Help Narrowing Down Style of Wheelchair

[Ainsley's Mom]

I know many of you have pediatric wheelchairs or pushchairs. I'm looking for some advice from people who've been there. We are at a key point where Ainsley has outgrown the stroller we've been using. She's 3 1/2 and is about 40lb and 40" tall. She has cerebellar hypoplasia and though we are trying to get her to walk we don't know if she'll be able or have much endurance. Or if she'll have the endurance to propel a wheelchair around for more than a short while (As you know she had hip surgery and is in a standard wheelchair right now and to our surprise she was able to propel it which kind of changes things.) She already has an Otto Bock posterior walker, so that's covered.

We'd been planning on getting a pushchair but then her PT (who barely knows her and I don't have a ton of confidence in) started talking power chairs. That might be necessary down the road (she may not have the strength or endurance to navigate a standard chair) but I'm not sure she has the cognitive ability to navigate a power chair right now or if we have the space for that to be practical. I read an old post where Roberta said do NOT get a power chair if the child isn't able to use it. But I've heard insurance will pay for one chair every 5 years so I am afraid she'll need a power chair in a couple years and we'll be stuck if we get a standard or push chair now. Maybe I just don't want to think she needs a power chair but really it would be smart? Here are my thoughts:


It would be nice if she could push the chair herself at times so she's not just "stuck" or out in public when crawling isn't a great idea, think mall, park or zoo
It is important that we be able to throw it into the trunk of the car.
Our house doesn't really have the space for navigating a power chair
At some point it may need to be safe for bus transportation to school if it becomes too difficult to carry her into the bus
It would be nice to have a stroller style basket for storing "stuff" (suction)
It would be nice to have a tray to put her AAC on (communication device)
It would be great to have the tilt in space feature (sleeping & diaper changes or long trips with the big kids)


There are SO many options or different ways to go. Any thoughts? TIA!

[Livi's_mama]

http://www.adaptivemall.com/sptoeiopuch.html

We've had this a yr now. Not only does it recline in any position you want it...the leg space can go up or down too. It has a sun canopy and an underneath basket.

Our diaper bag is a messenger bag and we hang it across the handle which also goes in many positions. Suction straps on the side.


It's not bus ready though.


We got a grant through our electric coop that paid for this so that we didn't have to use our insurance since we may need something more "medical" in the next few yrs.

This should last us for awhile though.


(also have a small car, Ford Fusion and it fits in my trunk fine)

[CCHSMOM]

It would be nice if she could push the chair herself at times so she's not just "stuck" or out in public when crawling isn't a great idea, think mall, park or zoo
It is important that we be able to throw it into the trunk of the car.
Our house doesn't really have the space for navigating a power chair
At some point it may need to be safe for bus transportation to school if it becomes too difficult to carry her into the bus
It would be nice to have a stroller style basket for storing "stuff" (suction)
It would be nice to have a tray to put her AAC on (communication device)
It would be great to have the tilt in space feature (sleeping & diaper changes or long trips with the big kids)

There are SO many options or different ways to go. Any thoughts?

Susan,

We just went through this process, so I understand how frustrating it can be! Fortunately, my daughter's PT is really experienced, and knew which features we had to have. So, we looked at those options first, which narrowed down our chair choices to all of two. Then, we picked from those two, the one that had the most of our "wish list" features (we ended up ordering the Convaid Transport Safari Tilt w/optional recline. Looking at your list of features, I only know of one chair that fits most of them - Convaid's Convertible: http://www.adaptivemall.com/conconbustra.html It has interchangeable wheels, and comes with both stroller & wheelchair wheels; it is fold-able; the transport version comes crash-tested with tie-downs; there is an optional storage bag available (but not an under-the-seat basket); it has an optional clear plastic tray that would hold Ainsley's AAC device; it comes in a variety of colors; and it has a bunch of optional positioning aids, but it only has 10 degrees of tilt.

