Bobblehead

This should not be this difficult.

After repeated attempts to repair the headrest on Maggie's wheelchair, we finally gave up and ordered a new one. That was in the early part of June. It arrived just before school started at the end of August. It broke the next day. We did a patch job until the guy could get to us a day or so later. He fixed it up and it worked for a week or so. We called again. We tightened the screws every 20 minutes or so. This went on for several days but we knew it was a matter of time. I called the place three times on September 19 leaving messages telling them it was going to break off. No one called back. It broke completely the next day and Maggie was trapped at school because she could not be transported safely with a bare pole sticking up where he head should go. The bus wouldn't take her and I had no way to transport her in the car. I called again. They agreed to come out the next day. I panicked thinking Maggie would have to sleep at Mission High. I went to school and retrieved the broken headrest which I took to a hardware store where a kind clerk took pity on me and helped me find a set up that would hold it together so we could get her home. I brought it back to school and Mr. David, one of the aides in Maggie's class, helped me put it back together. The wheelchair people came September 21 and worked on the chair for a long time. just the headrest. The other parts are not as important (though we've been waiting for those since June). He did some magic and came up with a new set up telling me that if this didn't work he had nothing else to offer. I looked at it and knew immediately that it would only last a short while. Today, 11 days post repair, it is in tatters and I've already tightened it twice this morning. It will hold maybe another few days. They are coming back today with the manufacturer of the headrest. It is October 2 and we've been messing with this for five months. .Maggie is very strong and throws her head back extending her body and putting a lot of force on the mechanism. Naturally, they think it's all her fault. But she is not the incredible hulk, she weighs less than 80lbs. I'm thinking maybe we should stop blaming her.

This should not be so difficult.

Make it snappy!

Maggie sat patiently in her chair while Steve tried yet another repair of her headrest. If we can get it somewhat stable, Maggie and I can go out and have some fun. Being stuck in the house on Spring Break is no fun. I just received an email that a repair guy will come to US tomorrow! Yay!!!

Once Steve was done I knew Maggie had things she wanted to say but she also needed to eat. I asked "do you want your talker?" she signed "yes." I said, "Ok, do you want me to feed you first?" She slammed her hand down in an emphatic NO!  She wanted her talker so she could communicate. I laughed and started setting up the talker. That process takes a few minutes. I have to affix the tray and the pole and then the talker. She turns it on and it has to boot up, which takes another minute or two.

I finished and looked at her and said, I know exactly what you are going to say" She smiled wickedly and made this sentence

"Mom, breakfast now, I'm hungry." 

Food tastes so much better when it's ordered.

Steve also entertained Maggie by juggling oranges. if you're stuck in the house, it's good to have an entertaining Dad. (see I didn't even call him a Clown!)