The power chair users forum was busy with the back-and-forth between me and them. I needed moral support badly and they helped.
I was getting ready for the meeting scheduled in early November. But I decided to send those letters. My sister wondered why I did not just wait until after the meeting. I told her I wanted to ensure that there would be a meeting in case it got postponed.
I was told the meeting would be November 2, but I was not told what time. I normally lie down before 3 PM and put my feet up to read, watch videos, watch a movie, a TV show, and always to write. But I found out early in the day that the meeting would be sometime around 2 PM. The regional ombudsman showed up first. She and I talked. I told her I was very nervous. I did not want there to be any type of confrontation.
We went down to the back dining room here in the nursing home sometime after 2 PM. We sat there for an hour waiting. We were told that one of those attending was stuck in traffic. Then we learned it would be after 4 PM before we could meet. At that point I was getting thirsty. I asked the therapy manager if she could get me some water and the small tabletop fan from my room. It was quite sunny in that back dining room and it was getting pretty warm. I was also getting tired.
The vendor tech showed up and the therapy manager from the nursing home. It was rather difficult to sit around making small talk. I knew from the state Attorney General's office that the vendor felt he had done what he needed to do for me. The tech told me that the vendor was at the World Series game in Cleveland. It was game 7. I knew right then that the vendor would not attend. But the vendor and his tech had extra work on the power chair because the joystick broke. Since I did not feel that was my fault, I did not feel guilty. Nevertheless, I sat there quietly and did not add much to the conversation.
Around 4 PM the manufacturer's rep showed up, I was surprised she was female. She told me she wanted to make my chair more convenient. She had apparently read my emails because she mentioned things point by point. She addressed the fact that my lower backpack had been mistakenly wired on. She came right over, unlatched the left arm rest, flipped it up, and removed the backpack. Unfortunately, I was not at the right vantage point to see exactly how she did it. The manual that comes with my power chair does not demonstrate how to use the armrests. I just wondered why no one in therapy could get that armrest up and free my backpack.
The manufacturer's rep then said she wanted to move the controller from the upper right back of the chair to behind the right armrest. I have to admit I was surprised. I had been asking for this since the second time I was in the power chair. She said she could see that it would no longer be in the way. It was quickly moved. A smart phone photo was taken to show me its new location.
Then she told me that a different bracket would be ordered for the joystick. She said that bracket would be adjustable in every direction especially up-and-down. She knew I felt the joystick was up too high. The other manufacturer's rep (who worked with the vendor) said when the bracket came in, he would schedule a time to come and install it.
When I asked when they thought it would come in, they told me they were not exactly sure. I thought it might take a week or two.
They did not address the bracket which is on the back of the power chair that sticks out pretty far. It was put there for the controller to rest on. Now there was no controller. But no one suggested removing it.
The meeting ended right before 5 PM. We had to get out of there because the nursing home residents eat at 5 PM.
I was glad some of the things I thought were problematic had been worked out. But I wondered how long I have to wait for the new adjustable joystick bracket.
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