The other thing I would suggest is having Ainsley evaluated by a PT at Children's that really knows all the equipment choices, can measure her properly, and decide what positioning aids she needs. Good luck! I hope you find just the right chair for Ainsley. :)

[Louise D]

Getting a wheel chair for your child is like buying a new car. Look around at the options see whats out there and HOPE you get it right!. We have been told that you cant get everything you want in one chair, (I hate that)
We did not choose the chair Angelo has now, he came with it. He has a ZIPPIE made by QUICKIE. It has served us well. HE got it when he was 2 1/2, he is now 8. It has "GROWN' with him, replacing the front fork, seating system, and wheels. It is small enough to use in the house and at school. He can push himself, but also has tall handles so we can push too. It is a love hate relationship. Its either keep it low so they are on the same level as peers, (cant sit at the dinner table) want it sturdy (weighs a ton) want a tray under the seat to hold the suction bag (wont fold) want a tray to use at school (cant push himself with the tray on) .
We are also starting to look for a new chair. Power vs manual, more sporty, lighter for him to push.

All i have to say is make sure you do your homework, and make a list of what is MOST important to you.

Louise D

[Katelyns.mom]

Katelyn tried a power chair at school when she was about 4 or 5 y/o. It was so awesome to see her doing it herself!! A few things we had to think about.
How would we transport it?? We would have to get a special van or load it in the back of DH's pick up. So then does it stay at school where she has the most room to practice??
When she is tired or sick and can't do it then we are stuck... try and push big heavy chair or go back to the old wheelchair/stroller.
Most kid carts (or special stroller) and wheelchairs are going to come with a tray option.
The special stroller is going to be cheaper and will probably be better of off roading in parks and rough terrain. They do make them that have tie down attachments for bus transportation but she may out grow it before being bus time. A stroller will also fold better for the trunk of your car. I think some people/kids see theses nice special strollers as still being a "baby" stroller rather than a "big girl" chair.
One thing you might think about... is let the insurance pay for a power chair and see if you can find a used stroller. You can order all kinds of custom pieces for a chair if a used on isn't the exact fit.
This is a lot of info but you can messages me if you have any questions.

[Ann]

Power versus manual chair is a tough call because giving a child independence and a say in where they want to go is so important. But, if a child doesn't have the ability to use the power chair purposefully, a power chair can be a real pain. They don't fold up and they are hard to transport if you don't have a wheelchair accessible van. You should be able to get a loaner power chair to use for a while to see if it's the way to go for Ainsley. It's really a team effort and you need a good PT and a good wheelchair representative. At St. Louis Children's they have a wheelchair specialists as part of their neuromuscular team who helps find the right chair for kids with neuromuscular diseases. You might want to check with one of Ainsley's docs (orthopaedic maybe?) to see if there is a team at your Children's hospital that can help you.

Good luck.

[Melissa]

http://www.adaptivemall.com/saftilbus16.html

This is the chair we have and it does not feature the self propel wheels nor does it have a basket. It is sturdy and it has an awesome tilt system which allows Aly to be almost completely laid out. That has been very helpful for us since her illness last year.

It folds to a workable size but still takes up quite a bit of room in the trunk. I have a soft seating system for her as she is bony and tiny. It's some inflatable thing her PT/OT team found to be best for her. They did a pressure mapping thing on her to decide what seating system would be best. Because of that I have to take each seat piece out to fold, but I think without that it will fold by removing just the seat pad. It is authorized for use in vehicles as well based on the model chosen.

It would be awesome if it also allowed for the wheels so she could push herself around. Anyway, those are my two cents. This chair works great for us. Best of luck!

[Ainsley's Mom]

http://www.adaptivemall.com/sptoeiopuch.html

We've had this a yr now. Not only does it recline in any position you want it...the leg space can go up or down too. It has a sun canopy and an underneath basket.

Our diaper bag is a messenger bag and we hang it across the handle which also goes in many positions. Suction straps on the side.


It's not bus ready though.


We got a grant through our electric coop that paid for this so that we didn't have to use our insurance since we may need something more "medical" in the next few yrs.

This should last us for awhile though.


(also have a small car, Ford Fusion and it fits in my trunk fine)

Trish, I've looked at that one several times and compared it to the Maclaren Major which we've also considered if we go the pushchair route. Is the Tomato pretty well built and IYO will last awhile? It's a bummer that they aren't approved for transport but I guess that's why that style of chair costs less. Ainsley can climb stairs with assistance, so maybe she'll get better at that and eliminate that requirement soon. She actually already takes the bus 4 days a week. Before the current wheelchair her nurses carried her on. It's a little awkward, and back breaking especially dangerous when it's icey.

