During September and October, when it looked like I would not see the vendor or his tech again, I emailed the regional ombudsman and told her I really wanted the joystick adapted further. She did not know exactly how to do that but was supporting my effort. It seemed like the nursing home staff did not know what to do. I was lacking in function and it did not seem that the vendor felt he could or would make the joystick easier for me operate. I did not think it was anyone's fault. The nursing home therapists knew what my old power chair looked like and how the joystick was set up. They knew the new one was different. I so wished there was an objective third person to look at my power chair and give an opinion.
I just knew that my friends agreed with me. They had never seen me struggle so much to operate a power chair before this newest one. I think most of them felt not all of it was due to me being not able.
I talked with power chair users on the forum and they knew a lot. If I had had the funds, I would have just purchased the new bracket for my power chair and had someone install it for me. The problem was there was is no one in this area that I knew about who could have done it. I could not afford to spend $500 to fix up this chair. By the way, the chair cost over $14,000. And it isn't one of those chairs that reclines. I did not want one of those anyway.
It was interesting because the power chair users forum folks thought that my chair had been set up for another patient. When I explained that it had a head restraint, and oxygen tank holder, and armrests that were not exactly what I needed, the power chair users wondered why. I did also but no one ever answered me.
I didn't want to come off as ungrateful either. The power chair users thought I should write to Medicaid or to the state and federal government. I had already written to my state's Attorney General and I did not get very far.
I think the vendor tech's last visit was because of the call from the state Attorney General's office. The vendor complained that they had made multiple visits here and I still said the chair and joystick needed work. That was true because I did not get what I thought I was getting.
My power chair has five speeds. Only four were programmed. I know they think the fifth one would be too fast for me to use. But, I could use it when I am outside the facility. I understand that no one wants me to get injured and neither did I. But, I was injured anyway using the chair in its regular speeds.
I was working on a letter. I was being ever so diplomatic. I did not want to start trouble for the vendor and for the manufacture. I didn't really know who was to blame. I just thought everybody was trying to do the right thing and unfortunately it was wrong.
I knew the manufacturer, or several of their employees, knew about my blog on their owners website. After it was taken down, I was sure of it. I wrote nothing that was derogatory. I just told what happened.
The disabled power chair user who worked for the manufacturer I will Mr. M was terse with me in a couple of emails. He didn't like that the other disabled power chair users are often militant on their own forum. I explained to him that they came across situations like mine and felt badly for the customers who got a new power chair and then could not operate it. I also heard from friends through Facebook about other nursing home residents getting injured using new power chairs. But knowing I had company in my misery, did not make me feel happier.
Close to the end of October I heard there would be a meeting in early November here at the nursing home. A representative of the manufacturer was supposed to come to that meeting and tell me what they could do to adapt to joystick to be easier to use.
I again e-mailed Mr. M the disabled, power chair user and manufacturer's employee, and told him I understood he had a job he wanted to keep. I knew he did not want militant statements on his Mr. M forum. But I still thought it was good PR for the manufacturer to put my joystick in a better spot.
I worked on the letter. I got the facts on one page and explained my plight. I emailed it to my sister and she sent all the letters certified mail. They went to the vendor, the manufacturer, the governor of my state, my state representative, and state senator. I was very nervous when I knew they had been mailed. I just wanted my chair to work better. I did not want to cause trouble.
I thought my letters might ensure that there definitely was a meeting with all parties at my nursing home in early November.
No comments:
Post a Comment