22 replies to this topic

[rue2you]

Since I was 5 months pregnant when I became paralyzed, ordering my custom chair was put on hold until I could get back to my somewhat "normal" size. Now that my baby is 2 months old, we are ready!! I have been using an Invacre A4 which I bought off of Ebay for I think around $400 and it has been good. The cushion that I have had is a little foam one and my back and hips really hurt bad after I have sat in it for awhile. I am forever fidgeting in it, to try and get comfortable.
I am also now in OT and PT 3 times a week and so I feel like things are finally moving forward for me!

The "wheelchair guy" has been so helpful and even pulled off getting the TiLite Titanium chair approved for me with my insurance. I am REALLY pumped about getting it. He is ordering me the low profiew ROHO cushion, MaTRx posture wheelchair back, schwalb marathon tires, soft roll 5" front castors, and it is the satin titanium finish. I am so excited about it! At this point, I am almost as excited about the ROHO cushion as I am the chair (not really but almost!).

He said it should be here in 2 weeks - before Halloween. I told him that was good - in my new chair nobody will know me so I will already be in disguise! Just thought I would tell you all and share my joy! I will post pics when I get it!

[ClaraTaylor]

Hope it's everything you want it to be!

[Ches]

sweet chair.. I just got one pretty similar, same cushion too! what color did u end up picking for the caster n axle details?

I had that matrx back on my quickie, I didnt like it to be honest, I found it made me slouch more. Twisted_Ophelia talked me into getting the sling back by Otto Bach, I love it!

[rue2you]

Ches - I am just doing the black anodized with the Titanium. It comes standard and I didn't really care enough about the color )although I think it is really cool) to pay out of my pocket for it. So....black it will be.
About the back, I didn't even really know all the options! I hope it will work out. It has to be better than the sling back I have on my A4. If not, I will remember what you said.
I am a lower level (L3) so do you think that will make a difference?

[Ches]

You know, I had a pretty high back.. so I'm sure its all relative and yours will probably work fine for you. I just thought it was too hot, thick, heavy, complicated n so on.. Im really loving the simplicity of my new one, not too mention how breathable it is.

I got the green, Im really pleased with this chair.. Its really light n comes off the ground easy but its not necessarily tipsy, be prepared for a few mini heart attacks as you think youre going to flip back!

Oh and...you got brakes right? Dont try to be cool and go without it in this chair until you get the hang of the transfers..Its super light and will fly out from under you, trust me!

[rue2you]

Yes, I got handbrakes!! I don't know how anyone does transfers without them - let alone sit on any kind of incline and still be able to use your hands. Maybe they have a trick I don't know but I personally like the security of brakes. Except on the chair I have now (ordered off Ebay) has those hill holder kind of breaks and I HATE them! They are bulky and twist all the time. Every time I go through a doorway in a hurry they hit the door frame and get all twisted. Grrr......
I'm also getting handles (because my husband begged me too) but they are the fold-down kind. Do you have those?

[Ches]

Yeah I agree about the brakes.. seems like theres always a little incline or slanted foundation just when u need both hands. Sometimes you can play your caster and find that lil magic angle that holds you in place... but with the soft wheels, ultra light chair and any little movement you're gone again.

Nope, no handles on this one.. I read someone on here say(wow, does that make sense?) that push handles seem to attract others to help. I hate others touching me and thinking its funny to grab and yank at my chair so I decided to test that theory and ditch the handles.. they were right. Its more likely you will need them though, having a baby to hold and care for now, they will come in real convenience when you want to hold the baby and get across the room! (I'm guessing I honestly have no clue what its like to have a baby in WC) Anyways,.. i hope you love it.

Whats the size and/or height of your back piece?

[rue2you]

I took the handles off of the chair I have now for that very reason. I cannot STAND it when someone uses me as their personal perch. But...you are right, there are times when I need to hold baby and hubby pushes me. So, for his sake, I got them. But I wanted the fold down ones so that when we are not in that scenario I can leave them folded down and people will stay off!

I think the back is adjustable from 12-18 inches. Does that sound right?

[Ches]

Yeah.. thats the highest one. You may not like it.. I thought it was just too much back.. it got in the way of my arms, limited my ability to twist around.. and all that other stuff I said before (getting hot, etc).

I feel like a bummer telling you that. who knows you may love it for leaning back w/ ur baby... who am I to say...

But the chair itself, its great!

[Jax]

rue2you, on Oct 9 2009, 03:41 PM, said:

Yes, I got handbrakes!! I don't know how anyone does transfers without them - let alone sit on any kind of incline and still be able to use your hands. Maybe they have a trick I don't know but I personally like the security of brakes. Except on the chair I have now (ordered off Ebay) has those hill holder kind of breaks and I HATE them! They are bulky and twist all the time. Every time I go through a doorway in a hurry they hit the door frame and get all twisted. Grrr......
I'm also getting handles (because my husband begged me too) but they are the fold-down kind. Do you have those?

For slight slopes, I just put a foot on the ground... Figured it out one day by total accident. The shoe will keep to the ground usually. The only transfer I use the locks for are for getting into the truck. I use the scissor-lock spring-loaded locks. The stay under the seat frame rails.