***********************************************
I'm thinking that after reading all your replies (Thank you SO much!) I've come up with a pretty good plan. Ainsley will be able to try walking again in July. I think by the end of the summer I'll have a better idea if the hip surgery did anything to help her walk or not. I'll ask the PT if they have a power chair they can try at school and also a smaller wheelchair (the one she has is too big because it has to fit the spica cast). It may be too late for this year. It will depend on what the brace is like, she gets the cast off on Tuesday but will be in a brace until the end of the school year. In the mean time I'll ask for a referral for an evaluation at Children's (I trust them more). If we truly can't make the stroller work then we'll buy an inexpensive pushchair (Maclaren or Tomato) to buy us some time.

I think what some of you said is "right on", there is no such thing as the perfect chair, and we might need more than one. Even if a power chair is the right choice in the long run, I think it's a little early yet for many reasons but it's good to start educating myself on the options now since it takes awhile to get the chair once you've narrowed it down. THANKS!!!

[WeAdoptKids]

Let me say that you can get a new chair sooner if Anisley's need change. It really is unreal what all they can change around and flip around to get what you need for less.

That being said, I still say that I would never get a power chair unless your child can use a power chair. A test run for a few weeks is the way to go on that one.

While you can put them in manualdrive and then you can push, they are so heavy it is a killer. If Mordachi's dies at school, he must use his manual chair. HE hates that, but it help himto remember to plug it in at the end of the day.

Good Luck, this is a fun time for sure.

Roberta

[hogansteph]

This is so ironic...we were just to the neurodevelemental pediatrician ( I am sure I slaughtered that spelling) on Friday and they brought up the need for starting to think about a power chair for Keyan. I was completely caught off guard! I hadn't even begun to think in that direction. At first, I was actually thinking about it because of the whole independance thing. I certainly don't want to hold her back! Than, while we were at the farmer's market yesterday, we used her stroller type wheelchair and I had an apifiny....I sort of invisioned her using a power chair and getting her "freedom"....what a disaster!!!! In that sea of people, I realized that while I crave for her to be able to do things more herself, there is no way in he** (pardon me but that is what I thought) that SHE is cognativly strong enough to power her own chair...what in the world was I thinking???? A child who can not follow a two step command, is not ready to be that independant! Wishful thinking yes, but absolutely, she is not ready for that!
We are fortunate that we don't have to make a decision now because we have the convaid cruiser that she can stay in until she is 75 pounds and it is bus approved. We switched our suction bag to a diaper bag with stroller clips, so it clips to the handles. It works fairly well. Keyan is able to walk but doesn't have the endurance for longer trips so we use it only when we are out, but it gets alot of use. I transport the kids myself to school though and I was not looking forward to lugging it in and out everyday at school, so this year, she has used a wagon while at school. That may change for kindergarden. We got it three years ago and besides it being cllunky to get into the van, we have been very happy.
So, I say all that to say...it makes me feel not so alone when I read your post and saw that someone else in this big world is dealing with the same stuff we are! Thanks so much!

[Jacob's Mom]

I haven't read through all the replies, so some of this may be repeat info. You should start with a good w/chair seating specialist. He/she will be able to find the right chair to meet all of Ainsley's needs. They also typically have loaner chairs, especially if a power chair is something you would want to try out. However, I agree with Roberta, if she can't use it don't get it. They are very heavy and you have to have a van or w/chair carrier on the back of your car. If Ainsley has the ability to propel, even for short distances, you could get a push chair with the self-propelled wheels for her to use when/if she feels like it. And I've even seen some that the large wheels pop off of relatively easily or they fold up nicely to put in the trunk.

Good luck!

[Ainsley's Mom]

Let me say that you can get a new chair sooner if Anisley's need change. It really is unreal what all they can change around and flip around to get what you need for less.

That's good to know. I really think a regular wheelchair would be best for her but that she'll eventually need a powerchair and we may not be able to wait 5full years. So maybe I switch my plan and push forward with getting her something for now. I'm intrigued by this one, I just wish it could also tilt in space. http://www.convaid.com/upright-wheelchairs-rider-convertible-wheelchair-c-1_8_11-l-en.html I think back to last year when we were at Disneyland and she fell asleep every day, slumped over in the stroller. And times we're out and there is no place to do a diaper change.

