchair accessible, nice to know nice people. I met this guy a few times, he came to the Sheriff's office after I retired. My grandmother used to say never kick a horse turd, you may be related to it, and yes, she was a female Will Rogers! Anyway, I'm not related to this guy, but he remembers me from when I was a little boy, his wife grew up in a house that was down a long dirt road and sat right behind my grandmother's and my house. Nice to get a freebie while you're figuring out what works, just hope he doesn't tell too many stories about what a crybaby I was!

Big weekend at the Brawn household, and yes, that's my last name, a 6'5", 275 lb man that used to be a powerhouse named Brawn. The wife and daughter have the final day of the skating show they are involved with, the daughter is the teacher, the wife is her assistant. Interesting dynamic, the wife was the teacher for 25 years, she's having an issue playing second fiddle and it's hysterical to watch! She tells the daughter what SHE would do then the daughter does what she wants. 180 kids in the program, 4 shows, watching the wife get a smack down from the daughter, priceless!

Back Continues To Be A Problem, To Wheelchair Or Not Wheelchair

Been paying for my pain management docs retirement home. I've had a series of injections, epidural, facet, and rhizotomy. Feels great when I have them, usually lasts a few weeks. We alternate between sides, 2 on the right, 1 on the left, you name it. Happy to have relief, but wouldn't mind if I could get a couple more weeks out of each one.

Energy level at an all time low. Stopped doing a lot of things, just don't have the giddy up anymore. Things like cooking have gotten tough, combination of it hurts to stand for too long, and the fatigue. Have an electric wheelchair out in the shed, is it time to bring it in the house? Thinking it would be better to get a really comfy chair to work from in the kitchen, keep my recliner at command central.

Darlington Apple Festival and Me In My Wheelchair

Going to the Darlington Apple Festival tomorrow, was going to bake a pie for the competition, but didn't have the energy after my 2 hour MRI. Music, food, and what should be a beautiful day in a small town just north of here. Love the local little festivals like this. Hope there are a lot local foodies, maybe some local honey, didn't get any this summer. Taking my chair, so I'll be buzzin all over the streets of Darlington, GO APPLES!