Warning. This is a little snarly.
Today, after months of waiting, Maggie has an appointment to get her wheelchair repaired. I tried to schedule the appointment when Maggie would miss the least amount of school. I cancelled the bus for the day because she has to leave school early. I don't want the nurse to have to come all the way back here to get her car, so I had her meet us at school. I like to take the professionals into consideration when there is a change in the routine. I only wish that went both ways.
This is not like the emergency visits I've had to do for her headrest. This is more involved. Lots of parts will be replaced or switched out to accomodate her growth and resolve ongoing issues with the chair. I was not involved in ordering any of the parts. I let the professionals do their job. I'm not positive what all of the changes are, but I agreed to have Maggie there at 2PM for a two hour appointment.
We will be there at 2, as instructed. This is very difficult for both Maggie and me because we have to wait through all the changes and then sit Maggie in the chair to make sure it's correct. Of course I have no idea what is or is not correct because I didn't order any of it and have no idea how it's supposed to work. Her therapists did that, but now neither of them is available to come to the appointment. One doesn't work on Friday afternoons and the other is sick. This is the third rather important thing in a row that one therapist has missed, so I can't help but wonder.
While we are waiting, Maggie is without her chair. That means she cannot use her communication device. There is no place for Maggie to wait except to lie on a mat table in an office. There are no sides to this table so I have to stay right next to her the entire time to make sure she doesn't fall off. I cannot go to the restroom, I cannot do anything but sit in one place. Because someone else is usually with me, this can generally be accomodated.
But now we are on our own.
I can predict that without the professionals who are supposed to be there, something will be left out, or unavailable. Of course I won't know what it is and they will tell me to come back downtown on another day to finish the job.
I hope they will understand when I tell them I don't work on that day or I don't feel up to it.
Have a nice three day weekend. I will try to unsnarl.
GRRRRRRR--that's me, snarling for you.
ReplyDeleteI'm in a very, very bad mood about wheelchairs lately. Who really has knowledge, what really is available (do we have to trek to Norway to get anything of quality) and why is there less innovation in this field, where improvement is so needed, than even in mountain bike technology? And then there's the way things are paid for, or can't be paid for.... Amelia has two---make that three---chairs, at least two of which should be replaced and/or customized with a different braking system, seating, footrests, etc. etc.
ReplyDeleteI get barriers thrown at me wherever I look. I'm really disgusted and, when I have the energy to waste, furious. Absolutely furious. Your experience is so damn par for the course....
Ack--blogger just erased my long, furious rant about wheelchairs, vendors, various supposed experts....
ReplyDeleteThe subject throws me into a state of disgust, or, if I'm feeling more energetic, total rage.