[rue2you]

Ches - If the back is too high, I will just tell them to change it because I do NOT want a high back. I like it lower so that I can have more manueverability. I told him that when he ordered it so I hope I'm wrong about the height!

Jax - I never thought about putting your foot down!! Duh! How do you keep the chair from getting away from you when you transfer though. I am short and it still wiggles even with the brakes on. I am always afraid that I will hit the ground!! (I only have once!)

[Jax]

rue2you, on Oct 11 2009, 08:39 PM, said:

Ches - If the back is too high, I will just tell them to change it because I do NOT want a high back. I like it lower so that I can have more manueverability. I told him that when he ordered it so I hope I'm wrong about the height!

Jax - I never thought about putting your foot down!! Duh! How do you keep the chair from getting away from you when you transfer though. I am short and it still wiggles even with the brakes on. I am always afraid that I will hit the ground!! (I only have once!)

I learned to transfer without the locks in the hospital. They didn't teach it to me, but I learned it from necessity. The hospital style chairs were worthless to transfer with the locks on, as the lock handles stuck way too far over the cushion and caught my pants. If I left the locks off, though, the handles were down... (The therapists still griped at me every time they caught me transferring without locking the wheels.) With the GTi that I have now, transferring is generally easier without the wheels locked. I use one frame rail as a hand hold, and that gives me some freedom to move the chair a bit to keep it close for support.

Side note--I have noticed some paras and even a couple quads at some of the Turning Point events that don't even have locks... I still haven't figured out how to get myself into the truck without wheel locks without losing the chair (especially on slopes), but I've seen it done. It's mind boggling.

[Ches]

Yeah loads of people dont have nor want brakes...

I'm w/ you and the car thing Jax.. Another one is the shower..typically at a hotel when the floor is soaked, the chair already slides on water, I'd never survive w/out the wheels locked...

Having sad that, my brakes are really weak.. you can roll around with them on, but they still offer some grip - just enough in fact. I dont know what kind of brakes I have but they are sometimes in the way when one is on, so I've developed a habit of using just one most of the time.

I think its all about learning to hold the chair underneath you as you move, I dont have that skill or instinct. And those car jumpers, they are gamblers.

[twisted_ophelia]

Ches, on Oct 9 2009, 05:40 PM, said:

Yeah I agree about the brakes.. seems like theres always a little incline or slanted foundation just when u need both hands. Sometimes you can play your caster and find that lil magic angle that holds you in place... but with the soft wheels, ultra light chair and any little movement you're gone again.

Nope, no handles on this one.. I read someone on here say(wow, does that make sense?) that push handles seem to attract others to help. I hate others touching me and thinking its funny to grab and yank at my chair so I decided to test that theory and ditch the handles.. they were right. Its more likely you will need them though, having a baby to hold and care for now, they will come in real convenience when you want to hold the baby and get across the room! (I'm guessing I honestly have no clue what its like to have a baby in WC) Anyways,.. i hope you love it.

Whats the size and/or height of your back piece?

I like to think of myself as one of those "cool gimps" (heheheh, kidding) and took the brakes off my latest chair. Aesthetically, I like the look of a streamlined chair. Functionally, I find certain transfers MUCH easier, particularly floor to chair. I am able to slide the chair beneath me as I'm transfering-something you cannot do with brakes. I do not advocate taking the brakes off your chair however. I have been in a chair for almost 12 years and have become an expert at "stunt transfers", as I call them, and I am also only about 100lbs and can lift my own body weight easily plus I am very strong. It does take a certain amount of risk taking, particularly when I'm transferring in and out of my Xterra (a full size SUV). The "art" of the stunt transfer only comes with time and as Ches said, instinct. Unfortch, I have had my chair roll away on me in inclined parking lots and it's a pain on any kind of hill or slope but there are tricks that stop me from rolling when I don't want to. I will say that I definitely will not put brakes on my chair ever again but again, I don't advocate not having brakes. Like anything else when it comes to chairs, it's a very personal choice.

Edited by twisted_ophelia, 12 October 2009 - 05:26 AM.

[StillFingers]

Thought I'd poke my grayin quadie head in to see what all the fussin is about. High backs, push handles, breaks...without them, I'd be

rollin, rollin rollin, leanin, leanin, leanin, fallin, fallin, fallin, attempting crawlin, crawlin, crawlin and yellin, yellin, yellin...would someone please help me.

Oh yea, anti tippers, side guards and arrrrrmrests required toooooooo...if you're laughin, good, cause I do every time I try jumpin a curb

Lots of good info for researchin my next manual chair, thanks yall, and rue, glad you got a new chair, keep rollin...

I'll leave you alone to your paratalkin...quaddie be goin, seeya.

Jerry

Edited by StillFingers, 12 October 2009 - 06:28 AM.

[Texaswheelz]

I took one of my brakes off and have one on, but I can't think of the last time I used it. I kept it for those times I'm setting on a steep incline and don't want to have to worry about rolling down hill. As for getting in a vehicle without brakes while parked on an incline. Just be sure that as you are transferring out of the char you push the front end away from the car so that back of your back tires are against the car to keep it from rolling away. That or jump in very fast, turn around and grab it. My issue hasn't been with inclines as I do the above. It's with gust of wind while parked on a even surface, I've had my chair blown out of my reach several times.

