Equipment problems are frustrating

Recently I broke a piece to my wheelchair which wouldn’t allow me to use my left leg rest. I had to go a week with my left foot crossed over my right. You might be asking yourself, “Why so long?” Well, I called my usual wheelchair company to have the piece sent overnight but it didn’t arrive until two days later. Once it did arrive we found out the wrong order was sent, so I had to wait over the weekend for my piece. When Monday arrived they called and told me that the right leg piece, not left, was sent and I would have to wait until the next morning for the right order to arrive.

Anyone with a disability that causes them to use a wheelchair can understand what I went through. And I can provide at least 50 more such incidents since becoming paralyzed 11 years ago. Equipment maintenance is just one of the many obstacles that come with being disabled. It can become especially frustrating when your wheelchair is taken for repair because that chair is basically your legs. It’s your way of getting around and still feeling somewhat normal.

I remember my first visit to the University of Missouri-Columbia. It was during Summer Welcome where you are given a tour of the campus. My chair was getting repaired so my mom and a family friend had to push me around in 90 degree heat. It wasn’t a picnic for me either because it was a big bulky manual chair which I didn’t feel comfortable sitting in and made my clothes look bunched up. It was a very exasperating three days for all of us. And I know those of you reading this have had similar experiences, so here is some advice on how to make situations like these easier.

Keep a good attitude

One thing I’ve found to ease the situation is to keep an upbeat attitude. I’ve been through this for more than 10 years and sometimes it becomes comical – especially around my family and friends who provide colorful comments like, “You broke your chair again? You need a license to drive that thing,” or “If you’d keep it under the speed limit you wouldn’t have wrecks.” Those kinds of remarks from loved ones help lighten my spirits and give me a chance to laugh at myself.

Have patience

Also, I’ve learned that patience is a virtue. With a spinal cord injury there are many things you have to wait on, such as personal care assistants to arrive, many doctor appointments, non-disabled people who’ve parked in the disabled spot to move their car, pills to get refilled, and so on. There are so many things that test your patience over the years that you get used to it. There are times when I’m waiting for things and other customers or family members are going crazy and I’m saying to myself, “Be cool.” The same discipline applies to your wheelchair equipment. There’s nothing you can do to speed things up so remain calm, cool, and collected and the situation will resolve itself in due time.

Hopefully the above advice will get you through some of the rough times ahead.