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Saturday, August 16, 2014

Bringing Home The Bobmobile

On Thursday, we took our last wheelchair transport ride to a doctor's appointment.

Last Transport Ride
There will be some things about this service I will miss...

Like the door-to-door escort!

And not having to drive...

But others things I will definitely not miss. Like the 30-minute-window rule. And the 24-hours-ahead reservations rule. And the can't-leave-the-county rule. And the if-you-are-not-ready-in-five-minutes-we-will-leave-without-you-and-bill-you-anyway rule. Or if the doctor is running late, call-to-be-put-on-standby rule. And all that "hurry up and wait"....

On Thursday, also, the van company picked up Bob's wheelchair and took it to the shop to fit it with an E-Z lock bracket.

On Friday, we picked up our "new" used wheelchair van, which I have christened "The Bobmobile". That way, I figure, I can say, "To the Bobmobile! Quick!" as Bob and I dash off on our caped crusades. Anyway, the van is black, it's for Bob, so it works. And every vehicle needs a name.  So add, The Bobmobile to the list which includes "The Little Blue Bomber" (my first car) and, of course, "The Green Machine".

Loading Bob in The Bobmobile
 And. Friday should have been a good day all around, I was looking forward to it. Until...

It began to rain. And I'm talking RAIN, as in thunder, lightening, winds, streets flooding, traffic jams, the whole stormy shebang...

As if I wasn't nervous enough already. I mean, here I'm driving an unfamiliar vehicle, on unfamiliar roads (the dealer is way out in the boonies) and now I'm dealing with bad weather....

Then throw a grumpy Bob into the mix....

Grumpy Bob in The Bobmobile
First, Bob complained that his chair was too close to the front of the van and wanted it moved back. This is impossible with the E-Z lock which is bolted to the van floor,  and even though this was explained to him, he still wanted to move his chair back. So out of the E-Z lock he came and the mechanic got out the manual straps and strapped him down.  These manual straps are a pain compared to the E-Z lock, as there are four straps and you are pretty much on your hands and knees crawling around to hook them all in.  The E-Z lock can be moved, but since Bob is (hopefully) getting a new wheelchair, the mechanic didn't want to move the E-Z lock until the new chair came in.  I mean, why put more holes in the van floor than you have to?

Anyway, once Bob was pulled back and strapped in place, he still complained of being too close to the front of the van. And a few adjustments later, he was still complaining, i.e. saying "Back! Back!" until I had to calm him down and explain that he couldn't go any further back as he would be blocking the ramp door... grrrr....

I was, by then, getting pretty frustrated. And it was still raining. In fact, it was raining even heavier. And, I had really hoped Bob would enjoy the day. I had planned to take photos, you know, happy photos of Bob posed in front of his new ride, ta da! But no such luck...

After Bob was strapped in, the mechanic loaded up the passenger seat (which had to be removed to make way for the wheelchair), we were off in the pouring rain.  Me, trying to figure out why I can't see the speedometer (steering wheel height had to be adjusted), Bob complaining now that his wheelchair was rocking back and forth. Which, by the way, he had been warned would happen if he didn't use the E-Z lock.

So I pull over, try to adjust the straps on Bob's wheelchair, adjust the steering wheel position so I can see the dash, find a radio station for Bob, change the setting on the air conditioner as now Bob is "cold" and take off again.

Me, I am nervous, trying to follow the "google  maps" directions in the pouring rain. Bob, complaining now that his butt hurts....

Me, wondering what this blinking "S4" means on the dash and how-the-hell-do-I-get-the-back-windshield-wiper to work? Bob wanting to smoke! In the van! Which is, at least to me, a big no-no. And when I tell him this, he got even more surly. grrr....

Finally, I make our way to familiar, though still rainy, turf.  Bob is still complaining that his butt hurts and that his wheelchair is rocking and that his feet are too close to the front of the van and he still wants a cigarette and is insisting the cup holder is actually an ashtray....

I tell you, I was frazzled and not in a very good mood when we finally got home.  By the time I got the ramp down, pulled out the front passenger seat and dragged it out of the van into the rain then into the garage for storage (by the way, these are not as "easy" to remove as those brochures tout, the thing, frankly, was a bitch to move), and after I got down on my hands and knees and unstrapped the four wheelchair straps, got grumpy Bob out of the van and up to the house in the pouring rain, I tell you, I was ready to kill...

But we made it. The Bobmobile is home, safe and sound. And since Bob wouldn't pose by his new ride, I had Boomer do the honors.


And The Green Machine has been, sadly, banished to the curb...


...much to the chagrin of the neighbors' cats...

Nemo and Kinko lounging on The Green Machine, and they better not try this on The Bobmobile!




6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sorry that what should have been a very happy occasion turned out to be exceptionally frustrating event. Do you think Bob would be happier with the wheelchair strapped in the passenger compartment area behind the front seat area? I too would wait for the new wheelchair before making final adjustments for the E-Z-Locks. In a short period of time, I'm sure you'll be comfortable driving the van and know most of the controls and Bob will feel more content riding along. When time permits, read a bit of the owners manual for the various driver controls or sit in the van for a time and just play around with all the knobs and buttons...lol.

Take care. Lots of hugs, Dan

SSTattler said...

I want a picture of Bob & Diane with “...dash off on our caped crusades”. The name "The Bobmobile” is perfect.

Cheers / John A.

Rebecca Dutton said...

Bob may be sad for a while because he owns a new vehicle he will never drive. However, getting rid of the stress of using para-transit and driving a car that breaks down frequently is something you really need.

Anonymous said...

Maybe Bob was acting like that because it was to much going on for him and it was a way for him to react. As time goes both of you will get familiar and will start enjoying the ride. The way Bob was acting it remained me of my 2 years old son...
Love the name of the van.
Hugs
Yadira

J.L. Murphey said...

The back window wiper switch is on the window wipe switch. Reading the owner's manual will help. Will the E-Z locks fit on his new motor chair? Who will change them out? Something to think about, but then the electric wheelchair weighs about 200 lbs too.

You will get comfortable in your new ride. It will just take driving it around. How do you like sitting higher in the seat than you green machine? (grin) I love all the visibility that my van offers me.

Just think...no more pushing Bob in a rainstorm to the doctor's office.

Don Wood said...

Glad you got the BobMobile all sorted Next doors cats are going to be miffed when the Green Machine is gone, You will soon get used to the new Van.I am envious well I would be if I did envy.
Don

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