I got the hint

Offspring placed this stuff on my desk in front of me just now.

I think I know what he wanted....

If only he could talk

I have been working, sitting in one place all morning and afternoon, and Dogley just came up to me, stared at me and barked. I looked at him, he wiggled his butt and he barked again. I looked at him, he barked again. I stood up, he walked away, I followed him. He walked to his water bowl and sat down. I looked at it and saw that it was empty. I filled it up. He started lapping water.  Gee, if only he could talk....

Handicapped seating SUCKS

We went to a concert this week and as always, the seating options sucked.  It was an arena show, so that meant we had to either sit in the last row of the lower level ($200 per ticket, no can do) or the first row of the upper level ($75 per ticket).  The section is situated as follows (use your imagination):


Row R: SEATS SEATS SEATS SEATS SEATS SEATS SEATS SEATS
....
ROW C: SEATS SEATS SEATS SEATS SEATS SEATS SEATS SEATS
ROW B: SEATS SEATS SEATS SEATS SEATS SEATS SEATS SEATS
STAIRS XXXXX                                                                   DOOR

(------WALKING SPACE -----------------------------------------------------)

Row A: SEAT SEAT SEAT SEAT SEAT   SEAT SEAT  OPEN AREA

We were in the two bolded seats, with of course Wheeler's folding chair removed to accommodate his wheelchair.  All the chairs on Row A are folding chairs that can be moved for wheelchairs.  But what happens is that everyone in the section, by definition, has to walk behind us to get to their seat.  Absolutely everyone.  And every time someone has to use the bathroom or goes to get a drink or souvenir, they have to walk behind us.  And people tend to congregate where it says "OPEN AREA" and talk to each other.  I got so pissed off because no one seemed to understand that WE WERE TRYING TO LISTEN TO THE FRELLIN' CONCERT!  We didn't pay $150 to hear their chit chat.  And sure, any two people talked for 60-90 seconds, no big deal right?  No, because EVERYONE talked for 60-90 seconds but consecutively such that someone was always standing there talking at any given point during the concert.

The usher at the door is SUPPOSED to stop people from doing that for just that reason (not to mention obstructing the view of those behind the open area), but SHE was the worst offender!  She stood and chit chatted with concert goers, with other ushers and staff and was uber annoying.  I am actually considering sending a complaint to the arena because it really detracted from the concert.

And the thing is, if we'd popped for the lower level seats, we have the same problem because all the concessions are right behind the last row in the lower level.  And then people stand directly behind you in that last row and chat, again, each of them thinks they aren't bothering you because they are there for only a few minutes.  But everyone is there for "just a few minutes" which translates to the entire concert (or hockey game or any event), and it is so annoying.

Yet another reason not to break your neck.  Sucky options for concert/hockey/event seating.  Bah humbug!!!

New cushion? That means a new chair, sorry.

Wheeler has a pressure sore again.  The same pressure sore, actually as before only this time its not as gnarly and deep.  Two problems here.  One, once you have a pressure sore in a given area, that area is forever more prone to getting a pressure sore there again.  Two, his cushion is over 5 years old and is likely contributing to the sore, so every time he gets up, that spot is aggravated by his cushion.  So once he gets better, he'll have to go get pressure mapped for a new cushion.

But I am oh so not looking forward to that because he recently went on Medicare, and his wheelchair was purchased by his previous insurance company.  And in a stroke of genius, Medicare won't purchase or repair items for a wheelchair they didn't purchase.   As far as Medicare is concerned, if they didn't buy the chair, it does not exist and they will not pay for any repairs to it.

So if his chair needs any repairs at all, or say, theoretically needs a $300 cushion, we are just shit outta luck until Medicare buys him a new chair. But you see, his chair cost $47,147.

Yes, $47,147. I'm not kidding.

And it took a predictably horrible anguishing amount of time and energy to get it reimbursed (they denied it for 13 months despite being 100% pre-approved IN WRITING before we ordered it), so to go through that process again is not something I'm looking forward to.  And even if it would be better with Medicare (which I've heard it is), a lot of the features on his chair - such as the seat elevator (which raises the entire seat up and down so that he can sit level at a taller or shorter table) is not covered under Medicare, nor is a standing function covered, so a new chair would be ALOT less functional for him.

So there's the rub. We need a $300 cushion for his chair.  But to get a $300 cushion for his chair, Medicare would have to

BUY. HIM. A. NEW. FRIGGIN. CHAIR.

with fewer features, not to mention

HE. DOESN'T. NEED. A. NEW. CHAIR. HE. JUST. NEEDS. A. NEW. CUSHION.

This will become especially problematic as the years go on as the wheelchair needs more repairs, because as of now we're considering just sucking up the $300 out of pocket because losing the features of his old chair would not be worth it to save $300 on a cushion.  Why can't Medicare just pay to repair his current chair until it really does need to be replaced???

Just one more fine and dandy part of life on wheels.

That and laying on his side for a few weeks while this sore heals.  Again.