Mike27
Distinguished member
- Joined
- Apr 19, 2005
- Messages
- 280
- Diagnosis
- 10/1993
- Country
- CA
- State
- Alberta
- City
- Edmonton
Here's my adventure story;
I had a Pride 1170 power wchair that I bought in '99. My son called it 'big blue' and it was a workhorse! Lasted me for years with minimal trouble.
In late '08 I had to retire big blue...time to move on. So I'm shopping around and I see this slick little number by Invacare (always hated that company name, should've listened) called a TDX 5. Mid wheel drive, gearless brushless motors, elevate and tilt seat, very cool. It was even green and gold; my city's pro football team colours! So I got it.
The chair was very whippy, even though it was programmed down, you touch the control and you're gone. I figured I would get used to it. After a few months, the elevate function stopped. Hmmm. So in for repairs...this was only the first of three times for the same problem. Hmmm, I thought, thinking that surely this would be all the problems resolved. Well, they were not resolved and don't call me Shirley! (fans of the movie 'Airplane!' will understand that joke.)
At the Walk for ALS in '09 I had the honour of cutting the starting line ribbon with the Mayor. Things were good, cut the ribbon and...nothing! Everything shut down. Dead in the water. My buddy had the presence of mind to disengage the motors and manually push me to the side before I became roadkill under the wheels and shoes of several hundred participants. Hmmm, says I, interspersed with some colourful expressions, under my breath of course, as women and children were present. That was the first of several total power failures...one of which was in the middle of the road! My son got me out of that one.
I had about enough of that wchair and it's “how can I screw with this guy today?” attitude. My medical equipment company graciously offered to buy it back at fair market value and upgrade me to a Pride Quantum 6000. Basically the same wchair with 4 pole motors instead of the GB (not so whippy), same functions and it was blue! My daughter calls it 'l'il blue'. Why didn't I stay with the company I knew and trusted for so many years? Hmmm...
The moral of the story is-if you are looking to buy a power wheelchair...make sure it's blue!:wink:
I had a Pride 1170 power wchair that I bought in '99. My son called it 'big blue' and it was a workhorse! Lasted me for years with minimal trouble.
In late '08 I had to retire big blue...time to move on. So I'm shopping around and I see this slick little number by Invacare (always hated that company name, should've listened) called a TDX 5. Mid wheel drive, gearless brushless motors, elevate and tilt seat, very cool. It was even green and gold; my city's pro football team colours! So I got it.
The chair was very whippy, even though it was programmed down, you touch the control and you're gone. I figured I would get used to it. After a few months, the elevate function stopped. Hmmm. So in for repairs...this was only the first of three times for the same problem. Hmmm, I thought, thinking that surely this would be all the problems resolved. Well, they were not resolved and don't call me Shirley! (fans of the movie 'Airplane!' will understand that joke.)
At the Walk for ALS in '09 I had the honour of cutting the starting line ribbon with the Mayor. Things were good, cut the ribbon and...nothing! Everything shut down. Dead in the water. My buddy had the presence of mind to disengage the motors and manually push me to the side before I became roadkill under the wheels and shoes of several hundred participants. Hmmm, says I, interspersed with some colourful expressions, under my breath of course, as women and children were present. That was the first of several total power failures...one of which was in the middle of the road! My son got me out of that one.
I had about enough of that wchair and it's “how can I screw with this guy today?” attitude. My medical equipment company graciously offered to buy it back at fair market value and upgrade me to a Pride Quantum 6000. Basically the same wchair with 4 pole motors instead of the GB (not so whippy), same functions and it was blue! My daughter calls it 'l'il blue'. Why didn't I stay with the company I knew and trusted for so many years? Hmmm...
The moral of the story is-if you are looking to buy a power wheelchair...make sure it's blue!:wink: