Just fishing.

Hi.

This is directed to Canadian MLU-ers and it's a hard request for me to run by you-all ... and is just a little fishing trip I'm doing on the off chance someone knows of anyone who has an old motorized wheel chair or scooter gathering dust in a garage or basement. As well, should there be one somewhere, I would have to haggle out some sort of payments within my very low means unless I can sort out how to get a lump sum for it. Am just putting this "out there" and seeing if fishing catches some possibilities.

I'll leave this with you-all, except to add that yes, unfortunately this is for Little Miss Ma Yappy as her wee bittie feet and parts sometimes can not work and she still needs to get about the community to appointments and take care of all the biz that people who live alone still need to do even when the bittie feets and stuff don't work

Yes ... I'm ... but hell, things are progressing and am having many times when I can't do what I need to do, but could "if only" I had a little motorized thingy to go on those many bad days.

Sometimes dignity is a luxury one can't afford ... and dignity and independence can't always happen together at the same time, eh?

Thanks folks.

Karmen

[Garry Shipton (RIP)]

Karmen,
There's got to be a local health service organization in your area.These good people can help you acquire a chair even if you can't afford one.If you're on a limited income,surely ,with the help of your doctor who can attest to your disability,there's someone out there who can help.

Any added input out there fellow MLU'ers for the Yapster ??

Thanks for your suggestions Garry I'm checking out other possibilities as well, including community resources along these lines.

The costs of new ones are ASTRONOMICAL! I hear that motorized wheelchairs run around 10 grand and scooters start at just over 3 grand (much more with attachments and doo-dahs) There is a place in town that actually rents out Scooters, but they start at $300 per month, which is way beyond my means, and I don't think rentals are "covered". Actually, it sounds like Scooters are never covered but wheelchairs are if you qualify, which is weird considering how much more the wheelchairs cost

By the way, whatever I can get it MUST be "motorized" because I can't do the manual turning of the wheels (severe RA and permanant damage in wrists, severe in the feet/ankles means walking ain't good to varying degrees each day)

In my case, I only need this kind of mobility for the days I can't manage the walking (which are MANY per week) but I still have a life to do and still need to walk to keep function. It's a real challenging balancing act. And by the way, was extremely disappointed to hear the physio foot lady dash my hopes about regaining more mobility and function in my feet. She said all she can do is try to give me as much comfort and support for me wee feet as possible. Hopes lay with the ability of the rheumatologist to find me the right meds that will get this under control and improving ... which can and probably will take many months before any signs of improvement show, if it's going to improve ... meanwhile ...

I was hoping to find something on my own which would also cost a whole lot less that I could manage to cover myself ... and I thought of older chairs and scooters no longer being used and tucked away gathering dust somewhere ... maybe if I could find one on my own I could even manage to get funding to pay for it all at once. Ya never know. I doubt I'd have any problems getting the rheumatologist and doc behind me if I needed their support to plead my case.

Let me know if any of you know of any un-used old chairs etc?
Being housebound most days is not good for the wee me either :dh:

Thanks a lot!

Karmen.

[Alex Blair (RIP)]

Yap...
Here is an outfit in Manitoba that provide wheel chairs..
Maybe there is a BC link..It is through the Red Cross.

http://www.smd.mb.ca/default.aspx?tabid=46

Thanks Alex ... I'll definately follow that lkink right now. You know, even if I could find a temprorary loaner would be great. Come winter I don't know that chairs and scooters could navigate outside anyways.

On my way to check out that link

Karmen

Well ... I checked the link, saw none for BC, failed to turn up anything through Google, so I just called my disability people and asked about resources for chairs. She was great.

I would need an assessment via a home visit from an Occupational Therapist (which I'm on a waiting list for a home visit anyways) and I'd have to submit a note from Doc and submit a special form (with the OT's assessments and recommendations) I hear it will take about 4 weeks to process once they have the submitted forms as there is only one person processing ALL of BC.

The lady I spoke with also mentioned Red Cross as another resource I might try. She also said she didn't know if motorized were available.

I just absolutely hate asking the system for more, more, more and the guilt gets to me, which is why I try to do without or do things on my own. I'm sure a lot of you independent types understand what I mean. This whole thing just sucks the big one and I don't like any of it.

I'll cheer up soon ... promise

[Alex Blair (RIP)]

K-yap...
Getting the motorized chair may be one hurdle..maintaining it is another..An auto mechanic friend of mine has two chairs for his disabled wife...He is forever fixing one thing or another on them...wheel bearings,wiring ,charging and control systems,structual repairs....and on and on...
It is something that you are physically incapeable of at this time so you need a service person close by to keep it running and in good repair..They take the same beating that a vehicle takes daily and there is always some niggly thing to fix on them.
But good luck and get one the best way you can..

Originally posted by Alex Blair
K-yap...
Getting the motorized chair may be one hurdle..maintaining it is another..

..They take the same beating that a vehicle takes daily and there is always some niggly thing to fix on them.

But good luck and get one the best way you can..

Thanks Alex, and understood ... reminds me of my money-pits used vehicles which I didn't pay more for than a cheap scooter

I guess the thing with getting them via "covered by a system" is that that deal sounds like it also includes maintenance.

