Yesterday I got notified of approval for my power chair. Is that good? I think so, but, I don't know; it still makes me sad that I need one. Don't get me wrong, though, I'm grateful it worked out as quickly as it did. I'm sure as I use it more, my feelings will be changing. It should be here in 4-6 weeks.
After it comes, we will find out a bit more with my driving. The visual/prceptual/processing time is done, but my OT has yet to total up the score. He said his biggest concern is my processing time because as I've said before, it's a tad high. It is thought that this because my vision is based a lot on compensation but, my OT thinks maybe once I get comfortable with driving the power chair at higher speeds, my processing time could get better. For now, the plan is to buy a ramp for the van and not have it totally adapted because of not knowing whethrt I will be driving. If and when I start driving, the hope is I will be back in my manual chair and then I wouldn't need an adapted van. Plus, even if I still need the power chair, I want an adapted truck :).
I also got my luggage carrier yesterday. Best. Thing. Ever. It mounts near the footplate of my chair and it's just these two things that look like armrests. They fold up and (kind of) out of the way and they hold my laptop so I don't have to carry it anymore. The installation required rubber mallets, but nobody broke anything :).
The DME was also able to figure out how to move my wheelie bars higher so I can do curbs with them on and so they won't catch on crap. We thought they'd have to be cut, but after both he and my OT couldn't get the pin out to cut them, he figured out a better way, so that is awesome. We worked on curbs and stuff for a while in therapy with my OT putting up my wheelie bars and holding my chair with a transfer belt, which was fine but, my CP does effect my balance. Mix that with little core strength and you can understand why I feel better with the freedom to do curbs but, the safety of my wheelie bars to save my arse.
I go see my Ortho Doc on Wednesday and am super hopeful she can help me somehow. She had also mentioned when I saw her in clinic a few years ago, I would maybe need to have hamstring surgery, I think that's what it was anyways. My OT checked them out yesterday and said that they were not very tight. He asked if at the time I was standing. I wasn't. He said the standing I do may have just saved me from surgery. Wow. Standing really does do wonders; thanks Easystand!
I will be going to see the Physiatrist soon, hopefully. My OT was going to call him today and see what was going on with that because he would like me to have an EMG done to check the nerves out in my shoulder because my Ortho Doc can't do that.
I also need to get my splints adjusted again. Grrrrr. So, we will be going to get that done and this time PT will come with us. I got transferred to a new PT on Wednesday because my physio took a new position. The PT I work with now just happens to be my OTs wife and I've worked with her before, she's pretty awesome.
"The ability to laugh at life is right at the top, with love and communication, in the hierarchy of our needs. Humour has much to do with pain; it exaggerates the anxieties and absurdities we feel, so that we gain distance and through laughter, relief."- Davidson Sara
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