AT LAST! A POOL FRIENDLY TO AQUATIC THERAPY

As I said in my previous post, after our Georgia experience, finding a home in a community with a pool, friendly to aquatic therapy, was a must for us.
Sun City Center in Florida offered that. Its walking pool was exactly what we were looking for: 51 Feet long by 38 Feet wide and 3 1/2 Feet deep on the outer edge and 4 1/2 Feet deep on the inside at the center of the pool; under roof, with a water temperature of 89 to 92 degrees and a hydraulic lift that made it possible for my husband to get me in and out of it.
We started going to the pool immediately! It was a tremendous effort on me as well as on my husband, because we had to do so many transfers. 1. - Get me into our car; 2.- Take me out of the car; 3.- Lift me from my wheelchair into the lift chair and then, after we were done at the pool, do all three steps in reverse. At first I was terrified not only by having to transfer so many times but also of standing in the water. Not being into a pool for over 18 months had erased my muscles' memory on how much easier was to stand in the water. It took me some three weeks to feel confident and truly enjoyed the experience. But I was doing it!!
Remembering the words of advice of my doctor: Spend your actual supply of dysferlin -he said-, with the same prudence as you would spend money in a savings account that you know you will not be able to replenish. I was careful avoiding burnout, luckily God sent me an angel to coach me. Among the users of the pool was a gentleman that knew many exercises to help strengthen the muscles and he was kind enough to teach them to me. So, little by little I started gaining my strength.  Some days I was able to walk twice around the perimeter of the whole pool. I was thrilled; my husband was thrilled, even many of the other good people that exercised in that pool were thrilled with my improvement!  
My good fortune lasted until my husband's took his aneurysm annual scan. His cardiologist told him that the aneurysm had grown and it was time to do an Endovascular repair, which is a procedure that helps reinforced the weakened section of the aorta to prevent rupture of the aneurysm. His first recommendation was not to lift heavy weights: 'You are a ticking bomb' he said 'any effort can set you up'. We stopped going to the pool.
Again, the only way I had to exercise my muscles was interrupted. Again, my muscles were left to forget what they were supposed to do… "If you don't train your muscles, they won't be able to produce the force necessary to do it, even though your nerves know exactly which order to activate," Said Malene Lindholm, a molecular exercise physiologist at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm. Original article on Live Science.
It was then that I began thinking on how convenient it would be to have your own little pool at home. But at the same time I also realized that in order for a handicapped person like me to use a pool even at home, a lift would be needed and then of course a person to help the handicapped get on and off that lift also would be a must! In other words: MONEY, LOTS AND LOTS OF MONEY!!!


ARTICLES YOU MIGHT LIKE TO READ
https://www.wrightpt.com/aquatic-therapy-principles/
https://www.endlesspools.com/news/article/muscular-dystrophy

LOOKING BACK

I very much regret not doing Aquatic Therapy since early diagnosed.

OTHER IMPORTANT DEVICES

Life is a constant succession of challenges. And those challenges seem to triple when you are handicapped. But the universal advice to confront life's challenges is the same for able and disables:  SMILE!!!

So, since I could not go to the pool to do my aquatic exercises I would like to at least get a good night sleep. I was now in year 18 of dealing with Muscular Dystrophy.  My muscles were losing power by the day (or so it seemed to me) I was finding it very difficult to turn myself one way or the other while in bed. Not being able to change position is hard at any time but at night, the darkness and the quietness made it terrifying. I began to have very bad nights; I couldn't find sleep or even worse, in the little periods when I went to sleep I would have nightmares which made me wake up screaming. This very difficult situation made me think that I needed a special bed. Someone told me Medicare would give handicapped people a hospital bed so I started researching that idea.
I found out that if you are a Medicare beneficiary enrolled in Original Medicare (Part A and Part B) your Part B benefits may cover 80% of the allowable charges for hospital beds after you meet your Part B deductible. YOUR doctor, as well as the durable medical equipment (DME) supplier must participate in the Medicare program. Getting Medicare to cover a hospital bed at home is not a process you get done in one day. First, a doctor must deem the hospital bed necessary, and therefore, prescribe it for use in an individual’s home. Prior to being issue with a prescription for the hospital bed the patient will have to be submitted to a face to face evaluation with a physician’s assistant, nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, or physician. During this encounter, the physician or practitioner must document in the patient’s medical record: 1. An in person face-to-face examination with the treating practitioner (Medical Doctor (MD), physician assistant (PA), nurse practitioner (NP) or clinical nurse specialist (CNS)) and, 2. The treating practitioner must document that the beneficiary was evaluated and/or treated for a condition that supports the need for the item(s) of DME ordered; and, 3. The face-to-face examination must have occurred sometime during the six (6) months prior to the date of the order for the item.
Also, since Medicare does not pay for full-electric hospital beds under just any circumstance, The following qualification criteria need to be documented in the patients’ medical record notes to qualify for the prescribed equipment. 　Note: face to face and justification notes are valid for six months.

Electric hospital bed: One of 1-4 AND 5 need to be sufficiently documented to support the need for the prescribed equipment.

1. Explain the patient’s medical condition that requires positioning of the body in ways not feasible with an ordinary bed. Note: Elevation of the head/upper body less than 30 degrees does not usually require the use of a hospital bed. Or

2. Explain why the patient requires positioning of the body in ways not feasible with an ordinary bed in order to alleviate pain.　 Or

3. Explain why patient requires the head of the bed to be elevated more than 30 degrees most of the time due to congestive heart failure, chronic pulmonary disease, or problems with aspiration: Or

4. Explain why the patient requires traction equipment, which can be attached to a hospital bed. AND

5. Explain why the patient requires frequent changes in body position and/or has an immediate need for a change in body position. (https://homehealthunited.org/professional/hme/documentation-needs/electric-hospital-bed/)
In order to expedite the process it is imperative for the patient or family to find a reliable supplier. Working with an experienced supplier of durable medical equipment (DME), who is well aware and knows the Guide to Medicare Coverage will increase your chances of getting coverage in a timely manner.

It is VERY IMPORTANT that the patient that is going to use the bed pays a lot of attention when choosing the kind of mattress. Please stay tuned for my next post discussing about different types of mattresses. 

ARTICLES YOU MIGHT LIKE TO READ

https://medicare.com/coverage/medicare-cover-hospital-beds/
https://dmeevalumate.com/CMS

LOOKING BACK

I should had looked into getting a hospital bed earlier