Where is Gooserider?

[Gooserider]

I also wrote to the ramp seller, and have not yet gotten a response - could mean either that the person doesn't do mail on weekends, or that it's already been sold... I would assume that if we don't hear anything by Monday or Tuesday that it's a non-workable deal. Mary-Anne is also getting quotes from a few folks on new ramps in wood and metal, she may decide to go with one of those instead if we don't get something else going very shortly.

There is one other major set of tasks remaining to get the bathroom finished, from what she has been telling me - there was a bunch of sheetrock taken down, especially the ceiling, and holes punched in the walls in different places. We need to get new rock (or equivalent) up so that Frank can finish the electrical, and we can do the mud and painting needed for the final finish - also we need to frame and install the 36" prehung door to the bathroom. This is all stuff I could have done myself pre-injury, but can't handle now, and I don't think Mary-Anne can either.... Between us I'm sure we can get the mud and paint work done, but we will certainly need help on the other stuff.

Gooserider

 

[nailed_nailer]

Goose,

I have been thinking about your situation a lot lately. For some reason it resonates with me. I guess, I can picture myself in the same situation.

I have a line on an electric wheelchair. It is a bit old (6-8 yrs old) but it was barely used (like less than a few hours). My neighbor bought it for his wife after a stroke. Problem was that she was scared of using it. In the end she ended up getting back on her feet with a walker. The chair just stayed in the corner of the living room charging.

My neighbor passed on last fall and his wife has been moved into assisted living. Their son is a friend of mine and I asked if he still had the chair and what he was planning on doing with it. He said yes he has the chair and they were going to donate it to hospice or the hospital but they had not made a decision yet. I told them about your situation and they would be happy to get it to you.

I cannot find a manufacturer on it and the battery will not take a charge. So I cannot easily move out from the corner of the room to really inspect for a brand name. About the only info I found was a side bag with "The Scooter Store" printed on it.

I have run the unit and it moved my large (300 lbs) frame around no problem on a drunken Saturday afternoon 5 years ago. A bunch of us took it for a ride (just for fun). The thing really can move. It has a dial knob for speed and a joystick on the right side hand rail.

I'm sure the battery is shot after all these years but that should be a relatively cheap replacement.

Its yours if you want it.

I have a truck and live on the Cape so I could deliver it to you after I get it running.

PM me if you are interested

Best Wishes,
---Nailer---

 

[nailed_nailer]

Goose,

Just poking around the Scooter Store Website.....

The chair is similar to this one. I don't know for sure if it is this model.

(broken link removed to http://www.thescooterstore.com/products/powerchair_jazzy_1170xl.html)

Knowing my deceased neighbor, he would not have spared any expense if it would have made his wife happy.

So it probably is one of their better units at the time he bought it.

---Nailer---

 

[mgwmgw]

I have heard about a guy reasonably local to us who would know how to attach a snowplow to a motorized chair.
(broken link removed to http://wheelchairrecycler.org/snow-plowing-with-trail-boss/)
Do we think this motorize chair could be adapted for that purpose?

Mary-Anne

 

[Gooserider]

Goose,

Just poking around the Scooter Store Website.....

The chair is similar to this one. I don't know for sure if it is this model.

(broken link removed to http://www.thescooterstore.com/products/powerchair_jazzy_1170xl.html)

Knowing my deceased neighbor, he would not have spared any expense if it would have made his wife happy.

So it probably is one of their better units at the time he bought it.

---Nailer---

Thanks for the offer, it looks from the manual like a nice chair, certainly something that could be useful outside for getting around the yard, or other possible stuff where I wouldn't want to deal with the manual chair.... PM us about making arrangements to get it at a time that works for both of us...

Gooserider

 

[Marty]

Holy crepes Goose. Ya take a 4 month hiatus from this place and the world turns upside down. I know we don't know each other, but I've read enough of your wonderful minds production on this site to feel like a valued friend is going through a really rough time. I'm glad to see you're charging into the teeth of this thing and be sure that you have my best hopes for a steady and successful return to your worlds doings in force. Your lucky to have someone like Mary Ann with you before, during, and after, a time like this.

Bravo Mary-Ann. Bravo Goose. Keep up the great work.

-Marty

 

[CarbonNeutral]

Great team there today - when I left around 4 the ramp was looking really great, just the rails left to go. Bathroom has wallboard now (including the fiddly bit with the network point in the under the sink - at least we know that Goose will be able to moderate wherever). Great to meet Goose, Mary-anne, and at least one other hearth.com member, plus all of the other great helpers.

 

[BrotherBart]

Bathroom has wallboard now (including the fiddly bit with the network point in the under the sink - at least we know that Goose will be able to moderate wherever).

Thanks a lot. Now every time I see a Goose post I will have this mental image of him typing while sitting on the can. And have to send my brain out to have it dry cleaned. >:-(

 

[Gooserider]

Bathroom has wallboard now (including the fiddly bit with the network point in the under the sink - at least we know that Goose will be able to moderate wherever).

Thanks a lot. Now every time I see a Goose post I will have this mental image of him typing while sitting on the can. And have to send my brain out to have it dry cleaned. >:-(

I just wish - the sitting on the can option was so much more enjoyable than what I have to go through nowadays - I will spare the details, unless you really want to get a shot of the commode chair...

