10 replies to this topic

[ClaraTaylor]

Afternoon all.
I'm still stuck with a straw for a windpipe (aka sore throat and I'm a whimp) and it's giving me lots of time to think (never a good thing). Now being a barely even incomplete I didn't need a wheelchair after my accident.

Unfortunately pain / squashed disc getting worse means that last year I went out and brought myself a little chair - a Quickie GPV thinking that the issues would just be temporary and all would be back to normal after a good nights sleep.

This issue doesn't seem to be going away any time soon and I'm wondering how much support I could get from my local services (I'm in Leicestershire, England) to get this chair adapted so that it would suit my needs a little better? (I.e. a better foot plate and handles - nothing serious I'm just lacking in cash to fund it myself). Can anyone advise me what to do next? Where to go and what to say?

Thank you.

[greybeard]

Why not give your local wheelchair service a ring and ask them what they can do for you? If they require a referral, it should be easy enough, given your history, to get your GP to arrange it. They may (unless they're staffed by jobsworths) well see the sense in carrying out a few adaptations on your chair rather than spend the money on a new one.

[Lucydog]

Both Simon and Jane are in leicestershire so why not pm them direct. I suspect your best option would be to get an assesment from wheelchair services, and either take the chair they offer, or take the voucher, sell your quickie and add the cash to the voucher.

It so very depends on the area you live in and also the goodwill of the technician there, Ive found mine to be excellent but I know there are some rubbish ones about as well.

[greybeard]

Clara, I may have a solution ref the footplate. I'll pm you.



Correction. I've had to email your hotmail add so I can send a photo.

Edited by greybeard, 16 June 2010 - 01:45 PM.

[ClaraTaylor]

greybeard, on Jun 16 2010, 02:22 PM, said:

Why not give your local wheelchair service a ring and ask them what they can do for you? If they require a referral, it should be easy enough, given your history, to get your GP to arrange it. They may (unless they're staffed by jobsworths) well see the sense in carrying out a few adaptations on your chair rather than spend the money on a new one.

Thanks wonderful. Some times I don't see the simple solution for the confusion I can create in my mind.

The name "Disablement Services Centre" makes me wonder just what it is they do!! However I've sent them an email as they seem to be too busy to answer the phone. Please keep your fingers crossed.

greybeard, on Jun 16 2010, 02:35 PM, said:

Clara, I may have a solution ref the footplate. I'll pm you.
Correction. I've had to email your hotmail add so I can send a photo.

Thanks Greybeard, the trouble is my footplate seems to push my heels into an uncomfortable position so I want to get it swapped for a "flatter" one (I've already got all of the part numbers for everything following failed attempts to get my local tea pot mobility store to purchase them).

[greybeard]

ClaraTaylor, on Jun 16 2010, 02:51 PM, said:

greybeard, on Jun 16 2010, 02:22 PM, said:

Why not give your local wheelchair service a ring and ask them what they can do for you? If they require a referral, it should be easy enough, given your history, to get your GP to arrange it. They may (unless they're staffed by jobsworths) well see the sense in carrying out a few adaptations on your chair rather than spend the money on a new one.

Thanks wonderful. Some times I don't see the simple solution for the confusion I can create in my mind.

The name "Disablement Services Centre" makes me wonder just what it is they do!! However I've sent them an email as they seem to be too busy to answer the phone. Please keep your fingers crossed.

greybeard, on Jun 16 2010, 02:35 PM, said:

Clara, I may have a solution ref the footplate. I'll pm you.
Correction. I've had to email your hotmail add so I can send a photo.

Thanks Greybeard, the trouble is my footplate seems to push my heels into an uncomfortable position so I want to get it swapped for a "flatter" one (I've already got all of the part numbers for everything following failed attempts to get my local tea pot mobility store to purchase them).

If you mean the footplate angle to the floor is too steep (toes higher than heels), then the metal I'm offering you - with spacers added to correct the angle - would seem to be a reasonable fix until you get round to buying the parts you want. Hey, you might even decide to abandon the parts purchase all together.

An alternative solution would be to bend the footrest uprights to get the angle you want. I found that if heated with a blow torch, aluminium tube is very easy to reshape. Just don't over heat it or try to bend it too quickly or it can flatten. Of course, if yours are titanium, this probably won't work.

