Just say “No” to sickness!

I have been struggling with allergies for the past couple of months. Most days, along with my Rhinocort Aqua nose spray, I am having to take Mucinex to combat congestion, keep things moving, and get it out.

The last two days my secretions have been thicker and I wake up with all kinds of shit in my throat. Well today was a busy day, got an evaluation for a new power wheelchair (will talk about that in a bit), and got a haircut. My throat has felt just a tad scratchy, but I figured it was because of so much drainage and having to clear my throat so much. Then after my daily adventures, I began feeling—what I call—foggy headed. This is how I feel at the beginning of a fever. So I had mom check it. Sure enough, 99.1. While that may not sound so bad, I am the type of person that runs around the norm of 98.6 almost to the point. If I hit 99, I feel it, and feel bad. So I can almost always tell when I am feverish at the very early stages. I took some Tylenol, and am going to call my pulmonologist tomorrow to see if they can call me in some Zithromax. That always works really well on me if I catch it early enough. PLEASE, PLEASE, don’t let me get the bad respiratory shit that is going around! I am about to start working for my internship, and in the middle of my last semester in school!

On a positive note, my current wheelchair is 5 years old and while it still runs ok, per se, it is time for a new one. The wheels are going bald, I am on my second joystick controller, one of the motor brushes is going bad so the alignment is way off on one side, the armrests have cracks the size of the equator in them, and a few other things. So… we specked out a new one today and here are some of the things I will have:

• A much smaller headrest (mine is HUGE and unnecessary)
• Gel filled armrests.
• Elevating foot plate with ROHO (air cushion) pad on it.
• Much better joystick controller with infrared (so it can work as my remote control for my TV, or my mouse for my computer)
• Headlights and taillights with car horn. (This is for safety reasons because when I get my new service dog, when I had Nellie I would walk her at night when it was cooler) and since I cannot speak or yell very loud, the car horn will be used in case of an emergency of any kind that I need to get attention of someone.
• A lap table and a cup holder.
• Brackets for tie-downs in the van, right now we are putting the front tie-downs on the casters which isn’t really the safest, but is also hard to do, and can screw up the wheels.
• Possibly a motorized swing-away controller (if the company that makes the tilt and recline seating can make one)
• Possibly an elevator seat. This would sure be nice, but if it is way too complicated to get and holds things up, then forget it.
• My current chair already has tilt and recline seating, so the new one will have that as well.

It will probably take a good 2-3 months to get it. I have to get a face-to-face appointment with my doctor, which I am already going to be seeing him on Thursday to try to get on Marinol. Then have to have a physical therapy evaluation, which isn’t a problem since I already have PTs that can do it. Once those two things are done then it is submitted to Medicare, takes up to 60 days to approve, but he said he’s never had one go over 30 days. Then the chair is ordered and takes about 2-3 weeks to get it. I am so excited!

Since I do not have Medicaid as a supplement insurance any longer then he is going to go to DARS to get them to pay the balance. I hate having to use them again for this because they have already spent so much on me, but I have no other choice.