However I can't give enough credit to the crowd we had out today - most started around 9:00, and we had a FINISHED ramp by around 6:00 or so with just a fairly short break for lunch (For those at the first Work day, Domi cooked again, so you know what was missed...) We also got the bathroom much closer to being finished, the ceiling and all sheet rock is finished, and mostly mudded and taped - we still need to finish removing some wallpaper, and getting the walls skimcoated before painting... In addition, some of the folks that didn't feel like swinging hammers and such cleaned out the flowerbeds next to the house, and around some of the trees and bushes near the ramp, and even planted a bunch of decorative plants...

Will try and get pictures posted (of the ramp and such, not the commode chair %-P ) as soon as we get some...

Gooserider

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Goose it is good to hear things are coming along nicely for you. No matter what folks say, there are still a lot of good people around and you have found some!

 

[Shipper50]

Goose,

I am sorry I missed the posts about your accident till today. I hope things are getting better and will keep you in my thoughts.

Shipper

 

[Jags]

That is great news Goose. One small triumph at a time. The goodness in peoples hearts is what keeps me thinking that we still have a chance on this big blue ball.

 

[Gooserider]

I agree, it is a fantastic group of people, I'm really glad to know them, and hope that at some point I'm able to do something to help them continue their charitable efforts to help others...

Gooserider

 

[fossil]

I agree, it is a fantastic group of people, I'm really glad to know them, and hope that at some point I'm able to do something to help them continue their charitable efforts to help others...

Gooserider

You've helped (and continue to help) a whole lot of people simply by being who you are here on these forums, Goose. All you gotta do is just continue to be you...that's all the thanks anyone could ask. You "owe" nothing more. I'm really glad that things are coming together there to facilitate your navigation of your home. Yes, the folks pitching in are real heroes...but then, so are you. Rick

 

[Flatbedford]

Have I been overlooking something somewhere? This hasn't been updated in 6 weeks. I hope all is well.

 

[Dune]

I just talked to MaryAnne and Goose. Adjusting to a different lifestyle, dealing with pain, doing as well as can be expected. Hopefully he'll be back on the forums soon.

 

[Gooserider]

Dune has it about right... I'm in a lot of pain, nothing very much at any single point or source, but just lots of different things that each contribute to the total in their own different way...

Lots of other issues as well, all of which have left me without as much enthusiasm for doing stuff as I would like. Physically I'm doing OK, all things considered, but emotionally is something else - I'm told by some of the long term wheelchair folks that after a while things start looking more optimistic, but far as I'm concerned right now the only part of life I'm getting is the part that sucks...

Gooserider

 

[Flatbedford]

So sorry to hear that. I can understand the lack of enthusiasm. You have some heavy stuff to deal with in your new life. I hope you can adjust and find peace with your circumstances. I wish you the best and hope we all hear from you from time to time.

 

[begreen]

Sorry to hear about the pain. That's got to be no fun. Is acupuncture an option?

If it helps to get your mind off of the pain for a little while, jump in and kibitz when you feel up to it. We miss ya buddy. Even if you're grumpy it's good to hear from you.

 

[Gooserider]

Sorry to hear about the pain. That's got to be no fun. Is acupuncture an option?

If it helps to get your mind off of the pain for a little while, jump in and kibitz when you feel up to it. We miss ya buddy. Even if you're grumpy it's good to hear from you.

Haven't tried acupuncture since the accident, but the one time I tried it before the accident it didn't do much for me. A lot of folks have suggested it since, but the one experience didn't leave me all that confident in it.

I'd also be afraid at this point that it would only get one of the many things that hurts, leaving me with plenty of others....

Gooserider

 

[fossil]

Chronic pain sucks. Big time. I've experienced it, but only for a few weeks at a time...but it sapped all of my energy, enthusiasm, and interest. Add to that the sleep disturbance, and I was a real mess. I'm sorry anyone has to endure it, and I sincerely hope that improvement is imminent for you, Goose. Rick

 

[begreen]

Sorry to hear about the pain. That's got to be no fun. Is acupuncture an option?

If it helps to get your mind off of the pain for a little while, jump in and kibitz when you feel up to it. We miss ya buddy. Even if you're grumpy it's good to hear from you.

Haven't tried acupuncture since the accident, but the one time I tried it before the accident it didn't do much for me. A lot of folks have suggested it since, but the one experience didn't leave me all that confident in it.

I'd also be afraid at this point that it would only get one of the many things that hurts, leaving me with plenty of others....

Gooserider

Yeah, I had acupuncture for a frozen shoulder. It didn't do much for me either. But it was a less than competent person using me as a practice pin cushion. We have a Chinese doc in Seattle that is supposed to be very good. If I need an acupuncturist, I will take the trip to see him.

 

[Jags]

You need stronger mead. ;-)

 

[Gooserider]

You need stronger mead. ;-)

I wish.... But I'm told that booze in more than token amounts and some of the other drugs that I'm on make for a seriously bad news combination... Of course some times that doesn't seem like such a bad thing, but I keep promising to hang around for at least a while longer...

Gooserider

 

[webbie]

Hey, Goose, nice to hear from you!
Hang in there!