Giving Up or Getting On?

9/14/2016

If you know me well, you also know that I suffer from some sort of "itis" in my left hip.  Over the years, I've had therapy, shots in the hip (not fun at all in case you were wondering), lifts in one shoe and anything else a reasonably sane person or doctor would do or prescribe.  

When we, although I haven't recently, done the WalMart/Costco run, I can either use one of those stupid little motorized carts, or walk and by the end of the trip end up dragging my left leg back to the car.  I hate the little carts probably because of the beep beep sound when they're backing up and also because of the number of people and/or shelf contents I have knocked into!  I know - probably shouldn't have a driver's license.

If I do get out and do some walking, it's not long before I'm very fatigued and need to sit and rest.  The problem is if I sit on a curb, then I have to try (emphasis on the word try) to get myself up and standing.  Nearly impossible.  So while exercise would be good for me, I can't go very far before my "itis" makes itself known.  Hence, I walk as little as possible.  Which I know it's healthy for me.

My doctor and I had discussed a service dog for stability but then it occurred to me that I don't need a service dog as much as I need a walker with a seat.  Turns out my doctor agrees.  They make a rollator which has a seat attached, so that when you're tired, you can sit down.  And to make it even more awesome, they make rollators which can be turned into a small transport chair that someone can push me around in.  

Medicare pays for these types of devices and you can even get a new one in 5 years of continued use.  First, you obviously need a doctor's prescription, which is no problem.  Then you have to find the rollator/transport chair that suits you best.  After you have done that, paperwork is involved between your doctor and Medicare.  Or, for around $300.00 I could just buy the rollator of my choice and ignore all the red tape.  Very tempting to just say "charge it"!!

P