Last summer, I opened a Twitter account to see what it was all about. At first, I did not get it. It seemed like meaningless chatter, random thoughts that were coming at me too fast to comprehend. Somewhere along the line, it clicked. I began to follow people that I thought would also be interested in following @easystand. Then I met @obahsomah – AKA Deana Watson.
Max feels proud when he stands!
Deana is the mom to Max, who has Metabolic Disorder (and nickanamed “Monster Max” because of the family’s love for the book “Where the Wild Things Are”). Deana was one of my first meaningful connections on Twitter, and we first started chatting about Max’s prior challenges with standing. They tried 4 other standers with Max, and thought that there was no stander that Max could tolerate standing in. They were finally able to try the Bantam with Max, and to their surprise, Max actually enjoyed standing! The natural sit-to-stand transition of the Bantam stander made all the difference for him. But that was not the end of it. They got denied by Blue Cross Blue Shield, and tried Colorado Medicaid. They got denied by Medicaid and appealed. They got denied AGAIN and appealed AGAIN. This time, their hard work paid off and Max was awarded his stander. It took 6 months, but was worth the fight.
You can read the entire story “Monster Max Fights for a Bantam” on our website. I wanted to share this story with you for two reasons:
First, Max’s story is awesome because it’s about determination and focusing on solutions. This family and medical team tried 5 standers and appealed to funding twice until they got exactly what Max needed. Max’s mom is his #1 advocate and she did not stop until she got the equipment that fit Max’s needs perfectly. On top of that, Max has an amazing Physical Therapist and a Supplier who was a “Pro” at funding and appeals. Max is lucky to have such a great team.
Second, I challenge you to make the most of the resources available to you. Social networking opens up doors that were never there before. What connections can you make online that could improve your quality of life, keep you informed, or just be fun? You can connect with peers and EasyStand users on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and forums related to your areas of interest. You can even create your own blog, like Max’s (click on the Monster Max button below) documenting everyday adventures. Who knows, maybe Max would still be searching for the perfect stander today, if his Mom wasn’t on Twitter.
What connections have you made via social networking? What did you think of Max’s story?
It’s been a great help!! I had never thought of following companies before you asked to follow me. I’m really glad you did!!