New discoveries

[AKmom]

Sometimes new discoveries are not all that fun. My discovery yesterday was that I can no longer cut my own meat at a restraunt. Kinda a strange feeling to have to ask my hubby to cut my food because I have never had to before. But that fork kept flying and I litterally could not cut to the bottom of the chicken fried steak. NO it wasn't tough. Quite the opposite! It was actually a very thin, tender piece of meat.

Today I was feeling energetic (in the morning) and went out with a lawn rake to rake out a 6 foot by 6 foot planter of last years leaves and debri. I was able to do it last year. This year took me 3x as long and I bent over a few times to pick up branch clippings that I had cut off with the long handled clippers on my Japanese tea rose bush. First I had a difficult time using the clippers...thinking in my mind they might be dull, but knowing in reality my strength is most likely to blame. The twiggs I cut off couldn't have been even a 1/16 th of an inch in diameter. Also in the past couple years I have had to have my kids to the picking up of things I cut, but this time no kids were to be found and I figured I could manage just bending over a few times. Well, I planted my legs very wide apart and locked in my knees since I am unable to squat. Using the long handle clippers as sort of a brace with one hand, I bent over and picked up the clippings. Did it 4 times. I was quite proud of my accomplishment!

Now I discover that the back of my upper legs are searing in pain and my knees are wobbling when I try to stand. My arms feel like jello too from the small amount of raking and clipping I did. Apperently I went over board! I use to love to have a garden and a great looking yard. Last year the yards looked very neglected because I could not work much on them. This year looks like that is going to be the norm. So do I spend money on a landscaper or do I spend it on a mobility wheelchair? Decisions, decisions!

 

[olly]

oh joyce,i know how your feeling.
i find its the simple things with my hands like using a remote,buttons,key board ect ect .
i was a keen gardener and got many people commenting on my beautifull garden but it got so neglected the last years i was living in my house,it was heartbreaking to see.
i miss it but we have a communial garden in my new home and last year i did some pots of flowers and salad stuff.
we have to improvise as disibility increases.............but never give up!.
landscapers are very expensive,if i were you i would make it more easy to keep up by grassing over borders or graveling areas then just use pots............so theres just lawn to cut .
go with the chair or scooter instead it will make your life easier.
(((hugs)))caroline

 

[Bad Balance]

Joyce:

Hang in there as long as you can. None of us want that first milestone step into a full time wheelchair. I know that you are a fighter.

Best.

- Jerry

 

[notme]

HI

I have to disagree with Jerry. Don't look at a scooter as 'giving in' to anything. Believe me, my scooter gives me the energy to do other things that I enjoy.

Here in the US you can find them very very cheap. The Gogo is under 1k new, and used ones are always on Ebay and the like. They have other similar ones that are even less expensive.

I don't use mine in my house at all--but it lets me go to Walmart, or the library, etc. I'd advise against any type of manual chair--because it tires your arms--which people with ALS/PLS etc don't need to do.

I just had my Gogo fixed--it's 7 years old and runs like a champ, still--I've had to replace batteries twice.

I like the scooter better than a powerchair--as I like having a place for my purse and things. Mine has the better supporting chair--as I have lots of back pain.

I'm now looking for something to use at home--but will likely wait and see if I progress to the point that i can't use my GoGo anymore. My hands are a big problem--and the Gogo is even easy for me. I can't use my walker or cane anymore--my hands just drop off the cane and the rolling walker doesn't help with my leg weakness.

For me, I was darn tired of falling all the time. I haven't went to a store shopping without some type of scooter since I fell in a store last Christmas season trying to shop

 

[Ladyinn]

Joyce, I smiled when I read your post about meat cutting since I have to have my meats cut and my food put in pieces that are bite size. I have trouble using utensils so when we go out, my partner pretty much has to feed me. At home, I eat with my fingers and make messes like a 2- year old.

There is something to be said about "adult once -- child twice". Shakespeare, forgive me if I botched the quote.

 

[notme]

I can do the 'cut' I can't do the 'hold the meat down to cut' My daughter is now cutting meat for me--but my issues are worse in my hands

 

[AKmom]

I have been looking at gogo's as well as a few other scooters for quite some time now. I am not sure which would bennefit me better. When I am at the store, I just use the power ride on carts they have. I never go to the store during peak hours so they always have some available for me to ride. I like the big baskets on them so I can pretty much not need someone to follow me with a regular cart.

At home I can get around the main part of the house and when we built this house, not sure why we did this, we made everything wheel chair accessable. So all the doors cabinet and kitchen cabnets distances are enough for a wheel chair to go in and out of reletively easily. We even have concrete ramps for getting up to the front porch and to go down into the garage. I guess in the back of our minds we figured this was the direction things would eventually go. That was back in 1997. I could still do alot of things then that I cannot do now.

I have looked at power wheelchairs. My thought on this is if I can get one that is acceptable for airline travel, then it might be the better fit because my insurance will cover it if the doc says I could use one for indoor use. The insurance will not cover one that is used for outside. What I liked about the power wheelchairs is that they have tighter turning radius (for the most part). My husband (bless his heart), has a tendency to push me into walls and also park me where I am staring at walls or even plants vs parking me where I can see whats going on in the room. So a power chair I will be able to be my own driver and advocate of where I get to park myself! And if it comes to the time that I need a chair 24/7 then I have it already. Plus the seats on some of them look much more comfortable than the ones I see on the scooters.

I haven't ruled out scooters. I just wonder how much I will be out and about in one. If I leave the property, I will have to have someone with me to load it into the suburban and take it back out and such. Then if I go to do hikes...I will need to have one that has large ranges and are powerful enough for inclines. There are alot of trails around here that are groomed for handicaped uses. Also there is the fact that if I get a scooter like that, it will not be able to qualify for airflights. I like going on cruises, and plan on doing that till I can do it no longer. So here is when I think a power wheelchair that can be colapsed down for air travel might be my better choice. So many choices there are!

 

[notme]

HI

If you travel a lot--at least the Gogo--is allowed on planes. I've traveled with it. For me, it's best because the pieces are light enough when I take it apart that I can put it together if I absolutely have to. Most power chairs are very difficult to transport--which is useless to me. Mine collapses to 4 pieces--my daughter, when she's with me, puts it in two parts.

I've used mine outside a lot--but not on gravel or anything. The newer model has a higher clearance, which makes it better for bumps and all. The Hoveround is also good--but extremely expensive--and definitely needs a lift attached to a van or back of car for use--but is supposed to be good for outside. I had a used one for a while after my stroke--sold it to someone that needed it more than me when I got better.

I'd perhaps suggest that you borrow one and see what you think of them before making a decision on which to purchase. I'm assuming Alaska has medical supply places like the lower 48 do.

If you get the Gogo--pay the extra for the good seat--mine has lasted 7 years. The motor, should it go--is only $75 to replace--so even if mine dies--it's fixable cheaply I discovered.

I asked the man at the medical supply store which was best in terms of $$--he said the Gogo was one of the best. He was the one that fixed my scooter for me and charged me nothing but the charge for batteries. A 'friend' had tried to fix it--and cut wires, broke cables, just trashed it.

Of course, you have to figure out what's best for your personal activities. Affordability wise--gogo's are pretty inexpensive. The other brand I'd looked at in a 4 wheel-- is VERY expensive to repair should it break. He had one I was seeing about buying--and told me he wouldn't even sell it to me, LOL

Good luck!