Kim & Duke
Power Wheelchair Fitting and The Royal St. John’s Regatta
The power wheelchair fitting was done this week. There is so much more involvement than with a manual chair. My arm length was even measured. They are still not entirely sure they can get me a power wheelchair although I need one because I can’t see, but I think the fact that the OT finally contacted the guide dog school I got Sophie, my first guide dog from has helped. I had been telling her to contact them for quite a while now, but she only did after contacting a school in the UK and being told about the other school by them! It’s messed up, but I’ve learned how things work here a long time ago. You take all sense and throw it out the window, then whatever is left gets done!
On Wednesday evening, I went to the 193rd running of the Royal St. John’s Regatta with three Recreational Therapists and four other patients. It’s the oldest continuing sporting event in North America. It was misty when we left the building, and by the time we got to Quidi Vidi Lake (which happens to be very close by) it was already starting to rain. After exploring the area a bit to see what booths were around the RT that was with me found us a good spot at the starting/finish line and we waited in the rain for the race to start. We were cold and wet (we both only wore sweatshirts) so I ended up going back to the bus where two of the other patients were waiting. They didn’t even get off! (Maybe they had a bit more sense than the rest of us lol!) As one of the patient’s husbands, who pushed me back to the bus and I waited to get on we heard the starting pistol. Once I was back in my room I realized that I hadn’t felt as happy to be cold and wet and tired in a very long time. It felt good knowing that it happened because I was outside! The RT brought me back some nachos and I picked at them until I fell asleep.
Chloe are discussing. 
Chloe 12:07 pm on August 6, 2011 Permalink |
Simply getting outside can be so important for maintaining one’s mental health. I’m glad they seem to be getting this part right despite so many other failings.
Progress on the electric chair is good too. No matter how painfully slow the process is, it’s better than complete stagnation. Sorry about the “electric chair” nomenclature. I have a friend of 40 years with MS who always refers to his transportation mode in that manner! It feels weird for me to use any other terminlogy. I’ll stop if it bugs you!
Kim & Duke 2:14 pm on August 6, 2011 Permalink |
It definitely can! It is good, although it’s not looking like it will move any further along until at least September. Then there’s any number of “issues” they will come up with along the way, the possibility of having to rent one first, the ordering, the demo, then the final chair.
LOL the electric chair thing was fine. You just reminded me of being in the RT gym when they put the “shackles” on! They put things around my wrists with loops on them so I can get hung from (I mean hooked up to) the pulley system.
Chloe 5:39 pm on August 6, 2011 Permalink |
Shackles, hanging AND the electric chair! They must regard you as a particularly dangerous inmate.
Kim & Duke 6:21 pm on August 6, 2011 Permalink |
Well one of the RT’s is always calling me a troublemaker lol!
Indigo Jo 7:15 pm on August 14, 2011 Permalink |
So, why would they contact the school you got Sophie from? Isn’t that in Oregon? Would they re-train or certify Duke, or actually get you a new guide dog that would be trained to pull someone in a power-chair?
How do you feel about getting a power-chair now? You were really dead set against it when you were first injured. Any idea what model of chair they will get? Will you be able to stay more or less independent when you go home, or will you need assistance?