Drive My Car

Wheelchair.  

Say it with me: wheelchair.  

Repeat it five times fast.  Repeat it until you no longer grimace or pull a knot in your stomach as the word trips across your tongue.

Can you?

We brought a wheelchair home for our baby girl when she discharged from the hospital this week.  For some, a wheelchair contains a stark connotation and difficult associations, but I think it was one of the best things we did for Hip Chick's next chapter.  While I take ownership for pushing the issue as early as a month ago, part of me expected a poorly parodied version of The Beatles' A Day in the Life to subconsciously play as I navigated it around corners or lengthy corridors: "I  pushed the wheelchair today, oh boy..."

Our little hippie's first ride in it was a touchy affair.  It brought her little consolation- even when we brought her to view one of her favorite displays in the hospital.  By discharge the next day, however, she was far more attached to the chair than her first ride foreshadowed and we even spied a meager smile.  Her first ride in it at home, however, was a different story.  Baby girl had a meltdown of mammoth proportions.  And thus began my plight to alter the wheelchair from a sterile,  black-and-white hospital fixture into something with more toddler appeal.  First, the basics.

The wheelchair pictured above has been altered.  As our insurance does not cover wheelchair rentals, Scottish Rite was kind enough to loan us one.  This is the smallest pediatric wheelchair they offer.

The photo above features an arial view of the wheelchair seat as it typically looks, footrests elevated.  You may notice something is missing.  Can you identify the missing piece(s)?

The chair's arm rests had to be removed to make way for the oddly shaped addition above.This is an abduction board.  It provides support for the width of Hip Chick's spica cast- or at least for the width of the bar connecting her shins.  

As arm rests also help hold a person in their wheelchair, it is especially important that we secure her snugly with the chair's seatbelt.  Regardless, Daddy and I are grateful and relieved for its presence.  We can't take a wagon into a restaurant or bookstore, but we sure can take a wheelchair!

Big Sis is with us this weekend and has begged to push Hip Chick in her wheelchair.  I thought both girls could use a dose of fresh air and sunshine this morning, so away we went.  The cover for baby girl's wagon was made with such quality and care that I thought we should make every effort to utilize it with the wheelchair.  Our little hippie instantly took to the chair in its fancy new cover.  After our excurion, however, it was apparent that we needed to save the cover for the cold days ahead and find an alternate solution for the volatile Texas fall.

Enter Mommy's newest craft project.  I shopped for oversized pillowcases and other options today, but brought home two fabrics:  the "flower power" pattern above (what else is more fitting for a hippie chick?) and a Minnie Mouse pattern.  I have yet to fully flush out how to apply these to the chair, but I view it as an unknown to conquer.  Cheer up a wheelchair for a girly, sparkly, vibrant toddler?  Challenge accepted!