DURABLE MEDICAL DEVICES

I RAN WITH ALL THE CONCERN OF A PARENT BUILDING A SUPPORT LADDER FOR HER OWN CHILD. My husband's neice was designated with muscular dystrophy, set up with a wheelchair and a device to keep her sitting efect in the chair by velcro chest belt. EASTER SEALS was the first thing that came to mind as an assistive organization. Their claim for ammending the crippeld in families caring for them for their dystrophy or sclerosis, blindness or other debilitating health crisis was undaunted by any other American entity. I found the address and drove my husband, his mother and his neice who was under the charge of her grandmother, to the address of record. I sat in the lobby as they rattled out answer after answer to questions thrown at them until they hit a snag. The mother of the disabled child needed to be there. They were given another date to appear... with the mother and potentially, the father of the child. Before service could be rendered, signatures of her parents had to be acquired. We all piled into the car after reaching the parking lot and space that I had so hurriedly accomplished. It hadn't occurred to me that my husband's brother would need to have come with us. With their given directions, we stopped by the apartment where they lived to find them not at home, then left a hand scratched note on the door to inform them of the emergent promising resolve for the source of their born frustration. They needed to arrange a date to be taken along with their four year old daughter, or arrange for taxi transportation that could get them to the far west suburb address. She had been diagnosed with muscular dystrophy after medical intervention over the first few years of her life. Sometime during those appointments to determine the reason for her curled up fetal position, her father had not returned. The harsh reality of his chid's condition and the time and expenses he and his wife would endure while making an attempt at unfolding life as near normal as possible for their daughter hit him hard. It must have hit his wife equally hard, she never showed up at the apartment where her daughter was being maintained by her inlaws.

By her fifth birthday she was issued prescription for a chair that could allow ease in moving her around and hold her close to erect as she sat in the seat. The next concern was that of straightening her pelvis to allow for sitting level on the seat. That was done over several operations which found family members feining over the aspect of pain and discomfort being caused her in the name of "healing." The procedures caused her to require everything from an over bed trolley system to lift her out of bed, a mobilized bed that allowed her to sit up while her body healed from the muscle, bone and sinew cutting and manipulation; and for being washed by her grandmother who was determined to see her through her agonies. By start of school there was only one pelvic repositioning operation to be made. I was no longer attached to the family by marriage to Nita's uncle, but I felt they could handle it on their own. Decisions were made as to who would care for her in the event that she was abandoned by or lost her own parents... my exhusband and one of her aunts stepped up to name themselves for the task. They would be the ones to carry her into adult life if the time arose.

So many children are born with debilitating health conditions or fall victim to health crisis in their early years of life. I was put to task of decision on by hearing aids for a toddler/preschool child or "doing the next best thing" of succombing to installing a cochlear implant to allow hearing for my child. Easter Seals was being searched out as a support entity to our family situation of child hearing loss. It was something not ascribed to by Easter Seals and was mandated as"an elective" health solution... it would have to be covered out of pocket for either approach to corrective hearing for my child. With cochlear implant being so costly, unpredictable and garish after recieving the implant (water could not be encountered in the area of the device by the wearer of the device) meaning he could not splash in a pool, swim and would need to be cautious when bathng or getting his hair washed. I opted for the hearing aid.... dual hearing aids at $2700 for his first pair. Many have opted for the bone cutting implant in the nearnes of bone behind their ears. Many go through day to day routines with the "hole in their head" hearing device. Advances have been made in the technology for improved hearing for children or the elderly; but it remains that hearing devices are not covered under the categorical list of DURABLE MEDICAL DEVICES. My own child's father was never available to know the events surrounding the onset of hearing loss for his child. He was preoccupied with his own life goals and anxietites... unnecessary for the continuation of life for his children... son or daughter. The expenses were handled with positive results.

Categorizing devices that maintain life or assist with easing life despite medical conditions to include such equipment as hearing aids for children, infrared light sauna for muscle/bone/skin ailments or rheumatism or extreme cases of arthritis, extended bifocals for blind or near blind should be reconsidered as add-ons to the list of wheelchairs, spitoons, hernia pads and assistve devices to aid the disabled or injured.

The most common examples of durable medical equipment used outside of a hospital include:

Kidney machines

Traction equipment

Orthotics

Prostheses

Oxygen concentrators, monitors, ventilators, and related supplies.

Personal care aids like bath chairs, dressing aids, and commodes.

Mobility aids such as walkers, canes, crutches, wheelchairs, and some scooters.

Bed equipment like hospital beds, pressure mattresses, bili lights and blankets, and lift beds.

These, as listed by most health insurance, are the only ongoing health expenses available for assistance with funding.