[Alex_J]

I have just been issued a standard NHS wheelchair and I have a few questions and concerns and am hoping someone can help me.

I did not know what I was really getting till it arrived, I never went to the wheelchair clinic, my OT assessed me and sent the forms off.

It is so heavy. I am not a light person (13 stone) and I am only 5 foot in height. I have really poor wrists from several brakes (over 10 on my left wrist alone). I am finding it really hard to move about in it. Also the sides of it seem very high, it does not fit under a standard table and they dig in to my ribs as I push the hand rims down to 'try' and move it.

I am not in it all the time, I walk around my home, balancing on objects and using a stick or two but the idea is it will be used when I go out 99% of the time as I am unable to walk more than 50 to 75m without pain and to quite my OT "being a danger to myself" due to very poor balance and weakness.

My social worker's answer is "someone can always push you". Trouble is I do not want to be pushed. I want to do this on my own. I do not want to rely on others.

Ok, I do not go out that much now as walking is so hard and some days impossible but the idea of the chair is to give me back independence where as at the moment I feel its going to be taking it away as I am not really going to be able to move myself about in it. At the moment the only time I go out is to a Day Centre 2 days a week, while there I tend to just sit in one seat and not move much all day as I can't, so this is another reason for the chair.

Is there anything I can do about this? Do I have to accept what the NHS has given me or can I say I think it is not suitable?

Should I look at buying one myself?

I don't want anything flashy or space age technology just something that is a bit lighter, easier to move and this may sound shallow but something that looks a bit nicer.

If the answer is to buy my own can anyone give me any ideas on what to get? I don't need a sporty one or anything flash just something practical and not so heavy.

Many thanks to anyone who can advise me.

[silone74]

Hi Alex, i think the best thing to do is contact the wheelchair services directly and ask for some one from there to come and take a look at your chair, if it is not right they will change it i had a standard chair when i first came out of rehab and then waited a long time for a light weight chair which ended up being not right for me so i bought my own it cost £500 just a light aluminium one from PDQ it looked ok and was far lighter than the ones given to me i then got a voucher from wheelchair services and put some of my own money to it and bought a tilite the problem with buying your own if it is cheap like the PDQ is you cant expect great things from it i was forever losing nuts and bolts from the PDQ and it needs checking alot for loose nuts and bolts all the time so really you do get what you pay for but having said that it is still going strong and i use it for my handbike now.

What size is your chair because the cheaper end of the market only seem to do 2 sizes.



Silone74

[Alex_J]

Thanks for the reply. It is 17inch by 17inch.

I am currently sat balling my eyes out. I know that sounds dumb but when I sit right back in it my feet do not even touch the foot rest and I fell trying to get out of it. (Nice bump to head).

My OT says I just need to get use to it but with my wrist splints on I can hardly move it due to the weight, grip is ok its the weight.

This is what they have given me... http://www.essential...l.html#724X2587

[silone74]

You need to chase them up at wheelchair services asap they will be able to see if your not sat correctly or if the chair is not right for you as for OT's the one i had knew nothing about any thing and so i dont have an OT any more i just do things on my own that way i know what i have told them is what i need some OT's just dont give a crap not all mind you but the ones i have experianced only a couple actually gave a crap about what i needed.
Go direct to the people that know about the chairs and tell them what ya need it is your right to have a chair that enables independant living it sounds to me like you have not been fitted correctly for a chair it has to be right.


Silone74

[Kwag_Myers]

There's two things that bother me about this. First, if your feet don't touch the rests and your OT doesn't know how to adjust them, you need a new OT. Or, get a handyperson to look at it. I can tell by looking at the picture how to adjust the foot rests.

Second, the brakes on that look odd. They aren't on by any chance are they? Put the chair on its side and see if the wheel spins freely.

[Lucydog]

What is your OT thinking? She isnt qualified to decide what you need. She should be refering you to wheelchair services so they can decided.
Dont know where you are but you need to start getting stroppy. Difficult I know, but imagine you were doing this for a friend or your mum say, youd get on the phone right away wouldnt you? So tuesday moring phone straight away ok?

id also ask for a new OT. She doesnt inspire confidence. Whats her speciality for instance?

Same with the social worker. wtf is she thinking? Someone can push you? Oh Im cross about this really and trully. You should not have to fight for what is a right.
Gp. Seen your Gp or specialist lately? You need to get the big guns out here. Dont take no for an answer. You should be able to get a voucher at the very least, or have them supply you with something more suitable for your needs After all a wheelchair is a mobility aid, ie it makes you mobile, if it doesn then its not working.

By the way we all flip over from time to time, goes with the territory so dont be hard on yourself, but it help if you have the right equipment to start with.

e mail me if you like. Happy to help

Cheers
L

[Alex_J]

Thanks for the replies. OT has been to remove the chair (I posted some place about it). Basically trying to move myself about in it my hand slipped of the push rim (weak wrists), my hand went through the spokes and I broke 2 bones in my wrist, spent 3 hours in A&E today getting x-rayed and plastered.

Ot says she will bring it back when I am healed (like that solves the issues!!)

Why is nothing simple?

[silone74]

You broke bones,this is getting worse i would get some legal advice and sort the ot out i burnt my leg when i first came out of rehab it was the ot's fault for not checking my bathroom i sued and won just dont be affraid to tell them legal action is on the cards i am getting pissed off for ya now and it seems to me your ot is the one that needs a kick up the arse they obviously dont know anything about your needs and your rights these ot's should be shown up for the turds that they are.


Silone74

[Alex_J]

Cheers for the advise. My OT is very nice as a person but she is trained in other areas, I see her for a different medical condition and because of budgets she got lumbered with my spinal injury as well. she normally deals with sensory issues such as sight and also learning disability children.

[silone74]

I see but this still should not have happened and makes your case even stronger with having an ot that has no experience with anything like this they maybe a nice person but ignorance is no excuse when it comes down to the health and saftey and proper care you need and are entitled to.
The local council or social service OT department need to be held liable for this.

Silone74.

[zx10]

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Hi Alex,i spent some time in the same dire situation and it took a while to get thru' to wheelchair services but i kept hassling them, keep stressing how active you want to be and how badly it is affecting your independence and right to independence, if you drive,how you cant strip the chair down to get it into the car on your own which again is restricting your independence etc, it took me a year but i ended up with a quickie argon which ain't a bad chair you have got a right to a decent rigid chair, so face to the wind and fight, best of luck and i hope things get better