[Blind-rollers] Just wanted to say Hello

dmgina dmgina at qwest.net
Thu Jul 26 20:24:08 CDT 2007 

Hi there,
I think it is grate.
I don't need a chair yet,
and hope that I can walk for as long as I can.
Good for you.
I don't understand terms of a chair, so if I ask, don't feel you are doing 
something wrong.

--Dar
www.mypowermall.com/biz/home/5779
Every Saint has a past
Every Sinner has a future

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Kim & Sophie" <kim_and_sophie at yahoo.ca>
To: "Blind wheelchair users list" <blind-rollers at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, July 26, 2007 5:04 PM
Subject: Re: [Blind-rollers] Just wanted to say Hello


>I knew through trial and error.  The first one I had didn't work for me at 
>all!  It was too big, the seat was almost flat so I kept falling forward 
>because I have no trunk control, and every part of it was just wrong.  I 
>had worked with 5 "seating speacialists" when I had this chair.  I got 
>measured by one and the other 4 tried to make things work for me but they 
>never did.
>
>  The next chair I got was measured by myself and my boyfriend and it fits 
> me perfectly.  I took 2 inches off of the seat width, had more "dump" in 
> the seat so I could sit up without always having to lean on one arm, and 
> changed every single measurement right down to the wheels.  I also got 
> more camber on my wheels because I knew I would be more stable on slanted 
> sidewalks and wouldn't get my fingers caught like I use to.
>
>  I guess it all comes down to finding out what works or don't work for you 
> by trying things and making adjustments.  My first chair was a Quickie GT 
> so everything on it was adjustable.  I kept tweaking it until I knew what 
> I needed.  It still didn't work for me, but I knew from the things that 
> didn't work what would work.
>
>  My new chair is a Invacare Top End Titanium and it has no adjustments at 
> all besides the rear axle.  I love it because nothing comes loose and it 
> takes a lot of weight off of the chair.  There are less things to worry 
> about breaking and it only weighs 18lbs including cushion, wheels, 
> backrest etc.
>
>  Try some differnt things out and don't let a "seating speacialist" force 
> you into something without having a chance to test it out and see if it 
> works for yourself.  If I had listened to everyone I would have been in a 
> power chair in a nursing home with my guide dog taken away, but instead 
> I'm living on my own half of the time (my boyfriend travels a lot for 
> work), I still have my guide dog and I use a manual chair, and own my own 
> buisness.  I've also started wheelchair racing.  All because I made it 
> perfectly clear from the beginning that it's my life and I wasn't about to 
> give in to whatever I was told before trying things out.
>
>  Kim & Sophie
>
> dmgina <dmgina at qwest.net> wrote:
>  How did you know what to add to your chair to work for you?
> Or did you get professional help?
>
> --Dar
> www.mypowermall.com/biz/home/5779
> Every Saint has a past
> Every Sinner has a future
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Kim & Sophie"
> To: "Blind wheelchair users list"
> Sent: Thursday, July 26, 2007 11:55 AM
> Subject: Re: [Blind-rollers] Just wanted to say Hello
>
>
>>I had this problem with my old wheelchair because I only had 3 degrees of
>>camber on my wheels. I would get my hand caught between doorways a lot and
>>because I have no feeling in my hands I wouldn't realize until I couldn't
>>move forward, or I couldn't pull my arm away from my wheel. When I got my
>>new wheelchair I got 9 degrees of camber on my wheels and this gives me
>>enough room so my hands don't touch door frames etc. because the bottom of
>>my wheels can only touch the door frame leaving room between the top of 
>>the
>>wheel for my hand.
>>
>> If you decide to add more camber to your chair you really should consider
>> the width yoru chair will be at the base though. You don't want to do it
>> and be too wide to fit through some doorways! It also adds a lot of
>> stability from side to side to your chair.
>>
>> Kim & Sophie
>>
>> Laura Eaves wrote:
>> Hi Jen --
>> I crash into things with the manual chair too, but I have control enough
>> to
>> stop. Perhaps with practice, the same would be true with a power chair.
