Best New Years Gift Ever!

Best gift of the New Year.

I never thought I would be so excited about getting a new toilet, sink and shower, but my new fully wheelchair accessible bathroom has made such a difference in my life, my attitude, my outlook, and my dignity.. that I believe this to be a life-changing event.

Let me go back to the beginning. I was diagnosed 10 years ago with the neuro- muscular disease. No treatment, no cure. It’s progressive and over the years I have gone from using a cane to a walker, to a power wheelchair. I can no longer drive, walk or work. The last few years, even though my husband put up grab bars in the bathroom, I began having trouble using the shower and toilet. This also became a safety issue. I needed help getting in and out and up and down; very depressing for a formally active, independent woman.

I collect Social Security disability, and there is no way I could afford major renovations to my home. The outlook was dismal. Then I heard about a program through the state of Arizona Independent Living Rehabilitation Services. It is designed to allow people with disabilities to stay in their home rather than have to go into a nursing home for care. It sounded too good to be true, but I thought I would apply anyway.

In late 2009, I called and set up an appointment for an interview with a counselor.
We spent a few hours with Susan, discussing my diagnoses, my needs and our financial situation. She thought the program could help me. Several weeks later they called to set up an appointment for an Occupational Therapist to come to my home and help decide what renovations would benefit me the most.

It was decided that the bathroom was the number one priority. However, I have a minivan that had an old wheelchair lift in the back that had seen better days. It was also becoming more and more difficult for my husband to get me into and out of the passenger seat of the van when we went out. So it was also recommended to provide me with a new lift and power seat. The seat actually comes out of the van and lowers to the ground by a remote control, and then lifts me back up into the Van. This is one of the most amazing things I’ve ever seen!

Of course, before any of this became a reality, they had to get approval.
Before that happened, the economy crashed, and the program lost its funding :-(.
To say I was upset is an understatement. But this is not the end of the story.

In April of 2010 I received a letter from the agency saying they had gotten more funding, and I was on top of the list again. Joy! They were now going to send another OT to the house to review my case again. The second therapist agreed with the first report that the priorities were making my bathroom wheelchair accessible, and adapting my Van so that I could go out into the community.

Again, we had to wait for approval since the cost of this was going to be significant. I waited. I began to get discouraged and wondered if this was ever going to happen. Then I received an e-mail saying that the van modifications were approved, and someone would contact me soon to schedule a time to make the modifications. Next they scheduled time for a contractor to come to the house and look at the bathroom and make his recommendations. Again, it had to go in for approval because of the high cost. Again, I waited.

Just before Thanksgiving of 2010, I was told that the bathroom modifications were approved and would start shortly.

Next thing I knew there were workmen, noise and dust all over my house.
The tub came out and a flat wheelchair accessible roll in shower went in. A fold down seat was installed, the vanity cabinet came out and a pedestal type sink was installed so that my wheelchair could fit under it. A new ADA type toilet with wraparound grab bars was installed, with maybe the best thing of all, a bidet, with a self warming toilet seat! This would allow me to conduct my daily personal hygiene with some measure of privacy and dignity. Don’t laugh, it works. They installed a cabinet with shelves and drawers so that I could also use this space as a dressing area.

Since this is also our guest bathroom. I really wanted it to look nice, so I bought a new shower curtain, a new light fixture, some pictures for the walls, new towels and my new bathroom looks like something out of house beautiful. It is Functional and safe for me, and beautiful for guests. I could not be happier.

Thank you AZ!