Recent content by swalker

I was initially offered a Trilogy. I asked about the Resmed Astral 150 instead. They were a bit uncomfortable about it because all their RTs knew the Trilogy. Once I persisted a bit, it was no problem getting the Astral 150. Steve

Here is a correction to my previous post. I have Medicare Supplement plan G rather than F. They are very similar, but G does not cover the Part B deductible. Steve

For bipap, I am using a Resmed Astral 150. It works extremely well for me and I highly recommend it. I like it because it is relatively small, easy for me to configure (in coordination with my healthcare team), and has an internal battery that will last about 6 hours. I can connect external...

I do not know what it is. I can report that I have had similar pain as the accessory muscles were becoming weaker. Over time, the pain diminished somewhat. Steve

There could be several things going on. I decided not to attend clinic from the very beginning. However, I did develop a team of specialists that I could call on when needed. That has worked well for me. It sounds like this is not a path he is on. It could be that he has some level of...

Resmed Astral 150. I like it a lot.

Al, that is great news! Very glad to hear you have one where the internal battery works! Steve

Here is another thing I have experienced travelling with the Astral 150. My DME supplied a cellular modem that connects to the Astral 150. That way, the Astral 150 provides them with daily reports of my usage. This is used to track how I am doing, but I suspect the primary reason for it is...

I also use an Astral 150. I received mine in 2019. My DME requires that the Astral 150 be serviced and recertified every 2 years. During the COVID lockdown, that stretched to 3 years, but periodic recertification is required by them. In fact, mine is scheduled to be swapped out at the end of...

Before getting a wheelchair I had several falls, collectively resulting an a badly sprained ankle, a broken toe, and a broken elbow. We really don't want to fall, because the injuries from falling can complicate and already complicated medical condition. I was more resistant than most to...

Moderators, I am taking this thread off topic a bit to address SteveO's questions about wheelchair tires and riding in wet weather. If you think this should be moved to another thread or a different sub forum, please feel free to do so. SteveO, I use 3 different type of drive tires on my...

As I was going through the diagnostic process, I was asked to do a Pulmonary Function Test (PFT). My PFT revealed a Forced Vital Capacity (FVC) of just over 60%. After diagnosis, my FVC continued to decrease, eventually dropping below 20%. It was not until it was below 20% that I was...

I noticed that you are in Boston. The challenging winters there may cause you to question the value of having a wheelchair in the winter. I live where it snows much more than in Boston. So far, we have had over 160 inches of snow this season, with a total of over 300 inches typical for the...

I cannot imagine being without a wheelchair. In fact, I have multiple wheelchairs to choose from. You will eventually need a wheelchair. The only option would be to commit to spending all day in your bed when you lose sufficient mobility to walk to other rooms in the house. I spend a lot of...

My hospital bed is pretty old (I would guess about 20 years). It was donated to a woman whose husband was a PALS. After he passed, she donated it to the local ALS Association. Due to the difficulty of moving the bed out of her house, the ALS association simply left it in her house for...