This is so ironic...we were just to the neurodevelemental pediatrician ( I am sure I slaughtered that spelling) on Friday and they brought up the need for starting to think about a power chair for Keyan. I was completely caught off guard! I hadn't even begun to think in that direction. At first, I was actually thinking about it because of the whole independance thing. I certainly don't want to hold her back! Than, while we were at the farmer's market yesterday, we used her stroller type wheelchair and I had an apifiny....I sort of invisioned her using a power chair and getting her "freedom"....what a disaster!!!! In that sea of people, I realized that while I crave for her to be able to do things more herself, there is no way in he** (pardon me but that is what I thought) that SHE is cognativly strong enough to power her own chair...what in the world was I thinking???? A child who can not follow a two step command, is not ready to be that independant! Wishful thinking yes, but absolutely, she is not ready for that!
We are fortunate that we don't have to make a decision now because we have the convaid cruiser that she can stay in until she is 75 pounds and it is bus approved. We switched our suction bag to a diaper bag with stroller clips, so it clips to the handles. It works fairly well. Keyan is able to walk but doesn't have the endurance for longer trips so we use it only when we are out, but it gets alot of use. I transport the kids myself to school though and I was not looking forward to lugging it in and out everyday at school, so this year, she has used a wagon while at school. That may change for kindergarden. We got it three years ago and besides it being cllunky to get into the van, we have been very happy.
So, I say all that to say...it makes me feel not so alone when I read your post and saw that someone else in this big world is dealing with the same stuff we are! Thanks so much!

That's exactly my fear, I imagine her bumping into furniture and walls, or worse, like you say at the market.... people. :eek: And all the drawbacks of size and weight. I think a convertible wheelchair gives some independence which appeals to me but I can also take the wheels off for those times I don't want her to have control of the chair.

I haven't read through all the replies, so some of this may be repeat info. You should start with a good w/chair seating specialist. He/she will be able to find the right chair to meet all of Ainsley's needs. They also typically have loaner chairs, especially if a power chair is something you would want to try out. However, I agree with Roberta, if she can't use it don't get it. They are very heavy and you have to have a van or w/chair carrier on the back of your car. If Ainsley has the ability to propel, even for short distances, you could get a push chair with the self-propelled wheels for her to use when/if she feels like it. And I've even seen some that the large wheels pop off of relatively easily or they fold up nicely to put in the trunk.

Good luck!

Do you know of any others than the Convaid Convertible that I linked to above? I really want something that also tilts in space if they exist.

[hogansteph]

When Keyan falls asleep in her convaid, we just lean it back and push it with only the two back wheels on the ground. She spent much of every afternoon in Disney sleeping that way.....diaper changes are a whole 'nother post!!!:)

[CCHSMOM]

Susan,

The Convaid Convertible http://www.adaptivemall.com/conconbustra.html is the only one I could find that has interchangeable wheels. There are several others that have self-propelling wheels for the child and push handles for the parent, but you can't remove the bigger wheels when you don't want Ainsley to be able to propel herself. http://www.usatechguide.org/itemreview.php?itemid=1405

Another very important thing to consider is whether you want tilt-in-space (whole seat tips back with the hips still at a fixed angle), recline (the seat back reclines while the seat remains stationary - makes diaper changes much easier), or both. See picture: http://www.usatechguide.org/itemreview.php?itemid=1500 My daughter has had both tilt-in-space and reclining chairs, and now has a power chair that does both (it also has a seat that elevates), but she can't use it anywhere but home, because our van doesn't have a lift on it. It's also HUGE, and difficult to maneuver in the house. The main reason we finally decided on the Transport Convaid Safari Tilt for her transport chair is that it has both tilt-in-space and a recline option as well. http://www.adaptivemall.com/saftilbus14.html (Click on accessories to see the recline option.) "Recline Option opens the seat-to-back angle at any inclination from 95-135 degrees (95 is normal seat positioning) for a variety in reclined positioning while mobile. Recline adds another dimension of body positioning in addition to tilt-in-space."

Getting an evaluation by an experienced pediatric PT, or by a pediatric seating clinic, will help a lot. No PT or seating clinic is perfect, however, so it's always best to have a good idea of what you need and want to have in a chair before the appointment. Adaptivemall has PT's on staff that can help walk you through the various options and answer your questions as well. (FYI, I've heard from a number of parents and therapists to avoid the Maclaren strollers because they are flimsy and don't hold up well.) This is definitely a difficult decision, and there probably isn't one perfect chair that will do everything you'd like it to, but you're off to a great start in finding the best chair for Ainsley. :)

[Ainsley's Mom]

...Another very important thing to consider is whether you want tilt-in-space (whole seat tips back with the hips still at a fixed angle), recline (the seat back reclines while the seat remains stationary - makes diaper changes much easier), or both. ....

