I don't like to complain. I don't admit to being handicap except when I am desperate. As long as My chair works and my van works I'm "A OK." Occasionally everything goes bad at once. I'm playing the waiting game for a new wheelchair. I called the company to ask how long only to be told that my doctor's appointment had been too far away to work and that although I had been fitted for the chair a doctor's order and visit was necessary. As my Mom says this is ridiculous, "You have been in a chair for ten years! It's not like you'll magically heal and not have to use a chair." So why does medicare not have a provision for people who have a chronic condition? Why do they want to pay for a Doctor's visit that is not at all necessary. Go figure. That's the way things work. People don't always think. My doctor says that she hates filing out the forms for someone who already has a chair and she has to justify that they still need a chair.
At any rate a new chair is on the way. On to problem number two. The handicap van door. The Ramp Van doors are and have been erratic ever since I purchased the vehicle. Last fall I took the van to have the doors fixed again. It seems that every time I have the automatic ramp door fixed it breaks again. The trouble is it is erratic, some times it works just find and other times especially in very cold or nasty weather it just does not close at all. So, when I took it to be repaired the bad news was, "Oh, gee we think you need to by a new vehicle, and here is our salesman to help you out." This does not wash with me. To say the least if you start hard selling me, my ruff goes up and I will not be sold. The alternative was to have it fixed for a tune of $1,800. Well, this seemed better than buying a new van for $50,000 to $70,000 that they quoted. My van had less than 80,000 miles on her. Why is it that the handicap adaptable parts wear out much sooner than the vehicle? The long and the short of it is I bit the bullet and had the van repaired. It worked for about a month and has been a pain in the neck ever since. Right now in February, I can't get it to close most of the time and I feel as though I have to take someone along with me to help with the door. Last week mother and I were rushing to make a dental appointment and I lost patience with the door reopening when I put the car into drive, so I slammed on my brakes and the door slammed shut; however, when we got to the dentist Mother got out of the front seat and I tried the ramp door. It would not open at all. I had jammed the door. I called my son, Chris, and took the car over to his shop where he had to use a crow bar to get the door to open. Then he had to position the door on it's runners so it would at least be able to be closed manually. What does one do with out someone to help them. I've always said that the Good Lord knew what he was doing when he gave me 3 sons. Even though I thought a daughter would have been nice. Thank God for my sons. So now I have to figure out how to get a good second hand Van. I've done some research on the web and it turns out that not all handicap vehicles are 50 to 70 thousand, I found a few newer ones for 30 something and older ones even less expensive. I can tell you this, I will not be buying a new Van from the same people , who fixed this one. I hope with trade in I can afford a good van.
If anyone out there reads my blog and has any advise, I sure could use some help here. Please comment or email me. Thanks
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