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Archive for November, 2011
(Deutsch) Nachtrag zum Eigude Pranger X
Tuesday, November 29th, 20111. Advent
Sunday, November 27th, 2011Eigude Shame Part XIX
Friday, November 25th, 2011To protect my – caused by the paralysis – non-existent sexy butt after the accident I have got a prescription 2008 from the health insurance for my home for a special mattress and a vertically adjustable electric frame for my double bed to facilitate the transfer in and out of the wheelchair.
This mattress to prevent pressure sores consists mainly of around 5 cm x 5 cm small rubber foam cubes which relieve the pressure on the body by bending. It is quite good.
If you are like me supplied by 3 different medical supply stores at once you shouldn’t get upset if a 100 cm wide mattress is pressed into a 90 cm wide slatted frame of my double bed. That will do, better than lying on a blank frame. An exchange of the wrong mattress was arranged by medical supply store # I only after my request after 1 year when they needed a new prescription (see letter below, in German).
The screwing of the slatted frame on the bed was not considered necessary by medical supply store # II. My wife was lucky that she didn’t crash onto the floor on her side of the bed together with her slatted frame because this was not screwed tightly either because of the modification. The squeaking of the brand new electric frame could be heard by the whole neighborhood. But this could be resolved by a friend with a can of silicon spray within two hours only.
Within 2,5 years the second mattress, the third remote control on which within 6 weeks the labeling was not readable any more, and the complete electronics including power unit were exchanged at this bed.
Each year I am contacted by medical supply store # I that they need a follow-up prescription from my doctor for the continuous supply of the mattress. If it would be defect, 10 cm too wide or sagged it would possibly be exchanged.
(Letter asking for a new prescription and to get in touch with the medical supply store under the mentioned telephone number to make an appointment.)
Since a couple of weeks the prescription is lying about on my desk. I am definitely interested to make an appointment, see letter. Nobody is answering the phone, the waiting loop is yelling as if you are at boot camp, and nobody reacts on my e-mails either. At least they are thanking me in advance for my efforts.
Translator BL
I am freezing, let’s get going!!!
Friday, November 18th, 2011I took the ad hoc decision to follow the established tradition as German retiree and drive around on the canary islands in the coming winter.
Because the journey with the boat would be “going” a little bit too slow (actually it wouldn’t matter, I would have time and could “sit” it out easily) I decided anyhow in favour of flying.
Because I have already gone through a couple of flight miles with a wheelchair and experienced some weird things here are some tips.
Flight trips with wheelchair made easy!
When booking at your travel agency specify already any required medical devices with indication of size and weight, and if required additional assistance at the airport. Medical devices will be transported free of charge anywhere.
It came to my attention that if you need to take along any hard drugs, especially at the entry of the United States, a medical certificate and a lot of time is required.
At the check-in, approach an airport employee and get to the check-in counter with him from the side without any bad conscience, independent of the length of the queue.
Alternatively there is a “handicapped meeting point” in the terminals with an assistance button, after pressing of which a professional wheelchair pusher is coming who will manage everything.
In Frankfurt it is allowed to sit in your own wheelchair until you reach the door of the aircraft. Usually you are the first passenger on the flight. Then you are carried by two “volunteers” in a small plane wheelchair which reminds a bit of a sack truck to your seat, and then the “dwarf tossing” to the window seat begins.
Now it is advisable to pray.
Will your own wheelchair find its way into the cargo bay of the same aircraft?
Will your wheelchair be available and navigable at the destination airport?
In order to avoid that your wheelchair will be treated like ordinary luggage at the destination airport, but hopefully will be brought to the exit of the plane instead there is a label:
Delivery at Aircraft.
This means for the luggage guys at the plane as much as: Please be so kind not to load the object adherent to the label on the luggage cart and leave it here!!!
Keep the labels, don’t throw them away, you might need them for the return flight.
Sometimes there are no more labels available, which might end up extremely annoying when you are still sitting in the plane, and the wheelchair is already lying on the bulky luggage belt in the terminal.
The airport employees around the world are trained so well, they even manage to fold a wheelchair with a rigid-welded frame.
Although I have a foldable wheelchair it has a cross bar to attach an electric wheelchair-tractive type Minitrac. What I have experienced with that, see older blog post.
When the luggage loaders tried to fold my wheelchair it ended with little crashes several times already. Meanwhile I have a reversible, bilingual label on the seat:
Wheelchair not foldable.
It helped the last two times.
I have another label to offer:
Handle with care!
It probably doesn’t help, but brightens the wheelchair up with its red and blue design.
You shouldn’t forget to remind a flight attendant approximately 30 minutes before landing that you are a wheelchair user.
The pilot then hopefully won’t forget the notification at the destination airport, and the probability to leave the aircraft in a reasonable time increases dramatically.
Have fun with your next flight trip!!!
When I think about it, maybe I should better take the boat after all!
Translator BL
3 Handicap parking stories in one day!
Wednesday, November 9th, 2011Today no complaints!!!
Yesterday I was positively surprised that I actually could get hold of one of the 6 disabled parking places in front of the hospital for my X-ray appointment.
A black „mobile home“ with a star on the front was standing next to me.
Because SUV drivers often forget to display their disabled parking permit I made small labels which I put on their cars.
Furthermore I have fixed my new wheelchair parking sign on the window (see older blogpost), which unfolded its full effect after the car parking next to mine had changed, so that I really had enough space for getting into my car. Great thing.
When I wanted to back into my disabled parking place in front of my house around 6 o’clock, it was already dark, a woman on a bicycle was just passing by.
She stopped, came to me and friendly pointed out that this was a disabled parking place. In this moment she saw my wheelchair and parking permit.
I thanked her, she thought probably that I hadn’t seen the labeling in the dark.
I think her behaviour is exemplary and absolutely worth mentioning!
Translator BL
Feedback on the shinbone fracture
Tuesday, November 8th, 20112 months after the involuntary flight show from my wheelchair during which I broke my shinbone (see older blogposts as of 06.09.2011) I was yesterday at the
X-Ray check-up.
X-rays from 06.09.2011 / 29.09.2011 / 08.11.2011
Since my accident 4 years ago I was x-rayed so often that I meanwhile have an
“Inner Glow” !!
That the fracture is healing very slowly due to my spinal cord injury is nothing new, but even for me this is “going” a bit too slow.
To my question to the doc if I could maybe leave the orthosis out at least at night I got the reply:
Well…, if it’s cracking, you have to wear the orthosis longer.
When the doc is right, he’s right…!!!
Everything is going to be alright!
I have decided to stay calm and to “sit it out”.
Translator BL
Crazy Flash Part X
Sunday, November 6th, 2011That a 40 year old wheelchair user is put on the scrap heap is more than just a rumour, especially if you receive a pension.
On inquiry at the travel agency about possible assistance at the holiday destination I was referred to a
Service for Elderly People
German Nursing Service
That gave me something to think about…