Picked up the wheelchair/buggy

[Thomcat]

An NHS 'buggy'. It's called stealth mobility, Lightning, anyone else got one?

[doormat]

I dont think we got that one but had a buggy and thought it was great
How old is your ds/dd?

[Thomcat]

She's 3 and a 1/2.

I don't want to sound ungrateful, but... it's very, very heavy, and I don't really like it. That's awful as it's great of the NHS to help us but..... the foot plates are a bit ....big and the handle is very low down so it's not dreadfully comfy to push.

I was thinking it would just be a buggy but a bit bigger with a few adaptions maybe, but it's really more like a wheelchair that's been made to look as much like a buggy as possible.

[doormat]

I think I know what you mean, does it have like a moulded seat.

[Thomcat]

It has a straight rigid back and seat and then to put her in a better position it has a foam wedge cushion held in place with the sort of straps you need to ride a rollercoaster!

[doormat]

I dont think I have seen that type. Is it easy to fold down and is it lightweight.
If not ask them if they can change it if you are not happy.
BTW I got ds a personalised number plate from Halfords and tied it to the back of his wheelchair to jazz it up.

[Thomcat]

oh doormat, it couldn't be more heavy! And the folding down bit, well once it's 'folded' it's a few mm smaller! Slight exaggeration but....!
What is yours like then?
PS love the number plate idea, that's great.

[doormat]

It was a standard buggy but just a bigger version. It was very light and easy to fold down.We had it for about a year before ds got his first wheelchair.I cried my eyes out when he first got his wheels as it was an old dinosaur type and rattled when took him out, hence the numberplate.
I got on to the wheelchair ctr as I had seen kids in ds class with modern ones and complained and cried and ranted so much down the phone that they exchanged it for a modern one.
If you are not happy tell them that is impractical for you for going to the shops etc and hopefully they will change it.

[Thomcat]

Thanks doormat. I didn't cry exacly when i took her out, but I swear people were staring more. I'm ok with that, or I thought I was, until I couldn't get into the estate agents so had to sort of stand in the doorway and ... oh baically the way I snapped at the man proved I was a bit sensitive, even if he was a bit unfriedly he didn't deserve me snapping at him.
Right I really have to go to bed, night and thnaks for your posts. TC x

[doormat]

Night TC.
xxx

[chonky]

TC, could you not take it back and have a wheelchair voucher instead (I think they're worth about £200)? Merlot's done this for her ds, and has been able to get a larger version of the Mountain Buggy. My dd has the standard MB and it's brilliant, so I can't imagine that the SN version is going to be hugely heavy. There's always the option of buying a Maclaren Major if you'd prefer that.

buggy thread

[Thomcat]

Thanks Chonky.

[chonky]

Sorry, hope my earlier post wasn't a bit abrupt - was just in a hurry.

I think it's not just the impractiality of some of this kit, but the fact that it's so flippin' fugly. My dd has just got a new support chair today, and although it's great for her tone, and cost the local health authority a small fortune, it couldn't look more SN if they'd tried.

Good luck with replacing it if that's what you decide to do .

[Thomcat]

Not abrubpt at all, i appreciate your post. TC x

[Merlot]

The Mountain Buggy XL is great Not particularly heavy, but obviously heavier than an umbrella folding buggy. Sorry, coming to this thread late and have not read it all, but wouldnt a Maclaren Major be better. I was quite impressed when I was shown one - just opted for the mountain buggy because I knew that we could always buy a MM at a later date and that we definitely needed an `off roader'. Good Luck TC

[beep]

i know how you feel we have dd1's new wheelchair for a month and she won't go in it.It is so huge and ugly, she is 11 now and just says she won't use it til she has to after her operation.Its a good job i kept her old one.