Wonder if I can get one that looks like a carrier with room for groceries and stuff in the back?

I'm much cheered up right now as I logged onto Bluegrasscountry radio and the fiddles and bluegrassy stuff perks me a lot and gets me smiling again Amazing what a little music can do for a bad mood, eh?

Karmen.

[Kent Aist]

Here is one we just got that is not too expensive: http://www.spinlife.com/critpath/spe...roductID=74112

Advantages:

Not too expensive
Can be taken apart and placed in a car
Can be shipped to your door


Disadvantages

Not good for outdoor use
Not real rugged
Not much seat adjustment - it either works for you or dosen't
No warranty or other maintenance except at your cost

There may be other options for you at the site.

Kent

Hi Kent,

Thanks for the link. Wow ... they sure have low LOW prices.
Interesting to see the different designs. I'd need a fairly sturdy one specifically for outdoor use getting round the community.

I'm also wondering about stability for inclines and uneven sidewalks and roads and wonder if a 3 wheel or 4 wheel would be more stable for that. Isn't a 3 wheel more likely to tip? (I never really thought about this before )

At this point I'd take whatever I could get my hands on right now, but for the longhaul/longrange I guess I'd have to figure out what works best for me (chair vs scooter) I don't know how much weight they can bear but I'm down to about 100 lbs now (am a wee thing and getting wee-er) so I figure that I could carry a fair bit of groceries and such if there is space to put the bags .

Karmen.

[Garry Shipton (RIP)]

Adcertised on TV half an hour ago.Three wheeled with package bin,folds for storage.The kicker ]Can $ 899.00-on sale at Canadian Tire

Originally posted by Garry Shipton
Adcertised on TV half an hour ago.Three wheeled with package bin,folds for storage.The kicker ]Can $ 899.00-on sale at Canadian Tire

Hmmmm ..... they ARE out there available right NOW aren't they? Argh ... and me without my Super 7 ticket for last nights draw ... I lost the damned thing : ARGH!!!! Probably left on some store counter or slipped to the floor when pulling everything out.

Thanks Garry ... those self-folding scooters look good for space saving storage when not in use. I've seen people whiz by me in wheel chairs or scooters with l;ittle wagon type things towed behind ... Geez ... I could start a biz running errands for people with one of those or dress up like a clown, decorate the scooter/wagon and sell rides to kids ... ah ... the ideas this gives me

Karmen

I'd even give the SHADSTER a free ride

[Garry Shipton (RIP)]

Hell,tie his leash to the front steering column,turn off the scooter power,then tell him,"Shad,take Yapster to the beer store", or "Are you hungry?Take Yapster too the food mart". Et voila !! Your own dog team.



By the way.Have a pain free Happy Canada Day.Time to go put on me kilt,grab me drum and off to the legion for some beer-OOPS I mean festivities.

Originally posted by Garry Shipton
By the way.Have a pain free Happy Canada Day.Time to go put on me kilt,grab me drum and off to the legion for some beer-OOPS I mean festivities.

Knock yerself out ... and will there be pictures?

(Having a great day ... my kid just called and we yapped forever :love: She's off to Oakland to visit her Dad this month. Bout time!)

K.

Well, I received a call today from the community Occupational Therapists people, and they'll be coming next week to do a home visit, home assessment of me ... one of the things we'll be talking about is the idea about wheel chair/scooter for those times I need that.

Thank you all, again, for any replies and suggestions you contributed to this thread of mine ... I especially like the dog-team idea from Garry

Geez, what a progression life has become ... now having to learn about all sorts of things I never considered would come up until elderly years, if then ... argh! WQheelchair and Scooter repair and maintenance and navigating in all kindsa weather but first trying to figuire out how the hell do ya make this thing GO? Or STTTTTOP!!!!?. Gawd in heaven will the Saints preserve me, or what? Argh.

MOVE I said ... GO NOW .... :dh:

[Garry Shipton (RIP)]

Congradulations ,you old frying pan lady.Tell them when they visit,that there's a guy named Stuart Loy who has the perfect conveyence for you,and tell them you were in it in Ottaea last year in a parade.Now,it's up to you to explain what a bren gun carrier is !!!

Originally posted by Garry Shipton
Congradulations ,you old frying pan lady.Tell them when they visit,that there's a guy named Stuart Loy who has the perfect conveyence for you,and tell them you were in it in Ottaea last year in a parade.Now,it's up to you to explain what a bren gun carrier is !!!

I LOVE my frying pan, I do, I do

The Ma transport will need at least a bren gun or some kind of armour ... just back from Doc, add osteoporosis to my list of things gone awry ... ARGH ... the wee bittie lil ole Pixie Witch Ma Yappy is becomiung fragile and in the progressing fagility needs carriers and armour (at the very least, but would love a tank!) for self-protection and to protect others from the evolving Pixie Bitch!!!!

Lord love a duck anyways, eh?

If I do get a little motorized wheeled transport happening, maybe I can paint it khaki and adorn it with Red Ensigns and decals saying "If you love your freedom, thank a Vet!"

Ok ... simmering down now ...