>> One annoying thing about using the manual chair is that I frequently -- 
>> that
>> is, *very* frequently -- get my hand caught between the chair and the
>> furniture and so my hands and fingers are constantly bruised and swollen
>> from little injuries, not to mention painful as heck.
>> Does anyone else have this problem?
>> I am fortunate in that I have full use of my arms -- I suppose there are
>> some on the list that are more limited. I am also able to stand and 
>> pivot,
>> but not walk.
>> As for how I stear, I just push with one arm and feel with my feet and 
>> the
>> other arm. I only carry the cane strapped to my chair for identification
>> so
>> people know I'm blind. If I used a power chair I suppose I could use the
>> cane for mobility more easily.
>> Comments welcome.
>> --le
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "Jennifer Aberdeen"
>> To: "Blind wheelchair users list"
>> Sent: Wednesday, July 25, 2007 10:12 AM
>> Subject: Re: [Blind-rollers] Just wanted to say Hello
>>
>>
>> Hi Laura,
>>
>> I know your question was to Dan, and I don't want to high-jack the email
>> in
>> any way, but I just wanted to ask you how you got around in your manual
>> chair? I have a manual chair right now, and I have a really hard time
>> getting around unfamiliar places, which is just about everywhere except 
>> my
>> house. I have a one-armed gear manual chair, but I don't use it the way
>> I'm
>> supposed to because I almost broke my wrist trying to steer the chair 
>> when
>> I
>> was learning how to use it. I'm hoping that my mobility will be easier
>> with
>> the power chair, but if for some reason I can't drive it without crashing
>> into things, I don't know what I'll do. I really need to be able to get
>> around without people helping me.
>>
>> Jen
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "Laura Eaves"
>> To: "Blind wheelchair users list"
>> Sent: Wednesday, July 25, 2007 2:42 AM
>> Subject: Re: [Blind-rollers] Just wanted to say Hello
>>
>>
>>> Hi Dan -- Welcome to the list!
>>> I am blind and use a manual chair.
>>> I tried a power chair at one point just to see how well it would work,
>>> but
>>> I
>>> pretty much demolished the furniture and took some paint off the wall. I
>>> suppose for a one-day trial with no experience that was to be expected,
>>> but
>>> I decided that for various reasons I preferred the manual -- not the
>>> least
>>> of which is that I don't need a van to travel, and if I need a ride
>>> somewhere, my friend can throw my light weight folding chair in the 
>>> trunk
>>> of
>>> any car quite easily.
>>> I have a question -- are you total or do you have some vision? and if 
>>> so,
>>> how much?
>>> When I was working, when my vision was better, I could see enough to
>>> stear
>>> in familiar territory. But now my vision is not good enough to navigate
>>> much at all. I do most all navigation by touch, or checking out the 
>>> light
>>> fixtures in the room (I have light vision) to know where I am.
>>> Take care.
>>> --le
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>>> From: "Dan"
>>> To:
>>> Sent: Wednesday, July 25, 2007 12:26 AM
>>> Subject: [Blind-rollers] Just wanted to say Hello
>>>
>>>
>>> Hello,
>>> I am a totally blind person who has been successfully using an
>>> electric wheelchair for over a year.
>>> I have a Jazzy-610 with a PG VSI 50 Amp controller mounted on the
>>> left arm rest. This is a Center-wheel drive with Active Track
>>> Suspension and I absolutely love the Six-Wheels on the ground at all
>>> times. It really does give me tremendous stability.
>>>
>>> I didn't need Rehab Seating. However I do have a High-Backed seat
>>> with a Headrest and it also Reclines.
>>> While I can still walk some, I feel much safer in the wheelchair.
>>> For guidance I use an extremely lightweight carbon fiber folding
>>> cane with a roller tip and it works great.
>>> Dan
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Blind-rollers mailing list
>>> Blind-rollers at nfbnet.org
>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blind-rollers
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Blind-rollers mailing list
>>> Blind-rollers at nfbnet.org
>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blind-rollers
>>
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