When John, the sales rep, first showed me the cushion I laughed at him. No way was that hard piece of foam going to help me out.

Blessed with a flat ass it didn’t matter what kind of seating cushion or wheelchair system I used, pressure mapping always showed a hotspot at the point of my left ishey. Not surprising that after 30 years, my bottom finally gave out and I came down with chronic osteomyelitis. I needed surgery to remove bone and years of callused scar tissue from my bottom.

This, and a year in bed, I was ready to try something new.

The only reason I looked at this cushion was because I had run out of solutions. My plastic surgeon told me that I needed to do pressure releases every 15 minutes. The recommendation was impractical at best. A C4 quadriplegic for over 30 years, I drive with a chin control. A real pressure release requires tilting and reclining to an absurd angle, one that would cause me to no longer be able to reach my chin control, stranding me like a turtle on his back. Secondly, my job requires that I chair (no pun intended) meetings and do presentations that can last an hour or more. Like I said, impractical; and I’m sure I’m not alone in this reality.

I’ve been using the Java Cushion for six months-so far so good. With the Ride seating cushion, there is zero pressure on my bottom; zero. When checking my skin at the end of the day, I no longer have to worry about whether my cushion is inflated to the right level. The guesswork is gone. In addition, the cushion keeps me centered and in a sitting position that is far better for my posture. Do I still need pressure releases, absolutely, but I can do them on my time.