An Adjustable Bed

After months of pricing, pondering, and procrastinating, I've finally gotten myself an adjustable bed. This is one of the most difficult purchases I have made of late, the combination of cost and alternatives continuing to drive me to delay. In the end, after all considerations, the queen sized adjustable bed just seemed to be the right way to go.

I had saved, and have been holding onto savings for the better part of a year.  I've been hiding that money, from myself as well as others, so it would be there when I finally decided what to do. It's true that the ALS Society oif Alberta would have provided me with a single sized hospital bed, one with all the bells and whistles. However my experience in hospitals has profoundly affected my view of these beds in the negative. Hospital beds are made for the hospital, not for the sleeper. They are narrow and short. My feet always hang over the end.

Buying a used bed was big on my list. In fact that's why I've taken so long to make this decision. I've been checking online week after week to see what I could get. What's interesting is that the price differential between a used adjustable bed and a new adjustable bed is usually about $200. In some cases the used beds actually cost more than the low end new beds.

So I looked on Amazon for the lowest priced head and foot adjustable bed. Interestingly enough, the bed I eventually selected has some higher end features that beds in this class usually don't have. For example there is a massage function along with a Zero G setting, plus the ubiquitous USB ports that seem to come attached to almost every piece of furniture these days.

The bed is a Classic Brands Comfort Adjustable Bed Base with Massage, Wireless Remote and USB Ports, Queen Sized. I managed to get it when it was $100 off the list price. Why I don 't know. Amazon still confuses me sometimes. I also managed to get free shipping! It is now sitting, unassembled, in my living room. That's the last most frustrating part of this whole exercise. I've got the bed, but I lack the strength to assemble it. Fortunately Dion is coming over in about 3 hours to take over that part.

Note that I have said nothing about a mattress. I can save about $450 by using my existing inner coil mattress. This is your standard mattress, the kind most of us have. These mattresses are probably the worst performing for an adjustable bed, a trade-off I have to  make right now. Better to have this than spent even more money. I want to try both mattresses to see which works best. My hope is that Dion will be patient with that extra effort.

So now, with this adjustable bed, I will be able to sit up rather than lay on my back staring at the ceiling. I will be able to use my tablet and laptop in bed; at least I hope that will be possible. I will be able to adjust position somewhat during the night by raising myself up and using the slope to aid in turning. I'll be able to raise my feet to help keep he edema at bay. It all adds up to a much better quality of life.