swalker
Very helpful member
- Joined
- Dec 11, 2014
- Messages
- 1,576
- Reason
- DX MND
- Diagnosis
- 07/2014
- Country
- US
- State
- CO
- City
- Vail
I have been using a wheelchair for 9 months and think I have learned enough to make it worthwhile sharing a few things.
For background, I now have 3 wheelchairs.
With that introduction, here are some thoughts, comments, and tips:
As a final thought, I know how difficult it is to make that first trip to start looking at wheelchairs. Do it. It is hard to sit in the wheelchair for the first time. We know we don't belong there, but in reality, we do. We know folks are going to look at us funny, and they do. So what!
The difference in reactions between kids and adults is great to observe. Young children have a great curiosity. Many will directly ask innocent questions, which I really enjoy. Many adults look away, as if whatever you have may be catching. Get used to these responses. The kids' responses are wonderful and the adults' responses are harmless.
You will find most people to be wonderfully accommodating. For those who are not, it is an opportunity to show them love and kindness.
Good luck wheeling around.
Steve
For background, I now have 3 wheelchairs.
- Primary chair is a Permobil C500s VS (I have over 650 miles on it now)
- Backup chair is a Permobil C500 Corpus 3G (I have only put about 20 miles on it)
- Toy is a Magic Mobility X4 (4 wheel drive) (Still in the testing stage, I have a few hundred yards on this one)
With that introduction, here are some thoughts, comments, and tips:
- Get the wheelchair early. You are going to need one, so don't fight it. It will take amazingly long to get the wheelchair. For me, it was 4 months from initial visit to wheelchair delivery. From what I have read, that is about typical. Getting the wheelchair while you still have some mobility allows you to:
- More easily adjust it for the perfect fit
- Not fret too much when it has to go in for service. In my experience, it will go in a few times!
- Get a wheelchair van AFTER you have the wheelchair. I found there were only a few choices that would accommodate my wheelchair. I only realized this when I had the wheelchair in hand.
- Not fret too much when your wheelchair van malfunctions. It is no big deal if you can still walk a bit.
- Learn to drive the wheelchair while you still have good control of your drive hand.
- Don't worry about the house. You will ding walls, hallways, doors, etc.. They can be repaired.
- Don't worry too much about learning how to control the wheelchair. You will figure it out, and surprisingly fast.
- I have found my front-wheel drive C500s will back into tighter spots that I can get into going forward.
- Get everything you could ever want or dream of on the wheelchair. Really, you are going to need it. Mine has the following, and I would not be without anything on the list.
- Power leg lift
- Power recline
- Power tilt
- Power seat elevate
- Power stand
- Amazingly comfortable and effective lateral trunk supports
- Lateral thigh supports
- Lumbar supports
- Very adjustable headrest (I find I need neck support more than just head support)
- Lights
- High speed motor option (don't underestimate the value of this. Great for having fun but also a necessary safety feature when crossing roads).
- You won't get everything right the first time, so be prepared for return visits to the wheelchair supplier to address fit and comfort issues.
- Get your wheelchair from a GREAT place. Don't settle for second best. Don't settle for where you are referred (unless they are GREAT). Here is what I found valuable at the place I went (NuMotion in Aurora, CO)
- They had dozens of chairs to try. I downselected to about 4 that might work and then drove them all over their warehouse and parking lot. I was in the wheelchair I finally selected for over 3 hours. It made a huge difference in picking the right wheelchair.
- The "salesperson" was a physical therapist and was absolutely great. She knows her stuff and had definite opinions, but she did not steer me to a particular brand or model. The decision was mine.
- They know how to work with insurance companies. What a nightmare that is, but they did it very well.
- They have a great service department. Your chair will be back for service, so make sure you know it is going to a good place.
- They deal in large volumes, so they have good relationships (pull) with the vendors for the special situations that will inevitably pop up.
- Always have raingear. Rain is the enemy of your wheelchair.
- get a good pack for your chair. I repurposed an old MountainSmith lumbar pack (they still make them, but mine is over 20 years old). It fits perfectly on the back of the chair and is large enough to hold toolkit, poncho, rain jacket, rain pants, gloves, hat, sunscreen, etc. It is small enough to not get in the way at all.
- Put together a toolkit for your wheelchair and keep it with the chair. Mine has allen wrenches, socket set, pliers, and screwdrivers for every not, bolt, screw, etc. that I could find in the chair. I have ball head allen wrenches because they are the only ones that will reach certain bolt heads. I keep all of this in the pack that hangs off the back of the chair. Why have a toolkit if you cannot use it yourself? Simple, others can! My friend repaired my wheelchair with phone support from NuMotion technicians, rescuing a 3 week trip to Yellowstone!
- Set up a charging station for your wheelchair. I have a plastic chair mat from Costco under my chair at the charging station. That was invaluable when a seal failed on one of my drive gear boxes and leaked ugly liquified grease all over the place.
- Use your chair. Take it places no one expects you to be able to go. Travel with your wheelchair. I have been over 2.5 miles deep into the backcountry of Yellowstone in my wheelchair on 4 separate trails. I have done just about the entire rim trail along the south rim of the Grand Canyon. You can do the same.
As a final thought, I know how difficult it is to make that first trip to start looking at wheelchairs. Do it. It is hard to sit in the wheelchair for the first time. We know we don't belong there, but in reality, we do. We know folks are going to look at us funny, and they do. So what!
The difference in reactions between kids and adults is great to observe. Young children have a great curiosity. Many will directly ask innocent questions, which I really enjoy. Many adults look away, as if whatever you have may be catching. Get used to these responses. The kids' responses are wonderful and the adults' responses are harmless.
You will find most people to be wonderfully accommodating. For those who are not, it is an opportunity to show them love and kindness.
Good luck wheeling around.
Steve