Ongoing Saga of New Shower Stool (Chapter 2)

[Virginia]

For those of you who did not see it and are interested please see post 281 in June Chit/chat for Chapter 1.

Today I decided it was time to use my new shower stool. I, of course, had set on it and it seemed fairly sturdy, shorter than my older one which I did not like, but otherwise usable.

I got in shower, washed hair, put conditioner on it, shaved legs, scrubbed back, then started to wash body prior to rinsing conditioner off my hair. I dropped the soap. I was trying to find it on the floor of the shower when all of a sudden one leg of the stool pulled apart, as I kept trying to find soap the other leg on the same side fell apart. Then I reached up to hold on to a little rod that is built into the shower and knocked the shampoo, conditioner and back scrubber onto the floor. The back scrubber came apart into two pieces.

I was thinking what will I do, I have to get this conditioner out of my hair and no place to sit. I finally reached up and grabbed the little rod that is built in, hung onto that with one hand and tried to wash conditioner out of hair with the other. Finally, found more soap in dish and finished washing body and got out of the shower. Then I had to pick up the conditioner, shampoo and back scrubber and put it together.

That shower stool is still sitting in the shower, broken and I am not sure I will ever trust it again.

For some reason my hair looked better than usual. Probably because the conditioner stayed in longer.

[stillstANNding]

So glad you wern’t hurt, Virginia.

Bad, bad stool!

ANN

[agate]

There's always a bright side, I guess--and it looks as if you've found it: cleaner hair. But what a price to pay!

You could have been badly hurt with all of that going on. All of that slippery stuff spilling around with water involved--!

I'd look into that shower stool's assembly instructions very carefully. Maybe one little part was missing or in at a funny angle, and that may have caused the thing to fall apart. Is there an online product listing where people have posted their comments? Others may have had similar problems--and may have solutions.

It might be so defective that you should get a refund and try a different type. I certainly wouldn't want to try using it again in the shower unless I was absolutely sure it wouldn't do that again.

I'd like to know how you solve this problem. Did you find the shower chair through one of the medical equipment companies? I think they have to come up to certain safety standards, and it doesn't sound as if your shower chair is safe at all.

[Howie]

My solution is, I never take a shower, I take only baths. My balance and endurance to take a shower are gone. Besides, I like being able to relax in a tub of water. Getting in and out require the most concentration.

[Virginia]

Howie, my days of getting out of a tub are long gone. I would be able to get in, but not out.

Agate, when I get rested up I am going to look at that stool, but I feel sure I will do something to get rid of it. It will be very hard to send back because of the shape. I ordered it on line, I think it was Bed Bath & Beyond. You know you get wiser and smarter as you do these things (hopefully). The first one I got was from a Medical Supply store, but it would be hard for me to get to them again even if they are still in business. That is the only one I have had, so I just thought no big deal. However, they had already put it together and it was very sturdy.

[agate]

I've seen many customer complaints about products where the seller tried hard to help by offering to send another item. You might want to try that route.

Or give the company's 800 number a call with your receipt in hand. Sometimes the company doesn't even want the defective product sent back. They tell you to do what you want with it, and they send you a new one that isn't defective. I've had this happen a couple of times.

[Virginia]

Agate, I did order it from Bed Bath & Beyond, but it was shipped from HealthSmart of Waukegan, Ill.

I might try starting out with Bed Bath & Beyond to see if I can get a refund. I read where it says if any parts are missing to call the company, but it doesn't say anything about defective equipment. The stool is a DMI.

[nuthatch]

Oh Virginia, I'm so glad you weren't hurt!

Here is a bath bench like I had. Kind of pricey but very sturdy. The handles on the sides are helpful when getting up and the legs can be adjusted for your desired height.
Only registered and activated users can see links., Click Here To Register...

Here's a similar one with a back, for less $. Holds up to 500 lbs.!
Only registered and activated users can see links., Click Here To Register...

[Virginia]

Thanks Nuthatch, I appreciate the site and information. I am also glad I was not hurt.

[Sunshine]

Virginia, what brand of shower stool was it? Was it a standard brand like Drive?

In my shower I use a shower chair, not stool. I use stools for my vanity seat, and my outdoor pool shower and my cooking seats. I want the sturdiness of a chair for in the shower due to the slippery circumstances...

[Virginia]

I guess it is a Drive. It is a DMI which I assume is the same.

[Earth Mother 2 Angels]

((((((Virginia)))))) ~

What a scary and precarious experience!

I'm not sure whether DMI is Drive. All of the Drive equipment we've had have the Drive logo. Here's Drive's offering on stool, chairs and benches:

Only registered and activated users can see links., Click Here To Register...

It would be very helpful, if you could have a consult with an Occupational Therapist, who could recommend safety features to add to your bathroom, and ways to prevent conditioners and liquids from spilling onto the shower floor.

You could have been severely injured, and if the stool is defective, then the manufacturer or Bed Bath and Beyond should refund your money.

I hope you find the right stool or chair for your shower.

Love & Light,



Rose

[agate]

Virginia, I looked at Bed Bath and Beyond's shower chairs, and it looks as if DMI and Drive are two different companies as Rose thought.

I found at least one Drive type of shower chair where there have been a number of complaints about the kind of problem you had.

It makes me wonder about how safe shower chairs are in general. It looks as if you need to be very very careful in what you choose.

[Virginia]

Agate, yes you are right in that I need to be careful and especially if I am the one putting it together. That is why I think I will try to find a local Medical Supply and then see if my sister-in-law can pick it up for me. She thinks there is one close to where they live. I can use my old one until then. The rust didn't come up off the floor anyway with that oxy clean.

Rose, thanks for the link. There are two solid places to sit all my bathing and shampooing stuff on with a little bar in between. However, as I was grabbing for the bar I was also knocking everything else down. So I think the layout of the shower is alright. It was just the circumstances, which I hope will never happen again. Too nerve racking.