Thanks, that's important to know there is a distinction. I would have assumed tilt in space meant it could recline, simply tilting is not enough to do a diaper change in the chair if need be which is important if your child is too large to use the baby changing pad and isn't stable when standing.

I think I'll call Adaptive Mall on Monday to see if they have any ideas.

[aydenava]

Aydens power chair came with power wheels & regular wheels,so if we want to push it,we can with the power wheels,but it much lighter with the push wheels.they just pop right on....pics on my blog,its super light when you pull out the power pack & take the wheels off...

[LittleBee]

I am so glad you asked this question, Susan. We are in a similar spot too. Luke is quickly outgrowing his stroller, but he won't be independently mobile for a distance anytime soon. We just got him his own posterior walker (we were borrowing one), but we have to look at some type of stroller or chair. We have a meeting Wednesday morning with the seating specialist from the DME and Luke's school PT. I will let you know what they have to say. I talked to the PT today and have already heard that it is very hard to get insurance to pay for a stroller. So if that is the case we may get a wheelchair that can be used on the bus, and just buy a Special Tomato EIO. We can use FSA money with a letter from the doctor.

Did you talk anyone at Adaptive Mall today?

[Ainsley's Mom]

I am so glad you asked this question, Susan. We are in a similar spot too. Luke is quickly outgrowing his stroller, but he won't be independently mobile for a distance anytime soon. We just got him his own posterior walker (we were borrowing one), but we have to look at some type of stroller or chair. We have a meeting Wednesday morning with the seating specialist from the DME and Luke's school PT. I will let you know what they have to say. I talked to the PT today and have already heard that it is very hard to get insurance to pay for a stroller. So if that is the case we may get a wheelchair that can be used on the bus, and just buy a Special Tomato EIO. We can use FSA money with a letter from the doctor.

Did you talk anyone at Adaptive Mall today?

We are West Coast and I called at 2:00 and they were closed. I'll have to try again tomorrow and let you all know if they have any brilliant ideas. It seems a lot of us are in this predicament.

[LittleBee]

Sorry it took me so long to get back about this. I didn't get that much new information at our meeting last week. It was crazy - the seating specialist from the biggest supplier in town, really had almost nothing to add to the conversation. Luckily Luke's PT was able to help me, but I still felt like we didn't have a lot of good options. I did learn that if Luke gets a wheelchair they want him to have the firm foam padded seats instead of the "sling" seats that I have seen on every chair that I have looked at online. The PT said the sling seats are fine for transportation, but that if the child was going to sit in the seat for any activity then the posture support was not enough. Now, truthfully, Luke wouldn't need to sit in the chair for activities, but they seemed to think this applied to him.

We ended up deciding to try to get the Special Tomato EIO because we are just not in a place for a wheelchair yet. It is so much bigger and bulkier (and the tilt-in-space feature adds even more weight) and I think Luke needs the more enclosed environment of a stroller. The problem may be that the EIO is too big. They are checking into getting Special Tomato seating inserts, but I don't know the outcome yet. And with insurance, it may be that our main plan covers it, but his medicaid won't. This probably wouldn't be a bad thing in case he needs a wheelchair later. The PT said that by K or 1st Luke should be able to make his way around the school independently and if he does not have the endurance to do that walking that he will need a wheelchair.

I am really glad that Ainsley got her cast off. Thanks for the great blog post about it - awful that she was sad so much of that day. I hope the brace gets easier and that she is able to wean from it as quickly as the doctors want.

Keep us posted on where you end up with the wheelchair/pushchair.

[Ainsley's Mom]

Sheesh, it took this long for me to find the time to call about chairs, given the time-zone difference. It seems that the tilt-in-space or recline feature is not offered in a standard wheelchair because when they are built to tilt it causes the wheels to be further back, and essentially renders the wheelchair unusable for pushing. There are some adult wheelchairs that offer the tilt/recline but even adults find them difficult to push and so most people apparently opt to get two chairs, one for reclining and one for mobility.

Figures, huh? No easy decisions. So I'm trying to decide between the convenience of being able to do a diaper change or nap in the chair or giving her independence of movement. I'll have to think this over for a bit.

