Why a new chair?

Someone asked me a couple of days ago, why I needed a new wheelchair. I suppose I am too long winded in my blog, that this point was lost. Or perhaps I talked so much about what I WANT vs, why I think I NEED some features, that I never really said why I was pursuing a change. In 5 years when I reread these blogs, it might not be clear to me either! So, it’s a good question, and I’m going to try to answer it.

Most insurance companies will typically be willing to pay for a new manual wheelchair every 5 – 6 years, so I’m right there. My chair is now 7 years old. But that is more about when, not why.

Reason 1 – I need a new back. The reason is to improve my posture, and hopefully reduce how much cervical vertigo I get – an ongoing problem for 2 years now, and one I do daily stretches to keep under control. It took about a year of regular physical therapy to get to this point, and I still go back periodically for tune-ups. I tried just getting a new back about a year ago, but the one they suggested caused problems with my wrist. So, I am going to try yet another style. To retrofit this chair, I would also need new back canes.
Cost – guesstimate: $800

Reason 2 – Got to make this chair easier to push! Reason – to help my wrists, especially my right wrist, which I’ve had a problem with de Quervain’s tendonitis now for a year. For this I’ve had 2 cortisone shots, tried some physical therapy, had a LOT of rest, and have considered surgery. At the moment I am doing ok, and the condition is holding, but not fully healed.

There are 2 ways to make the chair easier to push – one is to reduce weight, so a few of the features chosen are with that in mind – lighter wheels, simpler foot rests, and a titanium frame in general. All but the frame could be retrofitted to this chair if I wanted to. Cost – for wheels: $700, guesstimate for foot rests: $300

The other way to make a chair easier to push has to with features you can add for this purpose – the Natural Fit handrims, and a higher pressure set of tires.
Cost for rims: $300, cost for tires: $100

Reason 3 – Wheel locks, or brakes are finally more than I can stand. The reason is that I’m sick of bruises on my right thigh as I transfer out of bed. This problem got much worse after getting the tempurpedic bed, but I like the bed, easier to change the wheel locks.
Cost: $400

Reason 4 – last but not least, some parts are just wearing out, and will soon be in need of replacement. My armrest is on a post, that goes into another larger flat section below it that has a shield against dirt at the rear, and a transfer loop handle at the front. The whole thing goes down into a slot on the frame of the chair. The post of the armrest has wholes in it for adjustment of height and these periodically get worn, and loosen, and eventually do not hold. I can make a temporary fix, by changing the height of my armrest, essentially using another hole, but it isn’t ideal.
Cost: $250.

Plus my chair has a clicking noise that mechanics have looked at but cannot find the source of. I thought it was the front wheels, but with all the changes to the Frog’s Legs and new wheels put on at the Abilities Expo, now I know that’s not it. My guess now is that it’s in the frame somewhere. If I were to keep this chair I would want it looked at more closely. I can’t even imagine the cost honestly, without knowing the parts involved, but I’m sure the labor alone would be $150.

All together if I retrofit this chair, to satisfy all the things I really need to do, the total cost would be approximately $3000 (could be more depending on the source of the click), and that wouldn’t give me the titanium frame. For $2300 more I get a whole new chair, and hopefully another 5 years before I have to think about changes again.

I do think of things in terms of cost, as if I had to pay for it myself. Like an old appliance, if it costs more than half the total of a new one, just to fix it, and it’s near the end of the expected life of that appliance – then time to get a new one.

Because of my insurance the cost is in some ways a moot question though. They are willing, so I’m taking advantage of it. The risk for me is that it’s only May. If I need some other durable medical supplies during the rest of this year, I may not have insurance money for them. This is a risk I’d be taking any year I get a chair, and I’m ok with it.

The last reason perhaps for getting a new chair, again is more related to when as opposed to why. As must be obvious to all, the process of getting a new chair takes months. It’s not the kind of activity you want to go through in a hurry, so it’s better not to wait till you are in REAL need. I’m close to that REAL need point with my wrist already. For me, the timing now is right. I do have a spare chair in case something happens and this one is not usable, but it’s even heavier and harder to use than this one. I’m really looking forward to a new chair now.