St Jude & Impossible Causes aka Medical Equipment

One of my friends bought an accessible vehicle - about three months ago. She paid for it but hasn't been able to drive it yet because it needed "modifications." So she now owns 2 cars (rather expensive fooling) and has been awaiting the chance to use her new car. She's supposed to pick it up tomorrow - lets all pray nothing (else) goes wrong...so she can actually use the vehicle!

It amazes me how long it takes to get things done in the world of durable medical equipment. I was told it would take two weeks for them to do an adjustment on my wheelchair that involves a few screws and bolts. When I asked what I was to do in the meantime without my wheelchair, I was told "everyone should have a backup wheelchair!" as if I was somehow - irresponsible for not owning two expensive wheelchairs. I eventually decided to live without the adjustment if it meant having to do without my wheelchair for 2 weeks.

My grandmother used to always tell us to pray to St. Jude whenever we faced an impossible task. So I'm in the habit of invoking his name whenever I have to deal with medical equipment now. This way I figure that I might avoid owning two cars, three wheelchairs, and four pairs of quad gloves. If I'm lucky, my wheelchair cushion might not deflate, my tires won't get holes, my gloves won't wear out just when I'm on my last pair and none of the bolts will fall off of - anything. My shower chair won't crack, my trapeze won't come off of the chain when I'm transferring, my hospital bed won't chug to a 'stuck' position and my special eating utensil won't fall off its handle.

As you can see, even when I touch medical equipment, I've been saying these prayers. I've learned over the years that duct tape is a quad's best friend, but praying can't hurt. I now know that if anything, breaks, cracks, falls, sticks, deflates, tears or otherwise malfunctions, it could take weeks or months to get a part. That's under normal circumstances.

On September 9, 2001, I ordered a wheelchair cushion. It was en route to me, urgently shipped, due to a medical problem I had, commonly known as skin breakdown. (Sadly, this is what led to Christopher Reeve's death). In any event, my cushion wound up in a UPS truck stuck around New York city due to the tragedy at the World Trade Center. When it didn't arrive by September 13, my doctor told me to call UPS and explain I needed the cushion.

I felt terrible with all that was going on. But I was told I could wind up in bed for months if I didn't do it, the cushion was special order and I could not get another one anywhere else, so I called UPS. The woman told me they "had their hands full" and I apologized. She kindly said "No, we actually are only trying to retrieve medical items."

I had the cushion the next morning.

St. Jude. I can hear my grandmother saying that.