sad but i have to except an nhs chair

[mous3]

Well I've not been around cos I've been incarcerated in hospitals after a puppet drove in to me on the up side I now have a wet room and ramp at home down side I can't have my next surgery or rehab until I have a full on chair
As i need surgery to stabilize C1-2 C5-6 C7T1 and T4-6 all from a sub 10mph shunt. So i have the option of an Invicare spectra XTR or the kids version cos I'm small or nothing and stay in care.I have one win I can have a VR2 control unit not dynamics as I keep dislocation bones in my hands I get a J3 back rest and tilt that i know need.

Any comments on these chairs It's going to be a year before I can drive my custom transit van (on hand controls It's a big project) so I will be totally reliant on my chair and public transport with a new puppy due in March I need to get across the odd feild or two and up and down some not so dropped curbs and very steep ramps.
I do not like limiting where I can go and my LiFe powered MISTRAL got me about most places as I removed the anti tips and added mountain board wheels allowing 4" curbs to be easy tackled without a curb climber. Unfortunately upgrading the seating and motors on this is out of the question until a dead donor chair comes up at a good price.

Right now I can't sit independently for more than 30mis without falling out of my chair and having a spinal fit not fun.

[Burgerman]

I have a request.

Remind us what was wrong before with you. Then elaborate on 10 mph shunt. Then on:

As i need surgery to stabilize C1-2 C5-6 C7T1 and T4-6 all from a sub 10mph shunt.

Because that sounds like you fell out of a plane, its all sudden and confusing. And I am intrigued.

As for the chair its better than nothing, and easy to reprogram, and you are light so the nose heavy bit wont be so bad...

[mous3]

I have EDS hypermobile type 3 so I have weak stretchy conetive tissue so when I damage discs ligaments cartilage nerve sheaths they don't heal properly and I randomly dislocate joints in my sleep. I dislocated my thumb twice and wrist once just by trying to fill out the first page of my resent DLA form by trying use a normal Biro I mean duh. It's degenreative when I was 19 been extra bendy saved my life when i broke C2 T5 L4 and 5 and my sacrum and a few other bits whilst working with a race horse because i am so bendy my spinal cord actually just stretched out of the way rather than being totaled but the damage to all the sporting structures is catching up with me. I can now dislocate C5 not a cool party trick It's totally random I turn my head fine but do it again later and it dislocates leaving my on the floor totally paralyzed until it decides to go back and get off my spinal cord.
C1-2 was naturally fused but the fusion has failed causing no end of issues my scan a month before the crash showed it intact the scan 2 weeks after shows little flakes of bone around the joint and no fusion.

[Burgerman]

Sounds like a lot of fun.

So screws etc? Or wait and see?

[mous3]

Wait and see,

[Mark]

I can't really comment on the chairs, but I have Jay 2 deep-contour backs on two of my chairs and I like the lateral support they give. I assume Jay 3 is a later model, but some versions are quite shallow and don't give lateral support.

[mous3]

Thanks Mark, the J3 has a air adjustable back apart from that the J3 and J2 are the same.

[Sully]

Geez and I thought I had problems !!!! Wow I wonder how you exist. Except for that sense of humor.

Keep us posted and when I am in the dumps I will look your naratives over and believe I can beat the crap out of the world.

[ICEUK]

Have you looked at handicare puma 20 or 40,

[mous3]

Have you looked at handicare puma 20 or 40,

No I have been offered a mid drive salsa The Spectra XTR or something beige from Otoboc I will look it up thanks

[mous3]

To heavy for my car and near 0 ground clearance the top speed option would be good but NHS only give 4mph will call motability next week

[rover220]

Pick the spectra over the mwd salsa.

Both will have vr2 controls being nhs unless you have a need for 3 plus actuators then you will need dx or rnet.

[Irving]

Pick the spectra over the mwd salsa.

Both will have vr2 controls being nhs unless you have a need for 3 plus actuators then you will need dx or rnet.

Mine comes with DX though I only have tilt. It'll depend what local WCS have in stock.

[Burgerman]

Seriously, its whatever they got the best deal on in bulk or with a large quarterly £ agreement. From some large overpriced but "approved" company like Gerald Simons for eg.

http://www.gerald-simonds.co.uk/

[mous3]

Thanks for all your responses
I am also looking a the kite cost wise their is only100 in it between a 6mph kite and the fully speced out spectra.
Wish I could mod my own spectra blitz It's narrow being for kids so no need to change the frame new battery tray LiFes fat tiers foot plate sorting job Done.but without a budget and major surgery on the cards I will have to take what I'm given and tweak that i can.

[mous3]

http://www.electricmobility.co.uk/produ ... -drive/52/
Any one come across this chair could work for me as very compact

[Burgerman]

Looks ok. Tried an Alex when they first came out, pretty good for a stock chair. Other than the usual stupid rock hard puncture free tyres and the usual programming issues.

[mous3]

Weak points appear to be ground clearance and fixed anti tip along with the usual but the seating module can be reversed and is attached with 4 bolts so shouldn't be a big job to move seat rearward being a mous3 I'm short and normally need to cut the front of the seat of to reduce the seat depth.
Agents the spectra the inability to remove the seat module and battery without tools so i could fit in the car is a negative but it should drive far better

[rover220]

The kite is basically a spectra frame with bigger motors and has 3.00-8 rear tyres and 3.00-6 castors.

If the cost difference is small I'd pick the kite.

[mous3]

Thanks for the info on the kite,
As for surgery to put humpty dumpty (me) back together again Im facing 2 artificial discs pins and plates and removing my tonsels to make more space around the base of my brain as the bit that's supposed to hold it in has ruptured in non EDS patients they make the hole at the base of the skull bigger but that's a bad idea if the conceive tissue that hold the Brian up has failed so removing my troublesome tonsiles hopefuly could spair my full on Brian surgery and a shunt.

