Enter the Aspen Seat.
We met with our super duper DME guy, TD, in October about getting Max a new wheelchair. Then he set us up with the Aspen clinic to get the process started for Max's new seat to fit in the new wheelchair.
We did the first visit before Christmas, just to evaluate what kind of support Max will need with his seat, and to get the process going on approval from insurance.
Over the holidays, the approvals came in the mail, and last week, I got to set up the first appointment for the fitting of Max's new seat.
Max could not be bothered to wake up on such a cloudy day yesterday, so he snoozed until this came in....
Why, yes that is bright yellow. And yes, Max did choose it. He chose yellow last time, but I thought for sure it was a mistake...he made SURE I knew this time he wanted yellow. So, since it's his set of wheels, he gets to choose. Yellow it is!
It was time for fitting him into the mold for the seat. The guys at Aspen transfered Max, since they knew exactly how they needed him sitting. Max moves SO much when we're holding him, or transferring him, we usually don't have other people move him. But, these guys were pros, and that straight as a board guy you see is absolutely excited!
They positioned him into the seat, and started to press an imprint into the bottom seat part where his bottom and legs will be. It is like super soft floral foam to get a really good imprint of Max's exact body shape.
They got him nice and snug in there. Also, check out the way the guy in the back has Max's arms...so secure, I've never thought of holding him like this, but he was so calm and not flinging his arms around.
Now for the magic...The blue bag on the back of the chair was full of little beads, like a beanbag chair. Steve helped with the air hose and whoosh, it sucked the air out of the bag and made an exact imprint of Max's back!
They shaped support around his trunk to support him on the sides too.
And voila...a boy who can sit up straight.
Next, they will take the mold and make the actual seat for his wheelchair.
We go back two more times for fittings and by the end of this month, Max should have his new ride!
Sitting up big and tall really takes it out of a growing guy. As soon as the fitting was done, he was out!
Maybe he'll be more excited about it next visit!
8 comments:
awesome new chair Max, can't wait to see how it looks when it is all finished.
The way the guys lift is exactly how I lift kids at the Easter seals camp I work at. We train on each other first, it is very secure.
Thanks for sharing the process of being fitted for a chair, I was always curious
This chair is FANTASTIC! a far cry from the tomato. And how awesome it came in yellow :) xo
The process is so interesting. It's amazing what they can do. Yellow...so cool Max!
I have been reading your blog for awhile. Is the shirt he is wearing in this post, the same one you made into a new outfit for him. I am referring to the time when he was learning his colors and needed to wear something the color gray?
Cool new chair !
Yes, that is the same shirt I made for the color grey day.
That is wild -- I had no idea chairs were that custom-made. And I do love the yellow chair -- such a welcome change from the requisite black or dark purple.
We are lucky they are right in our back yard. They told us that people come from all over the country to get the Aspen seat. It's an orthosis, so it's molded just like a set of AFO's would be.
And yes, the yellow is so bright! At least he'll be visible on night time walks now. :)
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