Pandora.Nigh@f3.n157.z1.fidonet.org (Pandora Nigh) (01/09/91)
Index Number: 12765 Hi Andy, that is a big concern for some. For me when the time came I was so run down and tired and missed doing a lot of things because the severly limited amount I could walk with my braces stop me from doing or going almost everywhere. Once I got my chair I could understand how I ever do with out it. I had a manual first but that lasted functionally only a short time for me. I didn't have the upper torso strength to really move far in that so that I had to again fall into a rely on other source to get around. Now I have a tricart and am getting my permobile. and the freedom I have gained is tremendous. I can with my braces on take about 3 steps. That is with great difficulty and pain. It does come in handy sometimes to make a restroom more accessable espesially with a tricart. I'm at the opposite end from your first feelings now. I hope with ADA and my new chair I will never have to wear those braces again. Pandora -- Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!157!3!Pandora.Nigh Internet: Pandora.Nigh@f3.n157.z1.fidonet.org
Nadine.Thomas@p1.f7.n300.z1.fidonet.org (Nadine Thomas) (01/10/91)
Index Number: 12786 AA> PN> sooner. It just that first seat that is so hard. AA> PN> Pandora AA> My biggest worry about using a Wheelchair the first time,was if I AA> would ever AA> be able to do without it. AA> Later, Andy, this was the first message I am reading this morning and it was quite a shock for me - I'm sorry I missed the original thread and Pandora's post. I have been talking with a friend about how I really am needing an amigo [three wheel cart] right now [this past week] but I am terrified that if I start using one I will never be able to NOT use one. I almost fell several times [3 times in just 2 hours the other day] but it still scares the stuffing out of me. I was at the drug store yesterday [a friend took me after getting blood tests] and they had garland etc. drapping the sport wheelchairs and the 3-wheelers and the regular wheelchairs etc. and I wanted to puke - I KNOW that someone who is using a wheelchair may be asking for a sport one or a new one but it revolted me because I am sooooooo scared of having to use one that just the thought of it makes me feel ill. I don't want to lose that part of my independence. My friend told me that she has and still does use a chair for certain things - when she goes to Disneyland she uses one and there are several benefits - first is that she and whoever is with her gets to go to the head of all the lines [no waiting], and another is that she gets to enjoy more then if she was to attempt to walk it. I understand her logic but I have to get past something INSIDE of me. She told me that it has not made her dependent on the chair but it has given her more independence when she has needed to use it - shopping is easier etc. Please, keep this thread going and I hope we get more input about it. I just made a call to a neighbor who has had a stripped down model of an amigo sitting on his back porch for over a year - I am going to ask him what he is going to do with it - maybe he will loan it to me [his answering machine picked up - drat]. I hope I don't lose the courage when he calls back. -- Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!300!7.1!Nadine.Thomas Internet: Nadine.Thomas@p1.f7.n300.z1.fidonet.org
Pandora.Nigh@f3.n157.z1.fidonet.org (Pandora Nigh) (02/09/91)
Index Number: 13623 Nadine, while your policy may prevent you from making an appointment with another doctor, does it restrict you in an emergency from going to the nearest hospital emergency room. I would try and just go to an emergency room and drop the problem into the doctors there lap. I also think that your insurace company or even the county would have a hard time fighting to pay that bill. You should be able to easily fight them if they try and bill you over an emergency situation. Just turn the pain and swelling into an emergency. Pandora -- Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!157!3!Pandora.Nigh Internet: Pandora.Nigh@f3.n157.z1.fidonet.org
Nadine.Thomas@p1.f7.n300.z1.fidonet.org (Nadine Thomas) (02/09/91)
Index Number: 13635 PN> Nadine, while your policy may prevent you from making an PN> appointment with PN> another doctor, does it restrict you in an emergency from going to PN> the nearest PN> hospital emergency room. I would try and just go to an emergency PN> room and drop PN> the problem into the doctors there lap. I also think that your PN> insurace company PN> or even the county would have a hard time fighting to pay that PN> bill. You should PN> be able to easily fight them if they try and bill you over an PN> emergency situation. PN> Just turn the pain and swelling into an emergency. Let's see if I can explain this properly. We have a state indigent medical program - Arizona will not participate in the Federal Medicaid Program - they think they can do a better job (cough, cough). I had to pick one of the plans when I enrolled (now they assign plans to new enrollees) - I can change plans once a year ONLY and that is without any knowledge of the other programs until I use them - then I am stuck with them for another year. When I have an emergency I have to call the doctor on call who will deem it an emergency or not and instruct me accordingly. If it is considered an emergency then I have authorization to go to the hospital emergency room (the hospital my doc is affiliated with). If I do not have a way there they will contact the social worker to see about getting a cab for me (paid by my plan) - If it is a more severe emergency then they will tell me to call 911 for an ambulance (and the plan is supposed to pay for that). If it is a SEVERE emergency (like bad auto accident and it is life and death) then I can be taken to the NEAREST hospital and the plan will consider paying for it providing they are notified within a day or two. If I do not follow procedure then I can and will be liable for ALL the bills. I had a case about a year or two ago where I had called the doc cause I had severe pains in my leg and hip and could not walk. She told me to call 911 for an ambulance - they came and found me outside (I had to go outside because my dog would not allow them to come in) and said I could walk (even though I was propped up against the door) - my plan saw this and refused to pay the ambulance bill - I kept getting dunning letters from the ambulance company - my representative said she was working on it - She told me after a few weeks that they were denying payment cause they did not think it was necessary - I then asked her why they considered it unnecessary since I had been admitted to the hospital that night - her eyes got big and she said OH! and resubmitted it and it was finally paid. The hospital is a teaching hospital so other then my primary doc the rest of them that I deal with are residents who don't know their elbow from a hole in the wall. When I visited with Betty I had to go to the emergency room - I called my primary doc and asked permission (which was granted) - I went to the ER and told the intake clerk that she had to call my plan for permission and she refused all four times I asked her. I then got billed by the hospital. I submitted that bill (along with a prescription receipt) and a covering letter explaining what happened back in OCTOBER and I have yet to hear from them (even after several inquiries). I have no idea if it is going to be paid or not. I do know that I was told that if the ER bill is denied I will NOT be responsible because their clerk messed up and refused to call as I requested. Anyway - this is a brief (?) description of just ONE part of the plan. -- Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!300!7.1!Nadine.Thomas Internet: Nadine.Thomas@p1.f7.n300.z1.fidonet.org