I hope a few of you remember me. My new Assistance Dog is named Tank and my new non Insurance Provided Chair is called a "Tank".

Anyway, I’ve written a few Articles in the past with the plan of being a regular Contributing Writer but I had a hard time dealing with my desire to "rant and rave" and I didn’t feel that was appropriate for a person that clearly wants to be a help in educating and informing others.

Since I’ve written last, my original Service Dog: Lieutenant was retired in August of 2006. Then in February I learned from his new family that he had Cancer. I will miss him and fondly remember him for taking care of me always.

Anyway, I’ve always looked at my disability as a personal and professional challenge but after talking with the Inventor of the Tank, I basically said the hell with it.

Since I had my Heart Attack in my Police Cruiser in 1990, I have learned that its not the world I thought it was.

If you receive Benefits from your Village, City, Township, Parish, County, State and even Federal Services, you best plan on getting in Line and then plan on being in some of those Lines for the rest of your Life.

Forget that you even have a disability because a lot of those Services, if not all of those Service Providers should be coming to our residence so they can complete your Paperwork for the Services or benefits that we need and deserve but they generally won’t.

For those that don’t know, I suffered a Heart Attack in my Police Cruiser in 1990. Like almost everyone, I didn’t know squat about Workman’s Compensation; money lost, Early Pension; money lost, Social Security Benefits; money and benefits lost, etc, etc.

Well, I found out the hard way and the hard way didn’t take long to get harder. I started suffering Strokes and between my Depression, PTSD and the Unstable Angina, I basically was functionless and at times, I still am.

Interestingly and sadly, none of the Service Providers even seemed to care. If you want what they offered, you had to meet their Guidelines and their Rules on their Terms, so much for the ADA of 1990 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

People with disabilities should have the:

"The Least Restrictive Environment Possible"

Well, for me it all began in 1990 and it is now (17) years later and probably unlike the average person with a disability, I went out of my way to learn my rights and am now a very serious, professional and well known Disability and Civil Rights Advocate. Its just too bad, it doesn’t make any difference.

People talk with me all of the time because they want to know about the myriad of Services, Benefits and Resources that they are eligible for and I almost hesitate telling them because I know what they are going to experience is literally going to throw them into Shock.

As an Example:

Let’s say, they need an Electric Wheelchair, ok.

Once they get through the: Required Prescription, which may need to be rewritten (10) times for the exact language of the Chair being requested. The Physical Therapy Evaluation, the Paperwork of Medical Necessity and then the joy of Medical Insurance Company Representatives communicating with the Chair Providers Representatives.

…but, that’s only if you even have insurance.

If you’re lucky, it can go smoothly but that’s not normally the case nor is it the reason I’m using this as an example.

Even if you get the Chair, welcome to a planet that’s not designed for disability, despite the ADA and all of the other State and Federal Laws in place to Serve us.

Now you have to address questions that were not even on your horizon when you were thinking "finally independence":

How are you going to haul the Chair? An average Van with a Wheelchair Lift is about $45,000 and no insurance plan on this planet can help.

Not a problem, so you say. You’ll become reliant and use the Chair for your daily trips, wrong !

Its Raining, its snowing, its freezing, its blistering hot, there are no sidewalks, its Garbage Day and everyone has their trash cans on the sidewalks but "you have your wheelchair".

Yet, we haven’t even discussed not being able to get it into your house and even around the house.

Well, what if you were one of the lucky ones to get on the Medicaid Waiver after waiting "how many years", great, right ?

You have a Case manger that has no idea what their doing and this is a fair statement nationally.

So, you buck up and let your Case Manager know what you need.

Odd but its the same List that’s on every States DJFS Web Site:

The Traditional Items: Panic Alarm, Delivered Meals, Wider Doors, Roll in Showers, etc, etc., again, not so.

You ask, they decline. Then if you really need it and want it, remember that "Line", get back in it and File an Appeal or should I say: stand and stay in that Line because you will just be Filing more Appeals.

Oh, your Wheelchair now has a flat and the Provider wants you to pay for it because you had no business taking it out of your home, WHAT !

Didn’t the Chair Provider tell you, Medicaid and Medicare are Providing a Chair for you to use inside of your house only.

Or consider, your Home Health Care AIDE had to rush you to your Physician because of an urgent medical concern but it was when your Delivered Meals where Scheduled, too bad. There will be no Food for the Week.

So, I feel for all of us who need Medical Equipment and Services but even with what we need, the lack of compassion and concern from those whom are providing those Services and Benefits may just make your life more difficult.

With all of that said, I finally decided to throw caution to the wind and forget Specifications, Policies, Constraints and get me a wheelchair that I like.

It won’t go into my house and I’m sure the VA Para Transit Service won’t want to haul it but for me, I’m going to go where the heck I want to go for the first time in (6) years. Whether there is no sidewalk, mud, or snow and maybe for the first time in a long long time, I can finally enjoy myself as a person with a disability.

So, if your inclined to join in on finally having a good time and are also Interested in a Tank Chair, just give them a Call: (602) 882-4103 or Visit their Web Site: http://www.tankchair.com/default.htm

…and for those of you that are wondering about Benefits and Resources that you should or could be Getting, that’s planned for Next Months Article. See you then.