So I have to say I’ve never been so happy to have my chair. Who knew that I would have missed my chair so much. I am not one who usually spreads love to Kit, my main wheelchair. I probably spend more time cursing at some misfunction or slow maneuver. However, I never realized how much this chair did for me until I didn’t have it for 2+ months. I don’t think I’ll be cursing my chair anytime soon. Sitting in my chair again I had such relief. I wasn’t so amped up anymore when I was with the therapist and the home medical nurse evaluator. I did explain how it should never have been this long for the repair. I bitched that there was no suitable replacement but I definitely didn’t have the anger that I’ve been blogging with these past times. Relief overtook anger.

It was a good thing because I was in the right head space to listen and actually hear what they had to say. I learned something about my wheelchair. My wheelchair isn’t just designed to move me from point A to point B. My wheelchair is the tool to keep my body aligned while I am sitting. I was explained to that I should not be in my bed for the majority of the day. I lean to the right as I fatigue in the chair. I lean to the right as I fatigue in the bed. The bed offers no support. The lack of support can lead to curvature of my spine, weakness to muscles on the side that I lean on, breathing issues, increased possibly of pneumonia and various skin issues. I have been fortunate that none of these things have happened. Well the weakness might have happened. My response was I can’t sit in the wheelchair either. I’ve established this issue a long time ago that is how I ended up in my bed. I can only tolerate the wheelchair for 1-2 hours before I’m crippled, falling over. Well, that is why I needed to be reevaluated with my wheelchair when my disability changed. It never occurred to me my wheelchair was a tool to help me, not just ambulate me. I never thought to call my wheelchair evaluators when I got out of the hospital. Who knew?

I do now. After being evaluated, there were quite a few things that I needed to get to help me sit right. First was going to be the arm straps that will hold my upper body in place to the chair. This is kind of like backpack straps. Except my backpack is the back of a wheelchair. My seat cushion is changing. I am getting a air cushion that is softer on the tush for longer sitting times. It also will distribute weight as either I move or the chair moves over terrain. I will have side guards to keep my hips in place. This again is because as I get tired my body starts to lean. The guards will prevent the hips from moving out of position, causing that lean. I am getting a new joystick. It is called a mushroom. It is much fatter than the one I currently have on the chair now. This will make it much easier for my hands when driving. Right now I am always fighting to keep myself upright in the wheelchair. That is why I’m always exhausted. Hopefully all of these additional adjustments will alleviate that. I will have to work myself up to optimal time spent in the chair and get out of the bed. I never thought I was doing something wrong.

I’m not sure when the new items will arrive. I know it may be a while. I have been trying to sit in the chair for a few hours every day since I had my appointment. It has been tough but I’m trying. I’m writing this after I was in the wheelchair for 4 hours. I’m in my bed lopsided to the right from exhaustion. I knew this wouldn’t be easy. It usually isn’t.