Edited by greybeard, 17 June 2010 - 09:19 AM.

[ClaraTaylor]

Just heard back from the disablement services...

Quote

Clara

Unfortunately we are not in a position to carry out modifications to a wheelchair that we haven’t issued, so are unable to help with your problem in that way.
You could try contacting the manufacturers or the people you bought the wheelchair from to see if they can modify your wheelchair.
The other option is to ask your GP to refer you to our service; we would then be able to assess you for a suitable wheelchair.

Edited by ClaraTaylor, 17 June 2010 - 08:12 AM.

[Lucydog]

Yes I wont say I told you so. They wont touch chairs outside the NHS for the simple reason they are not a wheelchair maintenance service. I had hell trying to get anything out of Gerald Simmons for my TiLite because I bought it in the US , not them.

Its time to crawl to your GP or any other useful health professional for that matter, OT, Physio and get them to refer you to wheelchair services.

The thing is, if in the future you go for the voucher offered to you, you then become fully responsible for the servicing and maintenance of yoiur chair. If you take what they offer you, ( nothing very good in Leics so I have heard) then they do it for you.

[allister]

Have you tried having a word with Peter at Bromakins to see if their workshop can assist you?The chair that wheelchair services will ofer to you will probably be worth all of 2 - 300 squid, basic and heavy. But they will maintain it free of charge for you, as its their property. I think on their voucher scheme, they'll only offer you 250 towards a chair of your choice and you have to meet the diference, like i did with my new one.
But like Lucydog says, its then your onw chair and the maintenance is yours too!
Just get the support for a referal, that will probably take you 6 - 8 weeks to see them, and Hope all works out well in the end for you.
Al xx

[ClaraTaylor]

allister, on Jun 17 2010, 01:06 PM, said:

Have you tried having a word with Peter at Bromakins to see if their workshop can assist you?The chair that wheelchair services will ofer to you will probably be worth all of 2 - 300 squid, basic and heavy. But they will maintain it free of charge for you, as its their property. I think on their voucher scheme, they'll only offer you 250 towards a chair of your choice and you have to meet the diference, like i did with my new one.
But like Lucydog says, its then your onw chair and the maintenance is yours too!
Just get the support for a referal, that will probably take you 6 - 8 weeks to see them, and Hope all works out well in the end for you.
Al xx

Unfortunately (when I had some cash to pay for the mods myself) companies like Bromakin were of limited use because they don't open weekends (and are especially reluctant to open up just for spares) - it seems a common thing - am I committing some huge sin? Trying to be independent and work the 9 - 5? Everywhere I go the fact that I work seems to put me at some huge disadvantage. I had all the part numbers and gave them to local companies but they still seemed.... well chocolate tea pots!

Another unfortunate is that it's very hard to get the time off work - please don't start bitching about how a boss /has/ to give you time off work it'll do you no good! (hence my struggle to get the chair sorted myself). I still have responsibilities and they (or at least the customers!) make it very hard to take the time off. There's just no "convenient time"
Now of course that I can't afford the parts myself it looks like I'll be taking more time off work to get a new chair sorted via the services (providing I can get an appointment with the GP - that'll take a week in itself).
Sometimes I am quite peeved at being a cripple - it's too damn inconvenient.

Bromakin (aka 70 mile around trip) did offer to open late one friday if I could get there for 17:00, like a proper sob story my car failed on me the day before in a dangerous manner. I have a hospital appointment in Leicester on Tuesday morning, if I can stay in Loughborough the night before I might have /just/ time to take the chair to Bromakins again and
get them to quote everything. Then it's just a matter of finding some money under the sofa. I liked Bromakins they seemed very friendly and helpful, hopefully when I move to Loughborough I will be able to get some more information on hand cycling from them. Even though I am now mastering my old bicycle I know I will never be as strong / stable as I used to be when I raced. Perhaps on a hand cycle that will be different.

Clara - grumpy because she's just been woken up from a nap and is disgusted to find that she still can't breath.

[Tinbasher]

Just a thought Clara.

Do you need your chair for work? If you do Access to Work might be an easier route to either a new chair or some adaptaions to your existing one.

They have just approved some alterations to my 7 years old CYCLONE to accomodate my backpain. Tight gets! I hoped they would spring for a new chair

Tin