Hello, hello! How’s everyone doing this lovely first day of April? Things here are okay, I guess. We aren’t doing April Fool’s because this year has been enough of a joke. Anyway, I recently mentioned that I was going to try to get a new chair soon. My current chair is starting to throw random hissy fits and being a general drama queen. She’s almost 8 years old and I’m not exactly the easiest person to live with, so it’s time for a new one. I’ve just been putting it off. I tried to find a new supplier, but ended up just asking the one who got me my current chair. I had reasons for not wanting to work with them again (mainly because they try to foist Invacare chairs off on people, namely me), but the other companies I reached out to either didn’t answer emails or were beyond useless, so I just stuck with the company that I know. I just have to be firm about what I need and want. So, here’s how it’s going so far…

On March 26th (we’ll call that day 1 of the process), I emailed Universal Med Supply (the company that got me my current chair). My Quickie S636 is no longer in production, so I did research and ended up deciding I want a Quickie Q700 M with basically what I have on my current chair. There are a couple of things I couldn’t find online (the back cushion I currently have and the light up wheelie bar casters, for example), so they might not be available anymore, but most of it seems doable. Medicare/Medicaid is supposed to cover Quickies. Anyway, I explained what I wanted in my email and asked if they could do it. The service department forwarded my email to the sales department. I guess they didn’t realize I was CCed because they hemmed and hawed and ended the email by saying if they couldn’t get the chair, they would just tell the patient (me) that they only had Jazzy chairs. I wrote back that I know my chair isn’t made anymore and that the one I want is a new model and don’t try to foist a Jazzy off on me. Again, this is the company that tried to pawn off an Invacare chair they had in stock on me last time. After I called them out, I got an email, text, and phone call from a sales dude who thinks they can get the chair. He did apologize and informed me they don’t even have Jazzy chairs, then he mentioned another chair I’ve never heard of that they have in stock as a back up. In no uncertain terms, I politely told him I want a Quickie and nothing else. He believes they can do it.

The first step in the process was to schedule a “Mobility Evaluation” with my PCP (primary care physician). Sales dude said to schedule it for two weeks out because Universal is supposed to use that time to interview me, get the paperwork together that the doctor will need, then get in touch with the doctor to go over everything. I made my appointment on Monday for a couple of weeks from now. Universal called me yesterday (the 31st) to ask a bunch of questions they should already have the answers to. The woman who did the interview did explain that she had to go over everything because it’s been 8 years since I got a chair, so Medicare/Medicaid requires updated information even though I’m never going to get any better. She then proceeded to text me a picture of an Invacare chair to make sure it was what I wanted. I told her I want the Quickie Q700 M and texted her a link to the Sunrise Medical page. Explained that was what I want with tilt and recline. She said okay.

I emailed sales dude right after the interview to find out what my next steps are and make sure they’re going to get in touch with the doctor and why that lady had an Invacare chair listed instead of the Quickie. He didn’t know why she had the wrong chair, but assured me that he has told everyone what I want and that the “field operations” team definitely knows. Supposedly, they’ll be getting in touch soon for some reason. It’s unclear to me why at the moment. But for now, I just have to wait until the doctor appointment. That means I’ll probably pester sales guy next week to make sure they got in touch with the doctor. But mostly, I’ll be spending the next few days making a list of everything I want and need, plus any questions we have, so I don’t forget anything when they come out to prepare to actually order the chair.

Initial summary of the process thus far: this is the main part where I have to prove I’m cripple enough. I have to do this so very often that it is tedious and annoying. Also, throughout the entire process, I will have to metaphorically stand my ground about wanting a Quickie and not let them try to give me something I don’t want. Yes, I’m a Quckie girl. Yes, it’s basically like Ford vs. Chevy. But also, Quickie is still the only legit brand I found that offers motors that go 8 mph. Sure, you can get something that looks like a manual chair strapped to a riding lawn mower base that says it goes 12 mph. I mean, I’m Texan, but I’m not that particular brand of Texan. A legit company covered by insurance and 8 mph motor upgrades (probably not covered, but I’ll try) is good enough for me!