Hi again, Daryl!  This is a continuation of my previous message to you:   
      
   DS>  I saw a T-shirt once that noted "I'm here to save your   
   DS>  butt, not kiss it"!!   
      
      
             Good one... [chuckle].   
      
      
      
   DS>  To medical people, nudity means nothing to them. So, when   
   DS>  they tell me to get naked, I used to reply "how fast??".   
      
      
             Uh-huh.  I'll ask if it's really necessary to remove xxx and/or warn   
   them that it could take me awhile, but I don't object....  :-)   
      
      
      
   DS>  Unfortunately, the arthritis has gotten so bad in my arms   
   DS>  and legs now, I have to literally have them undress and   
   DS>  dress me again. I can take care of that at home, but the   
   DS>  height of the exam tables in the hospitals and doctors   
   DS>  offices is difficult to work with...and I'm afraid I'll   
   DS>  fall if I'm not careful.   
      
      
             We have similar problems WRT our daughter... no, she can't "just hop   
   up" onto the examining table.  When the patient arrives with a cane, a walker,   
   or a wheelchair you might think they'd have a clue.  Perhaps you find yourself   
   explaining the same things over & over again.  I get tired of explaining why I   
   won't even attempt to carry a 300 lb. wheelchair (not to mention the weight of   
   the passenger!) up & down a flight of stairs, for example.  OTOH, I'm grateful   
   that folks with special needs don't have to hide in the back bedroom nowadays.   
   Evidently my assignment is to make clear to others what our needs are....  :-)   
      
      
      
   DS>  I'm using a cane more and more often, and may end up with   
   DS>  doing likewise with a walker (if not a wheelchair) as well.   
      
      
             I know many people who use one or another, depending on how far they   
   are going.  If you have difficulty getting up onto an examining table & you're   
   concerned about falling I think you'd be a lot happier with a power chair than   
   with a scooter.  I'll gladly share with you the various reasons we decided the   
   former was preferable in our daughter's case at such time as the bean counters   
   would like you to use a "shoprider" because the $$$ is considerably less.  ;-)   
      
      
      
      
   --- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+   
    * Origin: Wits' End, Vancouver CANADA (1:153/716)