I have been in a manual wheelchair for 46 years due to a gunshot wound in January 1969.  Recently I have been unable to do a lot of things I was able to do in the past, mainly due to arthritis in my hands and back.  I suffer from debilitating pain in my lower back and spinal cord.  Recently it was recommended that I get a power chair that would allow me to continue living alone and more independently.  The chair is able to do things like raise me to a height where I could reach cabinets and most importantly raise the seat where I could just slide into bed rather than make an upward transfer thus making it safer for me and eliminate the fear of falling.  It also tilts backwards to take pressure off my lower back and spine. I have Medicare insurance but the co-pay is beyond my means. The raising mechanism alone would have to come out of my own pocket.  Then there is the cost of a new cushion. Things that are needed for the disabled are very expensive and I need help to be able to afford something I truly feel is necessary for my continued health and safety.