Got up nice and early today hoping that I’d be leaving my current 7-year old (or more) chair behind and coming home with my new wheels. But the universe had different ideas. And truth be told rockers I should’ve known it wouldn’t be simple since this new chair has taken over a year to get done when it was supposed to be only a few months.
The one thing that seems to be constant is the government medical regulations have gotten crazy since unordered the chair I’m currently sitting in. I will hold my anti-Bush and anti-Obama remarks but its changes in regulations on their time in the White House that has caused problems for ALL who need customized wheelchairs for their disabilities needs.
The hold up from me bringing my new chair home today is basically features and customization that was written and submitted but was ignored because regulations say “if its not standard just do it standard and fix it later”. This issue would be avoided if the company’s who sell wheelchairs to those who need them be allowed to build the chairs so if something isn’t right it can be fixed BEFORE the person needing that chair makes arrangements to go to the company in the hopes it is put together properly.
It may sound like simple moaning and groaning that I’m doing but when my current chair was ordered (during Clinton’s Presidency) the company selling the chair to you built it. So if it came in and didn’t match the write up then you weren’t called to come get the chair or mold seating. Everything was fixed and then you were called. Customization was argued because medical needs are different for every disability.
But nowadays (and since G.W. Bush) you need to prove every little detail why you need said customization and hope the government doesn’t consider it “not medically needed” even though you proved reasons why it is medically needed. And then there’s the adding of in between services like paying a company to build the chair when the company selling the chair can and should do it since they know what the consumer needs and not what the government regulations thing they need.
So now I’m waiting once again as 3rd and 4th parties argue over why its needs to be the way I need it even though its in black and white on paper and as my disability requires. And it’s a bit more annoying cause its just a matter changing arms of the chair, the back of the chair, and a few programming issues. All issues that would have been avoided if government regulations allowed the company’s to build the chairs they are selling.
Hopefully it’s only a few weeks until its ready and not months.
The plus side is I did see the chair and it looks awesome. If you thought my current chair looked badass wait until you see the new one.
Until then, gonna keep rockin and rollin through life like I always do and you should too.