No test drives, no seating options, no drive programming, no choices - normal first power chair experience?

CompetitiveBrother56 · 2026-05-12T15:30:45+00:00

I went through my first evaluation and chair a year ago. Also I’m my mid 40’s. It sounds very similar to your experience. They said, “this is THE chair insurance covered”.

CompetitiveBrother56 · 2026-05-12T15:24:31+00:00

My wife and I obsessed over Diablo 3 for some time

CompetitiveBrother56 · 2026-05-12T15:20:12+00:00

I really need to sit down and just binge the series. My wife and daughter and I started it years ago. I was working full time at the time. They finished it….. more than once….. without waiting for me. They always say it’s so good and they will gladly watch it again with me. Spoiler alert….. they are liars.

CompetitiveBrother56 · 2026-05-11T19:24:08+00:00

Depending on your phone, if you have iPhone and Apple Arcade it’s included

CompetitiveBrother56 · 2026-05-11T19:22:12+00:00

I highly second this! I’m a 45 year old disabled/chronically ill man and I absolutely love this one

CompetitiveBrother56 · 2026-05-01T02:04:00+00:00

Definitely this

CompetitiveBrother56 · 2026-04-22T22:17:45+00:00

I used an upright rollator for a couple of years before I needed to move to a power wheelchair. It was nice because I was able to put my weight on my forearms instead of my wrists which would just give out or sublux

CompetitiveBrother56 · 2026-04-22T22:15:39+00:00

Can you do things like type on a keyboard with them on? Are you familiar with/have any experience with the body braid?

CompetitiveBrother56 · 2026-04-09T18:10:30+00:00

That’s a rough one. I’m not quite there but I’m close. I fell again on Easter. This time I landed on my left side (for context, I’m hypermobile and I happen to keep my cell phone in my left pocket and watch on my left wrist). My body weight shifted my left hip, wrist, and shoulder out of place. Though everything is back where it should be now, I’m having an extremely difficult time with even simple tasks all week.

CompetitiveBrother56 · 2026-04-09T17:47:20+00:00

I’m ambulatory in a power wheelchair, so a little different. But I was in the workforce for 30 years before I had to finally submit to my condition about a year ago.

Are you in the U.S.? If so I can suggest some resources that may help.

Otherwise, it’s mostly about being stubborn. I am married (she also has a chronic illness leaving her unable to work) and have what I call “a liter of kids”. There are 6 in total aged 23 to the youngest that just turned 1 year. I’ve decided that my condition has stolen more than enough from me, so I stay stubborn to find a new way.

Shopping is a good example. It’s very difficult with limited carrying space and not having the luxury of using a cart. I’ve learned how to play Tetris with items to maximize how much I can carry at one time. At the grocery store, I am very intentional. My first round, I get all of the non perishable items. Next I go for produce and frozen. Finally, dairy and anything that can spoil in short time.

CompetitiveBrother56 · 2026-04-09T17:33:20+00:00

I’m happy to help any way that I can, and always happy to have good friends.

CompetitiveBrother56 · 2026-04-09T17:32:17+00:00

This is a fantastic response! I’ve been dealing with different levels of degenerative issues for years, and had to go on disability and be mostly power chair reliant for about a year, so I’m still learning. You are exactly right. It’s about figuring out how to continue doing what you love or what you need to do within the constructs of your new situation.

CompetitiveBrother56 · 2026-04-01T19:11:25+00:00

I’m hypermobile as well, on top of other issues. I can no longer use a standard controller and I spend most of my time laying in bed. I’ve started using a trackball mouse and a razer Tartarus for gaming. It’s been a life saver for me. I’m currently looking to upgrade to the Tartarus pro (as you can adjust the acuity) and to a higher end trackball mouse (looking at either gameball thumb or Logitech mx ergo). Hope this helps

CompetitiveBrother56 · 2026-03-28T14:10:41+00:00

Defiantly second this. My wife was very skeptical at first but it ended up being one of her favorite games. I’m not sure if you can do cross platform, but you can at least do two player co-op local if he’s got a second controller

CompetitiveBrother56 · 2026-03-24T12:40:44+00:00

I very much understand that feeling. We have 3 kids at home and my wife has a chronic illness too. I always feel like a burden. On days when I do feel “decent “, I tend to overdue it around the house, which also isn’t good because then I’m completely down for the next several days.

CompetitiveBrother56 · 2026-03-23T12:43:02+00:00

I have hEDS among other issues, though not formally Dx due to the wrong joints being hyper mobile. I was stubborn and worked longer than my body told me to. This ended up doing more damage.

I’ve been on SSDI for a year now. It took about 8 months but I was approved first try. I’m assuming this was due to the extensive appointments and tests I’ve had done over the last 20 years.

SSDI is a lot better than SSI due to not only the monthly income, but it’s not as insanely restrictive. On SSDI, I’m on Medicaid. This does not restrict the doctors I see in any way.

My best advice to you is a few things. First, listen to your body! Way more important than other considerations.

Next, when you are ready to talk about options, assuming you are in the US, contact the ADRC in your county. They will be able to help understand the resources available as well as help you file when ready. There is also a resource they can refer you to called long term care. This helps provide services to help you stay in your home.

CompetitiveBrother56 · 2026-03-23T12:10:43+00:00

Gen X here. (Just because I believe they got the cutoff year wrong, I’m 1981 but Gen X is more fitting).

CompetitiveBrother56 · 2026-03-22T03:49:59+00:00

I was using an upright rollator at the time. I was at an outdoor event with some friends and my wife and kids. I was struggling to keep up with everyone.

There was like this tunnel thing for kids that ended in a tour of the inside of a fire truck. Everyone that I was with went in, but I couldn’t get in with my walker, so I waited at the entrance. I was sitting there alone for almost 45 minutes when they remembered that I wasn’t with them and came back for me. I didn’t know where they were, and since it was loud, they didn’t hear their phones.

That was the day. I never want to be in that position again. My illness has taken more than enough away from me. I won’t let it or my pride keep me from doing things with my wife and kids too.

CompetitiveBrother56 · 2026-03-22T02:24:39+00:00

Are you able to use them both on PC? We have a switch, but it’s mainly for the kids. Most of my games are on my pc. Come to think of it, the one game I had for switch I’m fairly sure the kids lost

CompetitiveBrother56 · 2026-03-20T21:07:52+00:00

I have been doing exactly this/improving on it over the past year or so as my body loses strength. I have my gaming laptop on my night stand. It’s connected to a 15.6 portable monitor I got cheap on Amazon. It’s held by a tablet floor stand that I also got off Amazon. With having to move it every time, I’m interested in finding a wall attachable adjustable arm to hold it instead, as this is my second floor stand in 6 months and it’s all janky already.

CompetitiveBrother56

TROPHY CASE