They see him rollin'

Today was our appointment with the Wheelchair Clinic at Vandy.  I wasn't completely certain what to expect, but it turned out really well!  Both the therapist and vendor were really nice and presented us with our different options (which, frankly, are few and far between with a tot like Asher).

He's getting a Quickie/Zippie Kidz wheelchair.  I was hesitant to post the picture here, because it really doesn't do it justice.  Asher was so adorable in it, and he started to figure out how to propel himself almost immediately!  It was like it was somehow intuitive for him.  The chair is really, really small, too, and anything in miniature is just plain cute. ;)

We're getting some pretty swanky bonus items.  For instance, the little wheels on the back will light up like kids' sneakers!  How cool is that?  The frame is going to be Toxic Green, and it's going to have a detachable tray and armrests.  That way we can switch between having a wheelchair he can propel himself (as shown above) and having a space where he can play and we can just push him.  It comes with a handle for us to push him around, but it's not shown in the picture.

We also got a special, breathable seat for him that will help keep him from getting too hot.  It has a meshy foam in it that was originally developed by NASA (what's up with NASA and foam, anyway??), and the entire pad is machine washable.  Can I get a hallelujah?!

I have to admit that I was unsure at first.  I mean, let's be honest: it looks like a wheelchair.  Until now we've just used a regular stroller with Asher, so nothing about it has appeared any different than any other kid's equipment.  He will most definitely stand out in this.  But in a way, that's a good thing.  It gets hard feeling obligated to explain that he has a disability to people when he does his gagging thing or we're feeding him through his tube or he starts shaking his head back and forth in a strange way.  The wheelchair kind of explains it for us.  Does that make sense?  Maybe not... I dunno.

All in all, we're pleased.  It will take anywhere from 6 weeks to 3 months for it to come in because we have to do the insurance dance, but our insurances have been very good to us in the past and have a good track record in general.