Description of Event or Problem · 1
RPTR PURCHASED A MANUAL WHEELCHAIR. RPTR PURCHASED A NEW CHAIR BECAUSE OLD CHAIR CUT OFF CIRCULATION AND THE BOLTS ON THE FRONT WHEELS CAUSED ABRASIONS ON RIGHT FOOT. RPTR HAS MS AND LIVES ALONE. FOR A PERIOD OF ABOUT THREE MONTHS RPTR HAD THE AT-HOME SVS OF HOME HEALTH CARE CO. IT WAS THE CONCLUSION OF THE STAFF WHICH INCLUDED NURSES, PHYSICAL THERAPISTS AND AN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST THAT A NEW CHAIR WAS NEEDED TO PREVENT FURTHER ABRASION TO FEET. THE OT WRAPPED THE BOLTS OF CHAIR - A TEMPORARY SOLUTION UNTIL THE NEW CHAIR CAME. TWICE WEEKLY RPTR TRAVELS TO LOCAL HOSP FOR WHIRLPOOL AND PHYSICAL THERAPY TO TREAT RIGHT FOOT. BECAUSE OF CONDITION RPTR IS UNABLE TO ADEQUATELY BANDAGE FOOT BY SELF. KEEPING FEET HEALTHY IS A MATTER THAT AFFECTS RPTR'S ABILITY TO LIVE IN THEIR HOME. A PURCHASE ORDER WAS SENT TO EVEREST AND JENNINGS IN 10/00 FOR A MODEL CALLED CLASSIC WHEELCHAIR. WHEELCHAIR WAS DELIVERED. RPTR PAID FOR IT. THE HALF DOWN PAYMENT RPTR MADE WHEN THE CHAIR WAS ORDERED WAS MONEY UNAVAILABLE TO THEM FOR THE MONTHS WHILE THEY WAITED FOR THE CHAIR. THE BALANCE RPTR HAS CHARGED TO A CREDIT CARD. PAPERWORK NEEDS TO BE COMPLETED FOR AN APPLICATION TO MEDICARE FOR PAYMENT. WHY THIS HASN'T BEEN DONE RPTR DOESN'T KNOW. THAT'S ANOTHER ISSUE. RPTR FEELS THAT IT MAY NOT BE AGGRESSIVELY PURSUED NOW THAT THEY HAVE THEIR MONEY. THE CHAIR IS MADE SO THAT THE FOOTRESTS FLIP UP. THEY ARE NOT REMOVABLE. LESS THAN AN HR AFTER GETTING THE CHAIR RPTR TRANSFERRED FROM THE CHAIR TO THE TOILET. AS RPTR TURNED, THE FLIPPED-UP FOOTREST SLICED THE HEEL ON LEFT FOOT. THE PLASTIC BOTTOMS OF THE FOOTRESTS ARE SHARP AS A KNIFE. RPTR MANAGED TO STOP THE BLEEDING WITH A MAKESHIFT BANDAGE AND THE NEXT DAY WENT TO THE HOSP FOR THEIR REGULAR TREATMENT ON RIGHT FOOT BUT NOW RPTR HAS AN INJURY ON THE LEFT FOOT AS WELL. THE PHYSICAL THERAPIST AT THE HOSP TREATED WOUND AND EXAMINED THE CHAIR. IT BECAME CLEAR THAT ANY PART OF THE BOTTOM OF THE FOOTREST COULD CAUSE AN INJURY TO THE BOTTOM OF THE FOOT AND UPWARDS TO SEVERAL INCHES ABOVE. ACHILLES TENDON IS IN THAT AREA. HE TAPED THE FOOTRESTS SO THAT RPTR WON'T BE CUT AGAIN, BUT TAPE IS A TEMPORARY SOLUTION. RPTR CALLED EQUIPMENT CO THE DAY THEY WERE INJURED. RPTR CALLED THEM AGAIN THE NEXT DAY. RPTR GOT THE MESSAGE RECORDED BOTH TIMES. BOTH TIMES RPTR LEFT A MESSAGE. RPTR HAS EXPLAINED WHAT HAS HAPPENED AND TRIED TO ALERT THEM TO A PRODUCT THEY ARE CARRYING. RPTR CALLED THEM IN THE MORNING AND AGAIN LEFT A MESSAGE. THEY HAVE NOT RESPONDED. RPTR CALLED EVEREST AND JENNIGNS TO ALERT THEM. RPTR SPOKE TO SOMEONE WHO SAID SHE WAS JUST A CUSTOMER SVC REP AND DIDN'T DEAL WITH THINGS LIKE THAT. RPTR ASKED TO SPEAK TO WHOEVER DEALT WITH SUCH THINGS AND SHE SAID TO CALL THE PEOPLE RPTR PURCHASED IT FROM. RPTR IS ANGRY AT THIS LACK OF RESPONSIBILITY. RPTR FEELS NO MORE OF THESE CHAIRS SHOULD BE DISTRIBUTED UNTIL THIS DEFECT IS CORRECTED, AND THE CHAIRS ALREADY SOLD TO PTS SHOULD BE RECALLED. RPTR IS IN PAIN WITH AN INJURY THAT THEY REQUIRED MEDICAL TREATMENT FOR. RPTR HASN'T SLEPT WELL BECAUSE OF THE PAIN. BEING TIRED AFFECTS HOW WELL RTPR DOES IN THEIR THERAPY SESSIONS. THE POSSIBILITY OF A LONG SERIES OF TREATMENTS IS BEFORE RPTR IF THE WOUND DOESN'T HEAL WELL. RPTR WILL RESORT TO WHATEVER MEANS RPTR NEEDS TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE AND THE LIABILITY OF THOSE MFRS AND DISTRIBUTORS INVOLVED IN INJURY. IF THE "2X4" METHOD IS REQUIRED RPTR IS AN ADVOCATE FOR THE DISABILITY-COMMUNITY. RPTR IS VERY MUCH CONCERNED THAT OTHER PTS WILL BE INJURED BY THIS CHAIR. A DIABETIC PT MIGHT LOOSE A FOOT, A LEG, OR DIE AS A RESULT OF SUCH A CUT.