I'm upgrading my car to a WAV in my case a transit jumbo So putting new chair in the van should be easy but that will take about 8 mths to sort out.

[rover220]

Also I think the beige Ottobock thing you refer to will be the b 400.

I'd personally avoid that. They are silly heavy for a basic chair as the chassis is all constructed from steel plate.

[mous3]

You are correct that's exactly the otoboc they were offering me thankfully they don't do a 16" seat and you can only use up to 1/2" hip shims my chairs need a 14" seat at my hips in summer or I dislocate them in winter I just take out little shim to accommodate ski pants or kids sleeping bag I use to keep my legs from freezing.

[WheelieMaDscientist]

I recently got a Kite myself. Nice and solid chair, a little heavy but should last. I went for the bigger 73Ah batteries for range. The 4 pole motors with a 4mph gearbox (23:1 gearing) will pull a truck! I have very steep hills where I live so the 6 mph (18:1 gearing) was not going to produce enough torque for climbing uphill.
Suspensions better than expected but still not perfect. I have suspended fronts which are a little stiff but I went for them as they use 4" split rim wheels. And I can fit 3.00x4 tyres to them. The non suspension front uses an odd size tyre/wheel combination. The chair is a little tall getting in but quite stable, although I have adjusted the seat position backwards to help lighten the front and put more weight rearwards over the back tyres. Helps going downhill and coming uphill.
I am using the REM550 remote. The nice one with the LCD screen but be aware they may fob you off with the old version as they did with me. I made them change the remote for the new version that came out 18 months ago. It was a fight but the newer updated version REM550 is very user friendly.
Do a search on youtube if the REM550 is what you are thinking off using and you will see what I mean. And if you buy a chair with any remote, it should be the latest version, not the old rubbish they are trying to shift. Trade descriptions act if you know what I mean?
Downsides? A little bulky indoors, rear drive-front steer means it is a little less agile indoors. But I am adjusting to that. Other than that I am happy.
Oh yes, the bushes in the suspension creak a little but I will strip and grease next year or sooner if it gets too annoying! ha ha ha
Hopefully this will all help a little. All the best, Rose

[Sully]

I suspect in the Alex use the same motors and simply use different gearing in all the models to get a change of speed and meet regulations.
It also appears that they option air filled black tires for flat free tires.
You are only going to get a bit of the weight off the front casters with such a short wheelbase. Unless you want to put the seat so far back you are planning wheelieing everywhere, probably not the best of ideas.
I would think barring other faults this Alex is a pretty good factory standard Power Chair.
Sometimes you have to accept tradeoffs to get the product that best suits your needs. I would consider one if they sold it in the USA.

[Burgerman]

Don't they?

What about the rear drive quickie chairs like the http://www.gerald-simonds.co.uk/catalog ... ?CI_ID=179

Which is a groove in disguise?

[mous3]

Thanks chaps.
The Alex short wheel base with the seat moved all the way back and center angle adjustable foot rest made an ok test ride but would need customized as I couldn't reach the foot plate. It did drive very nice outside on air tyers not solid and the motors are different 4mph 2 pole 6 & 8 4 pole. The spectra was a worse fit but customizable off the shelf. Now have to have a home visit with the spectra from wheelchair scervices they don't offer the Alex and the kite couldn't manage the turn into my kitchen or bathroom as It's to long

[Burgerman]

>>>they don't offer the Alex

That's what they will tell you. If you stick to your guns and fight for your rights they can offer ANYTHING. Including my personalised budget (priced and based on a Handycare Alex fully loaded with the works, plus maintenance and 2x 700 quid cushions on top).

I also think that before they fob you off with something you don't want, you should read this very carefully several times and print it out to show them if they object!

THIS is what they have to stick to at the LOWEST possible level. Its the law, and your right. http://www.wheelchairmanagers.nhs.uk/se ... ndards.pdf

[mous3]

Spoke to them today and they have removed me from the list as I have now received my new seat pad! I am more than angry but they just refuse to communicate with me I had sent them 4 recorded letters over 5 months and they have not replied to one of them they do not return calls if you are lucky you get a receptionist who knows nothing well they do as they have called my an ambulance on more than one occasion after I tried to push my manual chair up thier ramp, the fact that i got in the building in my manual chair is proof to them I don't need a power chair sod the fact I dislocated my elbow & shoulder in doing so.
Along with the letter form my Consultant and Phyisio that say exactly what i need and that I am only medically allowed to use my manual chair for 2hrs a day and only on smooth level surfaces to complete my Phyisio work.
They are insisting that my clinical needs are being met buy my current manual chair.

What the fuc*

[Burgerman]

http://www.wheelchairmanagers.nhs.uk/270410-hswc.pdf

Read it, print it, go take a copy to them, with a letter stating why you need a powerchair and a letter from your doctor. Not only clinical needs are important, it has to suit your lifestyle and allow you to manage better. The fact that you can self propel isn't all that's important. I can do that too. Explain that they are going to look pretty silly all over the front page of the local paper. And tell them you will send a copy of your letter and the letter I linked above, and their refusal letter to you to your MP, the hospital administration, your doctor, your solicitor etc, and tell them that the next medical problem it causes will be their fault. And that you will sue them publically.

>>> They are insisting that my clinical needs are being met buy my current manual chair.

Ask them to take a hot bowl of soup from kitchen to dining room in your manual chair.

[woodygb]

Ask them to take a hot bowl of soup from kitchen to dining room in your manual chair.

Make sure that you dislocate an elbow & shoulder for them first.

Whilst I dislike Facebook ..it has a vast audience and can be a good medium to get your point across.