[LittleBee]

I am still not really happy with the choices either. Supposedly the insert that Luke needs to fit in the ST EIO is the one piece sitter (and it is 29" tall). I have a van, but we need the back seat so storing the stroller, this huge sitter and Luke's walker will be fun. I have seen other kids lately in smaller sling-back pushchairs that look like they might work, but I don't know if my PT will have a problem with the seat. The only problem I see is that they have all been slightly tilted and Luke likes to sit upright (I don't know if that position was just an option or the standard). Thanks for sharing the info about the tilt on the seats. When I looked at just a tilt (not a full recline) at our meeting, I didn't see it being that helpful for naps and definitely not for diaper changes. I am thinking of making Luke and appointment at a seating clinic here at our Children's hospital. Do you have anything like that where you are? I am hoping they have enough experience to explain the different options to me, so I can make the best choice.

[Ainsley's Mom]

I am still not really happy with the choices either. Supposedly the insert that Luke needs to fit in the ST EIO is the one piece sitter (and it is 29" tall). I have a van, but we need the back seat so storing the stroller, this huge sitter and Luke's walker will be fun. I have seen other kids lately in smaller sling-back pushchairs that look like they might work, but I don't know if my PT will have a problem with the seat. The only problem I see is that they have all been slightly tilted and Luke likes to sit upright (I don't know if that position was just an option or the standard). Thanks for sharing the info about the tilt on the seats. When I looked at just a tilt (not a full recline) at our meeting, I didn't see it being that helpful for naps and definitely not for diaper changes. I am thinking of making Luke and appointment at a seating clinic here at our Children's hospital. Do you have anything like that where you are? I am hoping they have enough experience to explain the different options to me, so I can make the best choice.

I think they often have a 10-15% tilted back. Which the ladies I've talked to say is typical of say, your car. It's pretty upright, but exactly. I think ultimately it's personal choice about what is most important. I hate the idea of being out in public and having no place to change a diaper or that Ainsley won't be able to nap in the chair if she's tired. But is that enough of a reason to not give her the independence of a chair she can maneuver herself? They told me that I'm "lucky" because most kids fall into one camp or the other. They need total assistance, or they can do it themselves. It's a little hard to believe but that's what they said. Or maybe parents generally opt for a stroller style chair unless the child is older and more physically able to propel it him/herself. There is a store locally where we ordered Ainsley's walker. I've left a message. I'm thinking about also setting something up at Children's.

Good luck to you too. Using an insert with the Tomato sounds like a PITA to me. I wonder if he's small enough that it is too big then why not use a stroller?

The funny thing is that I would have NEVER guessed Ainsley could propel a wheelchair. The only reason we discovered it is because of the hip surgery and needing the wheelchair for that. Her PT didn't know what to do with her in therapy so I suggested working on propelling the chair. We were all shocked when she did it the first week. I always thought we'd be looking at push chairs. Who knew it was so complicated.

[Momof2NC]

Anyone have success or bomb with the tomato EIO... Anyone had problems with medicaid getting one of these?

[LittleBee]

We don't have experience yet, but I was told by our DME that Medicaid would not cover a stroller (which includes the EIO), only wheelchairs. I will let you know what they say when we submit, but, of course, your state could be different.

[Livi's_mama]

We have the 4 wheeled tomato stroller. We've been using it for a yr now.

We also have a 2 piece insert for it, but we rarely use them. When we do though, we don't strap it in, so it's really not a big issue for us.

Olivia just turned 4, 2 wks after we got it, so I really don't think some of your kids are too small for it. The straps for the harness can be placed in several positions and it comes with some positioning inserts too.

It's a little smaller than a double stroller folded up.

It has a basket, a sun shade that's great!, the foot rest can go up level with the seat (how we use it most of the time) and we do use it for pamper changes. We just have to lay the back of it as far back as it goes and she's almost flat.

We use a messenger bag for supplies that we place over the handle then we strap the suction on the side with 2 big clip things. Pulse ox in the basket, then we stuff blankets, etc down there.

We applied for a community grant through our electric company and got approved otherwise it would have been bought out of pocket because Ins didn't cover a stroller.

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f31/pauleons/July%202009/Picture067.jpg

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f31/pauleons/July%202009/Picture069-1.jpg

[Livi's_mama]

* the seat is put into position by a belt lever system and you can literally put it at any angle you want.