EQUIPMENT, SUGGESTIONS & Some INFO

[SeaGunny]

First off, I have supported my PALS, gathered equipment and supplies looked for solutions. I no longer have a need for much of this stuff and have worked to see about it getting to where it needs to be - such as other ALS patients.

Some of the equipment you get for the PALS is being "rent to own" and that period of repayment may still be active. JUST BE AWARE! One support company sent me a bill to settle the debt for around $2000. Nice!

Other suppliers have no qualms about the return of the equipment and some is one patient - one item - no returns.

If you know where you got the item, try and return it to them.

Oddly enough, there is going to be some stuff that just isn't returnable ( Liquid nutrition being but one of these items). I TRIED to give this stuff away - to no avail. 29 cases! I ended up, uncapping and pouring it out!

Other places: Go to your church - or any nearby church. The U.S. Navy in coordination with several church groups had what was called PROJECT HANDCLASP. (not yelling, just trying to get the message stuck in your brain). Church group shipped stuff to a collection point on one coast or the other. Often this was baby formula, disposable diapers, anything (almost) for newborns plus some adult type stuff. How do I know about this program? I was a Combat Cargo Assistant (or CCA for short) and one of my jobs was load plans for the ship(s). Prior to September 1977, we delivered to overseas missions and orphanages over one million lbs of this form of foreign aid.

 

[lgelb]

Thanks for bringing this up, Gunny. Keeping a record of what you got and the paperwork that came with it can help, whether for cash resale, donation, or return.

Besides the usual sites for low-cost sales, and those you mention such as churches and military programs, donations are gratefully received by mobility ministries, ALS charities, spinal cord injury/MS/muscular dystrophy support groups, stroke patients, people with ostomies and more.

 

[SeaGunny]

Thanks for the input Igelb.

One of the Problems I had with my PALS was weighing her. (my background was loading - whatever.)

To weight a patient who is confined to a wheel chair (ideally, the chair the patient will be transported in) or is most commonly used to move about the house or some other sitting device.

Solution: with 2 or 4 bathroom scales. Wheel chair and maybe some riser blocks or ramps.

Using 2 scales and some kind of ramp, get the two scales in front of the front wheels and (if possible, a ramp or a height about equal to the height of the scales. Idea is to have each wheel of wheels sit on a separate scale. Both front wheels being weighed give one the "axle weight" by adding the weight of each scale to the other. If using 2 scales, reverse the process for the other "axle".

If using 4, scales, weigh all wheels at same time. Add all the weights displayed on each scale to the others. This gives the user the "Vehicle" weight of the wheel chair. (keep this weight handy) We will call this the "Vehicle Weight". If a cushion is used by patient, weight it separately and add to the "Vehicle Weight"

Second step involves putting patient into the same chair and re-weigh as done above. This gives us the "Total Weight".

Now, subtract the "Vehicle Weight" from the "Total Weight" and we now have the often desired "Patient Weight".

The idea of having all 4 wheels at same height when weighed is to keep a weight shift from influencing the final product of patient weight. Some scales are thinner in height and with a slim (low) height, then the lifting of the other axle during the process becomes less problematic.

This weight can be very important to health care providers as to patient's over all health condition and give you, the care giver, an idea of what condition the patient is in. If doctor is recommending increased nutrition to ensure an ideal or better weight, this will give you a starting point to achieve the desired goal.