There are many kinds of lifts you might like to acquire. Such as an emotional lift, or a face lift, or an elevator lift to your penthouse apartment, or maybe a lift to town to collect your mega-lottery winnings. But there’s one you might wish you could avoid.

When son Matthew’s doctor was discussing his discharge from the hospital this week, and his current mobility issues, he said, “I’m ordering a hoyer lift to be delivered to your home on Monday”. Matt’s sister and caregiver Susy was not happy with this development, as I’ll explain in a minute.

The hoyer lift was invented by an American named Ted Hoyer in the 1940s. I found this description of him on medmartonline.com:

In September 1936 Ted Hoyer was a 16-year-old student-athlete who, because of a minor injury, had to sit out an away game. Wanting to cheer on his teammates, he got a ride from a friend to the game. Unfortunately, the two friends got into a car accident on the way and Ted suffered serious injuries, including a severed spinal cord. From that moment on, Ted was a quadriplegic. 

Despite his injuries, Ted went on to operate a magazine sales and subscription business and wrote for various publications. In 1949, Ted and his cousin, Victor Hildemann, built what would become the first Hoyer powered patient lift so that Ted could enjoy independence and mobility throughout his busy workday. Manufactured in Ted’s double garage, the lift was later described in the local newspaper, The Oshkosh Northwestern:
“The device, which gently and easily lifts the handicapped person from bed and lowers him into a wheelchair, is so versatile that it is also used to help the patient in and out of automobiles.”

Thanks to her own reasoning, inventiveness, and whatever training she has gleaned from physical therapists, she tries to use Matt’s own strength to help her move him, and so far it has worked FAR better than the way two nurses together do it if they’re only using their own muscle.

The doctor is right though. It’s getting too risky for both Susy and Matt. Therefore, we shall behold the hoyer lift arriving in a blaze of glory to Kartar Ridge Ranch on Monday. And maybe Susy will learn to like it once she gets acquainted. After all, the hoyer lift is sometimes referred to as “The Steel Nurse”, and so is our own mighty Susy.

Of course, we don’t have any room for it. It’s going to have to take up residence in our living room – along with Matt’s bulky Nu-Step recumbent trainer, his power wheelchair, manual wheelchair with table, large recliner and various medical appliances and supplies.

We’ll be looking forward to a visit from you soon, but don’t be surprised if you’re greeted with, “C’mon right in! So glad you could come. Pull up a wheelchair and sit down!”