I wouldn’t know, I still don’t have mine.

I keep getting asked why I still don’t have my custom power wheelchair. Here’s where we stand.

It’s been 3+ years since my doctors put in for my chair. It took almost a year to go through all the channels & get things going.

Finally it was approved, I just had to see a physiatrist for recommendations on all the customizations. My insurance dictates that I see one in my own state & Maine only has one. The waiting list to get an appointment, is a year or more out.

I had my appointment in the fall (2019) & I was all set for the next steps. We were now at more than 1 year since initially beginning this journey.

The medical equipment company brought a chair to my home. Did everything they do & said I was all set. I was told it would take them 3 months to build and get my chair to me. At this point we were 2 years waiting on this chair.

In March 2020, after 4 months had passed, I still had heard nothing on the status of my chair. I contacted the supplier & they were basically closed because of covid. They were only handling emergency situations. So I waited.

When things started opening my doctor contacted the company to see where we were. They stated, that because it had now been to long since I saw the physiatrist, I had to see them again to get insurance approval.

Here we are over 3 years in & I’m waiting on an opening to see the physiatrist, again. It’s already been 6 months of waiting for a new appointment.

Don’t ever take your independence & mobility for granted.