[rue2you]

Okay....so what do you all do when the chair rolls away from you and you are stuck in the car?!! That has never happened to me yet (because I always put the breaks on) but... one time hubby and I had just stopped to eat at a fast food place. As we were leaving, I had just gotten in the passenger side and my hubby was taking my chair apart. He took one wheel off and laid it against the side of the van and turned around to take the other wheel off. I saw the wheel (that he had taken off first) rolling across the parking lot toward the drive-thru window lane. I yelled "Jimmy, the wheel is rolling away!!" He looked up, saw a car coming through the drive-through and the wheel was going to hit the side of the car. He starts running after the wheel yelling "Wait a minute!!" He was actually yelling at the car in the drive- thru but it looked like he was talking to the run-away wheel!! Funniest thing I have seen in a long, long time. I still am laughing just remembering this and typing it out!

[Texaswheelz]

Well if that happens you can a couple of different options, really depends on where you are. If you are in a space that has plenty of room and no cars around you can just pull up beside it and put it in from there(Be sure to put your keys in the car before you get in or this isn't an option). Next, if it is a very busy place and there isn't much room, there is a good chance some one saw it and will bring it to you. The other option is that you have to scoot your ass across the ground to get it. So far I've only had to scoot once and that was only the length of the car as I was backed into the space and it rolled into the curb.

[rue2you]

I got my chair today!!! I am so excited. It is a very different ride than the "Ebay" Invacare A4 that I had. It served a good purpose and I am going to make some changes to it to make it a good outdoor/rugged chair.
I got the 12" Matrix back on this chair and it feels so much better. A little higher but that will help me sit up straighter I think! The ROHO cushion feels so much more stable under me than the old foam one did. I hope it will help my constant back and hip pain.
I got the Schwalbe tires and a fat 5" front castor. It makes the turns not quite as smooth as the hard castors that I did have but the bumps and ride is so much smoother that I think it will be worth it. I have to play around with the COG a little more as it is hard for me to get even a small wheelie but I will play with that tomorrow.
I am so excited about this chair as I have been in the other for over 7 months now and have been waiting on my custom chair.
Yeah for it getting here today!!

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Edited by rue2you, 30 October 2009 - 11:50 PM.

[allister]

Waiting for my new chair to arrive, Top End T6 Crossfire. Was told 4 - 7 weeks, and its been 5 weeks now. Can't wait either.
Its the same as what I am currently using, but newer and updated.
Looking forward to the Yellow Spinerg's!

Hope I am as pleased as you are Rue.

[Trinity]

rue2you, on Oct 30 2009, 11:44 PM, said:

I got my chair today!!! I am so excited. It is a very different ride than the "Ebay" Invacare A4 that I had. It served a good purpose and I am going to make some changes to it to make it a good outdoor/rugged chair.
I got the 12" Matrix back on this chair and it feels so much better. A little higher but that will help me sit up straighter I think! The ROHO cushion feels so much more stable under me than the old foam one did. I hope it will help my constant back and hip pain.
I got the Schwalbe tires and a fat 5" front castor. It makes the turns not quite as smooth as the hard castors that I did have but the bumps and ride is so much smoother that I think it will be worth it. I have to play around with the COG a little more as it is hard for me to get even a small wheelie but I will play with that tomorrow.
I am so excited about this chair as I have been in the other for over 7 months now and have been waiting on my custom chair.
Yeah for it getting here today!!

Nice one Rue!
Word of advise, go easy when changing the COG. Do it in very small increments. I am the voice of experience on this one after giving myself concussion!

[ShatteredShield]

So my uncle threw my chair in the back of the truck and forgot to lock down the bed cover. So 80 pounds of cover and 60 mph winds manage to slam down on the back rest bending it. Still can't figure out how it bent like that but the back rest digs into my back and the spokes rub on frame. FML!!!!!!!! Can't even find a decent emergency repair shop and the company I bought it from doesn't have a 24 hour phone service. THe guy who brought me the chair won't even awnser my calls. I mean am I the only one who needs an emergency repair in the history of wheel chairs?!?!?!?!?

[rue2you]

Allister - I really debated between the TiLite and the Crossfire. It was really sharp looking. I finally settled on this one. I hope you love your chair! It took me so long because I was 5 months pregnant when I became paralyzed and then we wanted to wait until I had the baby and got some baby weight off (which has been a lot harder being in a chair!!) so I could have more accurate measurements. So...I am glad the long wait is finally over!

Trinity - thanks for the warning! I was thinking about leaving the anti-tippers on this chair for a week or so to get used to the different feel. I lost them a long time ago on the other chair and was really confident in it but this one is a lot lighter it seems like so I am a little skiddish about it. I didn't get a concussions, but I did flip back one day after I moved the COG a long way on the other chair. I learned my lesson - "little by little"! Thankfully, my bed was right behind me and kind of broke my fall!