On Friday, exbf took me to orthopedist in Huntsville since I was carless. Now that he has a walker, he can get in by himself. Before, I had to get a wheelchair for the both of us. When I call for a wheelchair, the questions and comments are unending. Why can't he push me in? How can he drive if he needs a wheelchair? We only push patients inside. Do either of you need help getting out of car and into wheelchair?
I actually want to take a few steps as it sort of loosens me up after sitting. He cannot take one step at all, ever, without assistance from canes or walker.
Yesterday, he lit up when he saw the high chairs in the orthopedist's waiting room. There are normal chairs, some slightly higher, and some really high ones. Of course, he wanted the really high chairs. I stay in the wheel chair. All the chairs have nice high sturdy arms, wide seats, and sturdy cushioned bottoms. There are wide paths between all the chairs and areas. I mean really wide!
Lots of MRIs were ordered for office here, so I don't have to travel so far. Since I actually have a car now, thanks to exbf (aka Tommy), I can take myself anywhere. I still cannot drive to oncologist because the C word makes my brain turn to mush and I need the support. I don't want to even think during the trip down.
We ate lunch and finished the car purchase.
I was going to write more about car and chickens, but this post was getting too long.
The high chairs are a great addition to the office. So many people have trouble getting up.
ReplyDeleteYou won't know yourself with a car, I use my car like legs
kylie,
DeleteThis office has no low-slung, plush, and comfortable chairs. Really, the highest chairs are so high, I have to hike myself up...lol. I drive even when the place is across the street or just a bit, actually not much of a walk. The other day when car shopping, I drove from car to car, like you say, using my car like legs.
kylie,
Deleteexbf has trouble getting down, too. That is why I have the high patio chair in my house.
Some doctors are starting to wise up and include some chairs and benches in the waiting room that are leg, knee, back, hip problem-friendly seating. I never gave any thought about chair heights until my knees became terribly arthritic. I have had knee surgery on one knee and it is doing better all of the time but my non-surgical, riddled with arthritis, knee is a big problem when getting up and down out of many different styles of chairs. I sometimes need to ask the nurse or tech for a little help to get up from some chairs. And doctors, nurses, techs can all forget about me trying to balance like a big fat flamingo, on my best leg, if I have one that is best that day, on that little pull out thing and "hop" up onto the examining table. For most things I can be checked out while sitting in the chair that is in the room. The exception to that is the gyno, and he has a low examining table.
ReplyDeleteOne hospital in our area was having problems with people stealing the wheelchairs, so they replaced the wheel chairs with people mover things that are reminiscent of a big wheel barrow made of fiberglass that are just miserable to sit in and get out of.
Two years ago when my husband was in the hospital for 14 days that hospital had actual wheel chairs. My knees were real bad at that time. The hospital personnel were always sweet and good about providing me with a wheelchair and someone to take me up to my husband's room to visit and with just a call to their section's desk they would come and get me and take me back to the door again. It is a giant hospital, and I knew with degenerative disc disease in my neck affecting my
arms, I wouldn't be able to wheel myself to his room. That service from the hospital sure made a big difference to me and I was so grateful for it. It sure is hard getting around with health problems sometimes, isn't it.
Susie,
ReplyDeleteWhen I went to doctor to get disability, the doctor told me to balance on one foot. I asked if it were okay to hold onto something. He let me hold on to something and I could still barely balance.
My gyno oncologist is the most understanding doctor ever about my problems. He always asks before he starts "helping" by holding onto me. And, he lowers and adjusts, provides pillow for lower back. AND, he never tells me to "hop up" onto the exam table.
I really hate it when I have to argue or object to where they want me to sit. I am not sitting on the end of a table with legs dangling. I remain firmly seated and tell the nurse I will get up when he comes in to examine me, for whatever I am at the office to see about.
I will never be able to move myself in a wheelchair because of hands, arms, and shoulders.
Some offices, like allergists, don't take things like disability that are invisible into account.