Author Topic: At last! A replacement wheelchair might be in my near future  (Read 154 times)

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Offline agate

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At last! A replacement wheelchair might be in my near future
« on: January 13, 2014, 06:40:11 pm »
I have had this E&J manual wheelchair since 1983. Its wheels are worn down but parts are no longer available.

It turns out I could have had a new chair quite a while ago. That wasn't what I'd been told.

But at least a new one will be headed my way in 60 days or so.

Here it is. A headrest will be added on.
« Last Edit: January 18, 2014, 01:21:24 pm by agate »
MS Speaks--online for 17 years

SPMS, diagnosed 1980. Avonex 2001-2004. Copaxone 2007-2010. Glatopa (glatiramer acetate 40mg 3 times/week) since 12/16/20.

Offline agate

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  • Posts: 9822
  • MS diagnosed 1980
  • Location: Pacific Northwest
It took months but it's finally here. The headrest wasn't added on but that's probably all right.

It's really beautiful and the most amazing thing is how smoothly it rolls across the carpet here. No dragging, very little effort required.

And my feet are no longer resting on metal but on plastic footrests--no more cold feet, no more having to quilt covers for the footrests. I've been through several types of covering. For the last several years I covered them with a "sleeve" made from a couple of layers of flannel sewn together and fastened with snaps.

I made them myself and of course I kept having to wash them and repair them. Now I can retire them.

I spend about 14 hours a day in this chair and so it's a major part of my life.

It has an aluminum frame, and somehow the aluminum isn't so cold to the touch as the steel was. My hands would get cold and achy from propelling the old chair.

Now the old chair is sitting folded up and ready to be given away to a charity.

It's served me well. It's survived three trips to Chicago in the cargo hold of a plane as well as a train trip from Tacoma to Portland and back, plus many many times when it had to get through mud and snow, or roll on gravel or up steep hills.

It never complained or gave way.
MS Speaks--online for 17 years

SPMS, diagnosed 1980. Avonex 2001-2004. Copaxone 2007-2010. Glatopa (glatiramer acetate 40mg 3 times/week) since 12/16/20.