Medical Machinations
Last week, I was getting things ready for Hannah’s first day of school without me. Her travel suction was charged, ambu bag ready. I checked her oxygen tank and it had a decent amount for two plus hours, and I refilled the diaper bag with essentials. Then I went to load it on her Kid Kart (young person’s wheelchair) I noticed a major support screw was sticking out. I set everything back down and examined it closer. That screw was missing the nut that it screwed into. I looked at the other side, which mirrored it and realized it was no normal nut I’ve ever seen before. It looks like a washer with a flanged circle the bolt screws into. I scanned the floor mercilessly around where the Kid Kart normally sits. Nope no nut. It could of happened anywhere. I opened up our mini van and looked all over the main cabin floor. Then I looked in the back storage. Nope not there, either.
There was no way she could go to school in the chair without the bolt secured.
My brain went into hyper drive. How was I going to get her and all her equipment to school? Once she was there she wouldn’t be in a chair. She would be in a Rifton chair or sitting on the floor. Last month I was cleaning up our storage shed, where I found two big strollers I had used with Hannah before we had the kid cart. I had been thinking I should sell them. Luckily I hadn’t done that yet. So I dug out the two-seat stroller. It is convenient way to transport Hannah and her equipment. So I sprayed it down with vinegar and proceeded to wash off the cobwebs.
She was able to go to school but I have now begun an odyssey of the wheelchair part search. I had no idea where the paperwork for the Kid Kart was so I grabbed my latest receipt for her Rifton Pacer and called that supply company. They had carried Kid Karts before and Hannah was in their system so they were willing to have me talk to their tech. I talked to their tech he encouraged me to come in with the chair. They are located in Portland. I live in a suburb that is only about twenty minutes away. No big deal but, I can’t drive alone with Hannah so I need to wait for a day I have a day nurse. (Oh yes I had a nurse that Monday I was sick that day and to exhausted to try the drive) Thursday was my next nurse day; so on Thursday I map quested the directions loaded Gabriel in the Mini-Van. The freeways around Portland are not cut and dry. Sometimes you have to go on one exit to get to another exit yet not completely go to the other freeway. Trust me it makes more sense if you ever drive here. Anyway I guessed wrong and ended up on a freeway heading east. So I exited and worked my way back to the area and actually made it to the location.
I coaxed Gabriel out of the vehicle and push the frame to the door. Yaayh, it’s an automatic door. The building is clean inside but decidedly tired looking. I’m pretty sure if I had been there ten years ago it would have had a cloud of cigarette smoke swirling around it’s ceiling. I walked to the sales desk. Nobody acknowledged me. They were busy with a major sale. So I looked about the room and saw a sign that said repairs. There was a receptionist with long manicured nails and big hair talking intently to a coworker in the cubicle/desk next to her. I walked to the desk. I waited a few beats. She hadn’t turned her head yet, so I knew she hadn’t seen me. So I spoke cheerfully "Hi there!"
She paused and looked at me. Finished her sentence and straightened up. "May I help you." I smile and go into my diatribe and show the missing piece. She never looks at the equipment but checks to make sure Hannah is in the computer. There is no way a tech can look at that day. "I’m so embarrassed but, we are swamped. "
"Can I just see a part book and order it?" I say.
"No, a tech has to see it. How about tomorrow?"
I shake my head "That is not possible. I explain my child is medically fragile and I have a nurse today not the next day."
That sets off a bell in her head. "I can schedule a tech to come to your house next week. How about Tuesday."
I accept it. "Sounds great" Meanwhile Gabriel announces he needs to go potty.
She directs me to the bathroom and says she will set it up while I take care of Gabriel. We wait outside the Women’s bathroom. The door is locked. One minute, two minutes passes I finally try the door to the men’s bathroom it opens and its just one big room with a lock. A great lesson I learned from pregnancy is that most gender specific bathrooms are just suggestions.
So that is put on hold till the next Tuesday.
The Tech comes out. "You don’t have that piece?" He gestures at the weird washer.
This floors me, if I had that part I would not have bugged them. I would of just put the piece back on. He comes up with some interesting jury-rigging ideas that involve putting the bolt in backwards. Even though it isn’t securely locked in anything he is convinced it is still usable. I’m pretty sure he is wrong. (He doesn’t even know how the chair goes together) So I reattach the seat into the frame and watch it fall. He seems shocked that it is a problem. My confidence is not growing. He leaves me his card and says he will look into it. For some reason I’m not reassured.
So that night I do a search again for the original paperwork. This is hilarious; the binder I organize Hannah’s medical records in has it. It was even in front of the Pacer paperwork. I don’t know how I missed it. So I call that company and they told me to call the manufacturer. I call the maker. They have no idea what piece I’m talking about. I offer to photograph it and email it to them. They tell me to go back to the vendor. So now I have a call back into the vendor.
I think I’m going to be using the stroller for awhile.
Meanwhile there is this whole diaper business going on simultaneously that I won’t go into tonight because it is late and I need sleep.
---Mom
