[Blind-rollers] New Member

[Holly Alonzo]

Hello everyone.  I was on this list once before, but got off of it for
whatever reason.  Now I am back with more questions and needing support.

I am totally blind and while I was pregnant with my son 2 years ago I
started losing my hearing.  Now I have lost one hear completely and the
other ear mostly.  Since the tuor that I have is an acoustic neuroma on
the 8th nerve which controls not only hearing, but also balance, well
I'm vertually drunk all day every day.  

With each day that passes my balance get worse and worse.  I have fallen
countless times.  I am afraid that oone of these day I'm going to fall
and break my nec or something very very dangerous.  Right now I live in
Asheville, NC which is in the mountains.  That is like even worse with
the balance.  Right now I use a walker, but it still can't make me catch
myself whenever I'm already falling.  My vistibular system is wack.

So I'm leaning more to a power chair.  I have tumors in my spine and
don't think I would be strong enough to push myself, especially up all
these sloping sidewalks, driveways, etc of the mountains of Asheville.
I am going to be moving back to Arkansas, flat land, soon though  just
because these mountains are killing me.  I'm afraid to go out of my
house alone afraid of falling.  I always feel like crying when I go out.
It's so hard and I have to concentrate so intently not to lose my
balance and thinking about it only make the balance worse and I have to
go sooooo slow.

So I think really a chair would be best for me.  I just am suck because
balance is terrible now, but being in a chair, will that make it worse?
My right leg is already weak.  The quads are basically non existant and
PT never could get it back.  There's nerve damage and really not way to
get it back.  I have nothing to lock my knees so it can buckle very
easily.  And since that leg is not strong I have trouble keepingthe
balance, then throw in all the other vistibular problems.

How does mobility in a chair work?  Is it hard?  One thing I was
thinkingabout, I know I'm paranoid.  I know there are seat belts, but
what if the chair tips overand you're strapped in then that heavy chairs
falls on you.  What would you do?  How likely is it to tip?  Have any of
you tipped it?

Also what would be the best type of chair to get considering I'm blind
and don't have my own car to adapt and also won't have public
transportation in Arkansas to call a Van and make surethey have a lift
and those little wheel locks like paratranset.  Would a folding
powerchair be good?  Do any of you have one of those?

Help, I'm full of question.  Smiles.

Holly