I wanted to clear something up about the wheelchairs. I actually have three wheelchairs. One is the manual one that someone would have to push, one is a travel scooter that breaks down and fits in my car, and my other one is an electric wheelchair with the motor on the armrest. That one is the main heavy duty wheelchair. The travel and scooter is always in my car. It fits in my little civic without a problem. The problem for me with this is I lack the strength now to pull it in and out of the car as needed. It’s not a problem if I’m with my aid, she could put it together, it’s a problem when I’m alone. I unfortunately have lost some of the mobility and strength in my shoulders that I need to both take the wheelchair out of the car as well as put the wheelchair into the car. That is why I’ve been debating changing my vehicle to adapt for my travel scooters or my wheelchair, either one, that is already put together. I’d like to be able to just zip to the car, zip on either a lift or a ramp get it in the car and put myself in the driver seat. That way when I get to the store, physical therapy, any where I’m going, I just zipped back on and go. Unfortunately because taking it out of the car putting it together put it back to the car is such a pain in the ass, I opt for the walker and I’m tired. My arms are tired, my legs are tired, it’s just getting harder and harder. So you see it’s not that I have a problem with the equipment I already own most of it, it’s a matter of actually getting a vehicle that will work better with the equipment I own. It comes down to finances and whether I can actually afford to change and hold two car payments.

I just thought I had more time when I purchased my car that I am driving now. I thought I would easily make it to the end of the lease. That doesn’t seem to be the case. I wanted to be on my feet as long as I could. I wanted to try to use the walker into the stores even though I was tired. It’s just becoming such a burden now. I didn’t want to be in the wheelchair all the time but I think my choices are becoming less of a choice. I think I’m realizing I’d have so much more energy if I stop pushing my limits every time I’m out of my house. It would just make things a little easier for me. I just, at this point, can’t afford the double car expense. I’m almost stuck. I can look into grants, that’s the best I can hope for at this point. I just think that it make my life so much more easier if I was on a put together wheelchair when I was out of the house.