After 1879 hours DS' Vest is Kaput

[Ratatosk]

Out of the blue at 11:30 pm last night, DS's vest was no more. Came downstairs to see a call for service message with an error code. Tried plugging and unplugging to no avail. Left a message for the Vest provider which had since closed. Sigh. And they never called back, so I contacted customer service. The rep was positive I could get it restarted by plugging in and unplugging based on the code #5. Nope! Heck I'd been checking and rechecking, plugging and unplugging last night and early this morning because performing CPT on my beast of a teenager for 30 minutes, 3 times a day. Yay! He isn't too thrilled and neither am I. He doesn't fit on my lap anymore and his armpits are extremely ticklish. Oh well, he knows he's not going to be able to avoid it

Replacement is due to arrive tomorrow afternoon. We've survived two beatments. Three more to go (fingers crossed). It is what it is. Always happens at the most inopportune time -- Christmas Eve a few years ago was the last time.

 

[stylecomfy]

"Beatments" lol. Good luck, hope it arrives soon!

 

[Ratatosk]

Finally arrived this morning. Usually we have a little bit of a warning -- starts growling, throws an error code and then works fine after unplugging, turns on mysteriously by itself at night... This time, just found it turned on by itself with an error code. Not surprising that it did finally break down as the last time this happened was 3 1/2 years ago.

 

[Gammaw]

So glad you received your replacement Ratatosk! Which vest do you use? It just seems like it didn't last very lone and I'm wondering how long our old workhorse will last!

 

[Ratatosk]

Our vest is a Hill Rom 105. First Vest he got at age 3 was a Hill Rom 104. This last one lasted 3 1/2 years. I have an online friend whose daughter's is 7 years old, got hers at age 10 months and has over 2200 hours on it. I think the issue is when they send you a new one, it's refurbished. One of my friends just had to replace both her son and daughter's vests. One had 1400 hours, the other only 700. They don't make them like they used to because I recall a few years ago telling someone about the "new" programmable vest, they still had the old 80 pound workhorse and it was still working, so they had a heck of a time getting an upgrade.

 

[Gammaw]

Thanks Ratatosk. I was just being curious. I get the impression that Hill Rom's are the most common vest. We have the Respirtech InCourage models but we've only had two during the 10 years we've had a vest. I suspect their all have their foibles and yes, when ours was replaced it was probably a refurbished one as well. I've kept the little black wand they issued us when he was a baby - just in case we get stuck! Fortunately we haven't really had to use it again.

 

[MissAlexsBP]

Hi @Ratatosk! I am glad to hear you received your replacement Vest! Hill-Rom has had top notch customer service, in my experience, so I hope they were as good to you!