From the time Cheryl lost her ability to stand, the problem of transferring in and out of the wheelchair became overwhelming.  She didn’t have the strength to use a transfer board to move herself.  KJ had back issues and was unable to lift her, even with a lifting belt.  We were dependent on Cheryl’s ability to stand for many years and without that we found ourselves in compromised positions more than once.  It is difficult to maintain one’s dignity when outsiders are needed for simple tasks like getting in/out of bed or on/off the toilet.

After some trial and error, we settled on a Hoyer lift as our solution to the problem.  We rented a power lift that folded up for a trial period.  Our insurance would not pay for that device so we backed off to a manual lift with a hydraulic pump.  We still have that original lift and use it for traveling.  That is because it fits in our handicapped van without being broken down into pieces.  It also rolls through hotel lobbies and cruise ships relatively easily.

As KJ’s back problems became more severe (ultimately requiring surgery), we investigated a power lift once again. Nothing had changed with our insurance (it would not pay for a power lift) but we made a deal.  Insurance paid the amount they would have paid to replace the manual lift and we paid the difference to get the power lift.  That lift has a larger footprint than the manual lift and is harder to break down into pieces.  However, it does offer major relief for KJ’s back and is well worth the outlay we made.

In our next Blog entry, we will explain the challenges we have faced using our lift in hotels.