[misc.handicap] wheelchair use

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

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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.

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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

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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.

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