For better or worse

[jim 44-40]

Wife pushing her luck, she has beat up are house with her mobility scooter. Broke the grill under the fridge last night,busted knobs off cabinets,big scratch on stove, washing machine. Luckily she hasn't ran over my toes,yet

[waksupi]

Learning curve!

[Winger Ed.]

There's forums for every kind of injury and health problem there is.

Since Americans are naturally competitive, maybe folks in similar situations can get together at your place
and have a demolition derby or races with those scooters.

[bedbugbilly]

My mother ended up paraplegic the last ten years of her life due to a life saving surgery she required. While undergoing months of therapy and a long stay in a spinal rehab unit at the U of M, i made daily trips to see and encourage her - the rest of my days and evenings I spent working on her home to make it as barrier free as possible. All of this just after my Dad had passed from a long fight with cancer. Mom came home confined to a wheelchair. She was proud of her house and it really bothered her when she accidentally ran into something. My response was always "Don't worry about it Mom, it doesn't matter at all". Eventually, she required an electric wheelchair with hand controls. The day it was delivered, I got in it and took it throughout the house to try the turns, doorways - every place she would be going. Then. the fellow who delivered the chair and I got her in it to take a spin.

For her age, she did well, but as she got older . . . yea, she clipped a few doorways, ran into things once in a while and once, even got herself kind of wedged into a spot in the room we had set up so she could do her laundry and live as independently as possible and she had to call me to come help her. She clipped a number of things with that chair and I know she felt bad about it and was embarrassed by it . . . . BUT I DIDN"T CARE as she was still with us and lining in her own home . . . and I had such great respect for her and all she had gone through . . . I have often wondered how I would have coped with it all if I had been in her position.

Long story short . . . my Dad has been gone now for 28 years . . . my Non has been gone now for 18. BUT . . . i would give ANYTHING to have them back again and the heck with any damage to their house caused by things necessary to help them stay in their home, live as independently as possible and maintain as much normality as possible.

I'm sorry, but I honestly don"t know how to interpret your post. Maybe you are just letting off steam? It's your life and your wife . . . but having experienced similar things, I find it disturbing and disrespectful towards your spouse to "spout off" about these things. The first thing I would ask is what have YOU done to help alieve such things happening? Certainly, many houses are not barrier free, but what have you done to help make it easier for her to get around with her scooter? Knobs can be removed, doors can be taken off and it is difficult for her to get my things, many can be moved and rooms rearranged to mark things easier. My next question is have YOU actually gotten on her scooter to see what it is like to navigate in the environment of your house? If not, then that's on you. Have you made the effort to contact a center for independent living or similar agency to have a mobility specialist come to your house to make an assessment and give you and your wife suggestions on how to make it easier for her to get around your house and prevent the damage you are complaining about? Many of these services are free or available at minimal cost . . . . and much of it is just common sense. God helps those who help themselves.

If I have misinterpreted the "jest" of your post . . . then my apologies. My wife spent 23 years taking care of both my parents and her parents . . . and yea . . . sometimes it isn't easy but you deal with the cards that life hands you. I have helped many people out who found themselves in situations where a parent, a spouse or a child ended up with mobility issues. I have widened doorways, built ramps, remodeled bathrooms . . . whatever was required to help someone be able to stay in their home and live with dignity . . . oftentimes for those who could not afford to pay for such things . . . and I never recall any of the people involved complaining over "damage" . . . they were just happy to have their loved one "home". After 51 years of marriage, if my wife were to have an issue that would require her to use a scooter or be in a wheelchair . . . the last thing I would do would be to complain about any damage . . . I would move heaven and earth to just be able to see that she could remain at hone and do so with love, respect and the dignity she deserves. But like my Dad always said, "If you ain't part of the solution, then your part of the problem".

[lightman]

You have to remember that its only stuff!
There is a learning curve to driving wheelchairs and scooters. Your Wife will probably catch on and improve. My Wife is on oxygen and we have a concentrater in the central part of the house with a hose long enough for Her to mover around the house. That hose has rubbed on most of the corners. The worst offender is the water trap which is a plastic like tube located about 6ft from the breathing end of the hose. I keep telling myself its only stuff!

She has benign the hospital for 54 days with heart and breathing problems. I almost lost Her during the first week. I would gladly skin up all of the corners to have Her back home. That may actually happen next week! Fingers crossed!

[Beerd]

yup, dings happen.
I think Jim understands & accepts that with a smile.
..

[BLAHUT]

I went through spinal surgery, tumor on spinal cord, infection almost killed me, had to learn to walk all over again, went from bed ridden to wheelchair to crunches to walker to Cain, still use cane, still have a hard time walking, this surgery happened in 2006, AINT FUN, be happy she is still with you. I bet; she would trade with any one at the drop a dime ???? Be thankful it is not you ???
I found out just how inconsiderate people are of the handclapped ???

[dverna]

Maybe she is on meds that don't help the situation?

Hope things work out.

[jim 44-40]

By no means am I upset about damage to appliances or anything else in the house.Been with my wife since 1979 and she has put up my shenanigans,so guess I'm just venting off . I'll fix whatever gets damaged without hesitation.

[.429&H110]

My wife got two new hips.
In the process, she drove the store's scooter
around Walmart and Frys like a demolition derby.
I learned to never get behind the thing
she can back up faster than I can get out of the way.

Did you know you can call up Frys on the phone
and they will send a kid out on a cart to meet you?

Frys will shop for you, apply all coupons,
load your car, bill your credit card
and remember your shopping list for next time.

The Schwan guy will load your freezer for you.

[Duckiller]

My wife had mobility problems. She had a wheelchair for in the house and a mobility cart for outside.