Hello, hello! How’s everyone doing this lovely Wednesday? Things here are busy, yet slow. It’s weird. Anyway, I promised you an update on the Wheelchair Saga, so updated you shall be. If you want to catch up on the whole thing, you can find part 1 here and part 2 here. Yeah, it’s still going. We haven’t even gotten to the fun part (picking colors and going over everything I need). Last time, I had just had my “Mobility Evaluation” and we were waiting on next steps. Let’s go from there.

First, I waited for emails that never came. When I finally got frustrated, I sent an email to the sales eligibility address asking what was going on. Sales dude no longer worked for the company. I found out on April 28th. Today, I found out he was actually the lead dude of his department and was well liked and pretty much the most knowledgeable dude there, but he resigned for unknown reasons. I completely don’t blame him, but I wish someone would’ve let me know. Anyway, now I’m in touch with someone called Kajal who is nice and gets things to whoever can answer my questions if he can’t. So far, anyway. There’s still a long way to go in the process.

While I was waiting for emails that never came, Universal Med Supply did get me scheduled for a PT assessment. Yet another instance of proving I’m cripple enough. It was a video visit, so at least I didn’t have to be touched or anything. That was on April 22nd. The dude was nice enough, but I guess he didn’t read the pre-check-in paperwork because he had no fucking clue I have one of the Muscular Dystrophies even though I mentioned it on every single page. I was talking to him for 20 minutes under the assumption he knew my diagnosis when he finally asked what had brought all my symptoms about. Me: “… I have Muscular Dystrophy.” Him: “Well, that explains everything.” No duh, my dude. Read your paperwork next time. It’s like doctors and everyone else think we fill out that paperwork for fun or something. Ugh.

Once that was done, apparently Universal sent even more paperwork to my PCP for signatures and supporting documentation to really reinforce the fact that I’m cripple. She bitched about it at our appointment (check-up, not chair related). Dad kind of thinks she was upset about it, but I think I’m just her first severely cripple patient and she had no idea we go through so much just to prove we’re cripple. It flabbergasts people, even doctors, the shit we have to go through because of insurance and the state just to get basic needs met. It’s a lot.

Anyway, Universal said the last step before everything can be submitted for approval is for an Assistive Technology Professional (ATP) to come out. Originally they said it was to make sure the house was wheelchair friendly, which is stupid. I’ve been here all my life. Of course Dad made it accessible. They called on April 29th to set up the visit for May 1st. I told them I needed an afternoon appointment, preferably after 3pm. They were supposed to call me back to confirm. Nada. I called them on the 30th. No one knew what was going on, so they were supposed to call me back by the end of the day. Still nothing. On the 1st, after I figured no one was coming, I sent an email to Kajal that laid out my availability for this week. Nothing. On the 5th, I sent a tersely worded “what’s going on?” He emailed me to ask if this Friday would work. Nope. I already have an appointment that day which is why it wasn’t an option on my list of availabilities. Eye twitch.

As you can probably guess, I’m super annoyed by now. Finally, some dude named Mohamed calls me. He’s rambling about how they need to send two ATPs because I have some seating thing called PinDot. It takes me a couple of tries to stop his monologue long enough to tell him I don’t have that. They tried to coerce me into getting it with my last chair despite me telling everyone that I despise molded seats and they don’t work for me. Ultimately, I tried to do the fitting, but stopped there once the guy doing the fitting finally realized it wasn’t going to work for me. Just listen to me in the first place, please. So, I finally got it through to Mohamed that I don’t have that, I just have a Roho Quattro bottom seat and standard flat back. Apparently, that made everything easier. They’re supposed to send out an ATP on Friday the 15th after 2pm. It’s someone we’ve worked with before who knows his stuff, so that makes me feel much better. He’s supposed to fill out the order forms and go over everything I need and want. Also, Mohamed confirmed all by himself that they’re ordering a Quickie Q700 M and sent me the order forms so I can go through them beforehand (I’ve been researching this chair for months, so I have them, but I appreciate the confirmation that he’s looking at the correct chair).

In summary: there were some annoyances, but not as many as I was expecting. It’s not over, though. They have most of what they need to prove I’m cripple enough besides what the ATP needs. Other than some lapses in communication, things are going suspiciously smooth. After the ATP, there will be a waiting game. Waiting for insurance approval. Waiting for the chair to be built. Waiting for any adjustments to make it possible for me to use the chair. Then, the period where my body adjusts to everything. But right now, I just need to get through the ATP appointment on the 15th. More later!