After the euphoria produced by our recent cruise, life has brought me back down to earth with a very sizeable bump … and I’m left feeling as if I am in a very bad place. As a result, I may not be blogging very much until I feel a lot more mentally positive.
The reason for this is simple; I have been advised not to use the stairlift that was installed just under two years ago because I am too heavy for it to function safely. This means that I now have to use the stairs to get to the first floor of our house to access our bedroom, the toilet, and the bathroom … and I can only do that very slowly using the bannister, a walking stick, and a great deal of care.
It also means that I cannot now access the top floor of our house … which is where my accessible shower room is located as well as my toy/wargame room. The stairs to that floor are too steep and the rise on each tread is too high for me to climb up there using the bannister and a walking stick. As a result of this ban, those rooms are - to all intents and purposes - out of bounds to me until a solution can be found.
So, what are the stairlift company going to do to help find a solution to this problem?
To date, the answer can be summed up in one word … NOTHING!
They regret that this situation has arisen … but there’s nothing they can do to help. My weight gain - which is a side effect of the drugs I take to stop the spread of my prostate cancer - has put me over the weight restriction for the stairlift we bought, even though we were assured that it would be able to cope if this happened.
At the moment, the stairlift is - in effect - a worthless pile of metal and plastic, and the £9,000 of our savings that we spent on it was a total waste of money.
I am currently feeling very depressed … and until I can see some light at the end of this particular tunnel, I know that I will be entertaining a ‘black dog’. Hopefully, the black dog’s visit won’t be too long.
Because I didn’t get this news about the stairlift until after I had written a blog post about our latest cruise, it - and a couple of others that I had already prepared in advance - should be online over the next few days.
Sorry to hear that. That's really shit. Especially if they told you there would be no issues. Hope you can get some sort of resolution soon.
ReplyDeleteAndy McMaster,
DeleteComing as it did just after our dishwasher decided to flood the kitchen (the outlet pipe came off!), I really felt like someone had it in for me!
Ihave now contacted someone at the stairlift company who is trying to find a solution, but I don’t hold out a great deal of hope.
All the best,
Bob
I very seldom post on any blogs I read, but I just wanted so say that I am truly sorry to hear about your added strife. Sometimes life comes at you hard, and keeps adding rocks to an already heavy load to carry.
ReplyDeleteYou have heard all the wellmeaning advice from everyone ad naseum already I am sure, but can´t help myself reminding you to keep to moving around as much as you can downstairs (ie. training) and keeping yourself hydrated.
Know that even if this is (probably, can´t remember) the first time I post on your blog, I have read and thoroughly enjoyed it for years and years. You brighten up my day in a way you probably don´t know everytime you pop up in my RSS-feed.
Cheers
/Skald
Skald,
DeleteThanks for your kind comments, support, and excellent suggestions. I am going out for a short walk later today and will also be doing my daily stint on my pedalling machine. Both of these will help me clear my mind and exercise my legs.
Please feel free to comment again,
Bob
BOB,
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear of your plight- hopefully something can be done to give you back the use of the stairlift. All the best. KEV.
Kev Robertson (Kev),
DeleteThings like this happen sometimes … and my problem is that my first reaction is always rather negative. Luckily, my wife has ways of helping me to cope … and they area,ready beginning to have an effect. Whereas I look at the stairlift and think ‘Thats a pile of useless scrap’, she is researching on the internet for companies that will buy redundant stairlifts!
All the best,
Bob
I'm sorry to hear this Bob. It's completely understandable that it's difficult to find motivation for hobby activities and blogging when facing such challenges. Hopefully things will be better.
ReplyDeleteBest wishes!
Sorry to hear that Bob. Disappointing reaction from the stairlift company. I would never have imagined that the weight limit could be readily exceeded. Seems like a design flaw given the variability in people's weight.
ReplyDeleteYour wife sounds like a gem!
I'm very sorry to hear about your current troubles. I'm sure there has to be some sort of positive resolution possible. I wish you the best of luck.
ReplyDeleteI would keep on the Stairlift group to find a solution. I know that getting in your exercise can be a challenge when you feel this way, but keeping at it improves things. Between my last surgery, neuropathy and an unexpected injury I find walking for exercise a challenge.
ReplyDeleteMy only suggestion is keep doing the things you can do that give you enjoyment.
Sorry to hear of your situation Bob.
ReplyDeleteIs it not possible to use a laptop or phone to post? Perhaps your dear other can bring things down stairs for you?
That's a pretty rubbish situation Bob. I hope you get somthing sorted soon.
ReplyDeleteBob, sorry to hear this.
ReplyDeleteHopefully we will see you on the VWC to cheer you up a bit!
Neil
Sorry to see this, Bob. Based on what the Stair Lift company originally told you, it looks like they have some questions to answer.
ReplyDeleteBob, I am very sorry to hear your news. It seems as if the stairlift company's representatives were too keen to make a sale and let you believe their product would continue to be suitable for you if you gained weight. Perhaps the thought of the bad publicity they will be receiving from your blog and your many readers' reactions reactions to the story might encourage them to be more reasonable. If you were to give us the name of the company we could all bombard them with email complaints. Sue has clearly taken a very pragmatic, practical approach; I hope it may at least lessen your financial loss.
ReplyDeleteBest wishes, Arthur
One might do as my brother did when he received poor service. He placed an advertisement in the local paper. it went something like this:
Delete"I recently purchased the services of Snatch, Grabbit & Runne Corporation. I am a dissatisfied customer. For further details, please ring "
He tells ne the first phone call he got was from the outfit that was the subject of his annoyance.
Cheers,
Ion
So sorry to here of your troubles , I do hope things sort themselves out , Cheers Tony
ReplyDeleteThat royally sucks. It's okay to react that way when it hits you, too. The next step is to try to look at what can be done, after a good wallow. It's great that your wife has ways of helping you cope. Best wishes! I hope something can be sorted out to allow you to enjoy hobbies and do things you want to do, along with things you need to do.
ReplyDeleteBob -
ReplyDeleteThere are times at which one feels the urge to go out and smite something - real hip and thigh country. But there are plenty of curbs to such expressions of rage - not least being one's conscience - which rather stokes up the blood pressure.
It is sad to read of this extra misfortune that has descended upon you, with no satisfactory solution in sight. Of course I have selfish reasons for my reaction to your situation. I'll be missing your entertaining blog posts.
Best regards,
Ion
Bob, that is awful news. How depressing for you. It is no wonder you are feeling the way you do. Keep on at the stairlift folk, hopefully it will worth it.
ReplyDelete