How do you know it's time for a wheelchair?

[rdmc]

One of the problems is that when I do that stupid 25 foot walk for the neuro, I don't look so bad. I want to say to him, come on along, let's walk 100 yards THEN see what you think.

That's a valid point. As with most thing MS, we can do something for a little bit, but repetitively, or for a longer amount of time, and things go downhill.

[HereIam]

Yes! The 25 foot test is a useless indicator for many patients. I have invited the neuro to take a stroll around the hospital and talk MS at the same time, and he could see the real me.

Today I have purposefully spent little time on my legs.... and I feel like a totally different, better, individual.

[gomer]

Don't listen to Journeyman......(too much)

He tends to exaggerate my stable of mobility aids, I only have ONE power chair, ONE manual chair, ONE scooter & ONE rollator and ONE pair of crutches. I do have 2 walkers, (not counting myself) and I must confess more than a few canes, (but not as many canes as I have Dawson's Fingers...ha ah).

Gomer Sir Falls-a-lot

[Tawanda]

Thank you for this post...

I have a fear of chairs. How do you exercise and can you transfer to the toilet, etc. independently? Those power scooter commercials make them look so fun, but they don't show the part where you have to find someone to help you get the thing in and out of your car!

Good post. I am sure many of us, no matter where we are on our M.S. journey, want to know, but are afraid to ask.!

[gomer]

I have NO problems getting my scooter in and out of my car by myself! NO help needed!

I have a GoGo elete traveler. The arms, seat, basket and battery all come off easy w/o any tools. The front chassis and rear drive section also separate easily, again NO tools. The heaviest part, as claimed by the mfg is 28 lbs. It ALL fits in my car trunk with room to spare, takes about 1/3 or less of my trunk space.

I did take me practice to get taking it out, snapping it together etc, but nothing is hard about it. There are more expensive units that take even less space, one even folds into a suit case like unit with wheels no less.

Here is you-tube video link showing how easy it is to take apart to pout in a car and re-assemble it for use. And YES it really is as easy as it looks. I had not seen the video when I got mine, so I had to figure it out without the video. I just goggled it to find this video and link to viewed the video. I think most other scooters are similar, this video is the same as mine except mine is a 3 wheel version instead of 4, other wise they assemble and disassemble exactly the same.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7E_Akp86yg

My GoGo has taken me to Disney, the mall in Washington DC, around the DC tidal basin, stores malls and even off road at Civil War musters etc. I am told by another GoGo user in my town that she has even taken her's down the isle on airplanes (to Sea world)

Hope this helps.....

Gomer Sir Falls-a-lot his GoGo!

[gomer]

QUESTION?

The you-tube video link I included was for a Scooter Store video. Scooter store is a medical device supplier and does take medicare and other insurance, and their products are for medical conditions, including the GoGo and other mobility aids.

While you-tube has many videos about amny things and topics, I guess I do not understand the issue with this particular link? Other medical suppliers also use you tube for posting videos about their products.

PLEASE explain?

Gomer

***Moderator note: the link did not work when tried, if you post another one I will be happy to try that one 22cyclistOP***

[gomer]

GoGo Link

I posted the GoGo scooter link in my urls in my profile page. Click on 'gomer" to visit my profile.
I used cut-n-paste (the same as I inserted in my posting) and TESTED it and it DID work??

Gomer

[22cyclist]

Link to site

I posted the GoGo scooter link in my urls in my profile page. Click on 'gomer" to visit my profile.
I used cut-n-paste (the same as I inserted in my posting) and TESTED it and it DID work??

Gomer

Thank you Gomer! I don't know what the issue was...mostly operator error I am sure! I was able to get it and post it in your originally intended note.

I appreciate your patience.

[rdmc]

Gomer,

I'm also a huge believer in having an " arsenal" aids on hand.

Have a rollator, a manual wheelchair (mostly for some else to take me to the dr in if my mobility is particularly bad during a certain time.). Have a potty chair stored away...they come in handy during post surgery or bad exacerbation when it's hard to get to the bathroom. I could start my own cane store , I leave them strategically placed around the house, plus I like the "flashy" ones, so I have one of those just for fun.

Here's the deal about having an "arsenal"...we pick up the things at garage sales, bring them home, Clorox them, and they're waiting should I need them, and somebody doesn't have to run out and get something in an emergency. Plus it's cheap!

My problem is not with owning a scooter, but my sensory overload has gotten so bad, the places I'd need a scooter are the problem. I have enough walking power to get into a doctor's office or small store, a small restaurant. Theme parks, big box stores or large groceries absolutely through my proprioception into overdrive, even if I'm sitting down...so I avoid them.

[gomer]

22cyclist.... THANKS, for fixing this issue. The video IMO was both relevant & important to the topic and especially concerns of the poster which prompted me to post the link.

rdmc..... I know the overload feeling. Five years ago, before my RRMS dx, I would get light headed just from the busy environment &/or lights in a big box venue. When I was in a multi-story atrium, I could not even look up w/o having a problem.

These days I still have to be careful but I have adapted and its a lesser issue. I find that for me using a vehicle, scooter or car lessens my problems with motion sickness Sx. Seems riding where I am in or on something gives me a stable reference point, ie NO relative motion between me and my vehicle. This may not be true for other people.

Gomer Sir Falls-a-lot

[Wobbly One]

Missy, I started to use a wheeelchair when I got the point that safety and fatigue/pain became big issues. I was using either two canes or a rollator. Struggling to walk with the canes or the rollator and trying to balance caused huge back pain. I don't regret using a chair. It has really improved my quality of life. I can still walk very unsteadily, but, I rather use my chair.