or stand for any prolonged length of time.
If you ever wondered how important proper heart function is
well
let's just say it is up there.
It's kinda right up there with breathing.
Breathing is good.
Oxygen is our friend.
It's all I can do not to cry at the part in his file that talks about how when the other kids are roller skating he sits on the side and moves his feet back and forth and pretends to roller skate.
sob
sniffle
snot bugger
snot bugger
So as we begin to think about John's trip over to pick him up one of the things John will take with him alongside the portable oxygen and pulse oximeter is a stroller.
Adoption = walking.
Much
much
walking.
Appointments, back to the hotel, through the airport, through the train station, appointments, appointments,
ahhhhhhpointments.
So I need you....my fellow adoptive posse.
I need your wisdom.
I need a stroller.
A stroller fit for an older child.
Used? Great!
Cheap? Greater!
I have no idea how much he weighs right now.
If I had to guess I'd say somewhere in the neighborhood of 40 pds?
I know I can probably find one over there but honestly,
I don't want to risk it.
And I need something that is of good enough quality that it won't crumble beneath him the first time he sits down.
This mama has been out of stroller age for awhile now so I need you desperately.
In fact here is a photo of me the last time I had a child that was stroller age
Don't cha just love my hair?
I did it myself.
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Once he's home, you may also want to check out your insurance for durable medical equipment. If he can't walk for serious health reasons...the insurance should have to cover a stroller of some kind to help him...I repeat SHOULD...not always an easy feat!
ReplyDeleteHow I WISH I had a stroller to send to you. Seriously. When I think of "big kids" in a stroller I think of my BabyTrend double walking stroller. You wouldn't need a double but the front bar comes off and my 8 year old can take a break and ride for a while when we're out and about. If I see any cheap ones online I'll email you!
ReplyDeleteWhat about a wagon...not the heavy metal but a plastic one...maybe someone over there could get their hands on one and leave it there for you? Just throwin' out ideas! :)
I'll be praying for just.the.right.thing to come along and be very reasonable!!!
one word for you...BOB!!! a single BOB would fit the bill. no, not cheep. but how i wished i had mine the time we were in china. it folds flat and my 80lbs nine year old can sit in the one we have at home. not that he does. but i'm just sayin'. one with a front wheel that turns would do best. big wheels and big seat makes for a happy pushing hubby, sibling, mama, whoever! see if a friend has one you can borrow. i you were close i would send mind for the trip. check craigs list. that is where i got mine. can. not. live. without. it!!!
ReplyDeleteWhat about a jogging stroller? It's been a long time since we've needed a stroller, but those joggers seem to be pretty darn durable.
ReplyDeleteSomeone suggested a wagon...If you went with a wagon, maybe something like this would work. I am not sure how small is collapses, but it may be worth looking at.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.walmart.com/ip/Mac-Sports-Portable-Utility-Wagon/11996206?sourceid=1500000000000003260410&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=11996206
We used a Peg Perego forever with our daughters who are both in the 45 pound range. The only reason it isn't used endlessly now is because our girls are both of the "NO! I wanna walk!" age.
ReplyDeleteWe bought ours off Craigslist (I recommend the Pliko P3 for sturdiness) and the two we got were both a few years old, had been through a handful of kids already, and we paid about $60 for them each.
I highly recommend a McLaren stroller, Quest or Volo. They recline, you can collapse them with one hand and they are very lightweight. They go up to 50lbs at least. It is my best travel stroller and I have tried many different kinds.
ReplyDeleteI have been following your blog since you traveled the last time and have so enjoyed your humor and way of putting things in perspective. This is the first time I am leaving a comment though. I am a special educator for children with a variety of needs. The best stroller out there for an older child is a Maclaren Special Needs Stroller that is good till 150 lbs. It is expensive, but you can find them on special needs trading websites as kids get older. It is a light weight stroller and folds like an umbrella stroller. As someone said before if he is only 40 lbs take a stroller to China that will support up to 40lbs and then insurance should cover it under durable medical equipment once he is home.
ReplyDeleteMy 39 lb./42" tall child (not special needs) has ridden in our cheap umbrella from Wal-Mart (current price $15, a Disney one "Toy Story" one as he loves Buzz, it is designed for up to 40lbs when I just checked the website... I see them at garage sales all the time for $5 or less), with his car seat also jammed in it (i.e. I buckled his car seat into the stroller, then stuck my kid in the car seat, then pushed the whole deal) in the airport. At our destination, I just used the stroller sans the car seat in it. The stroller did fine (and it is very small and light weight).
ReplyDeleteI would second when you get him home to get a better one, covered by insurance.
PS If you know the size of your portable oxygen, I would try to find a bag with sturdy straps that can be hung off the handles of the stroller (on the back), making sure the straps of the bag are an appropriate length so the bag (holding the portable O2) does not drag on the ground.
ReplyDeleteSonia, I know that our guy is 35 pounds and your Joshua is considerably taller than ours in the pictures. I would guess closer to 45 pounds? I have been wondering the same thing about a stroller. Do you think they will mind sitting in one? You should be able to get an update.
ReplyDeletehey sonia-
ReplyDeleteBOTH of our girls could hardly walk in China. Take a cheapy umbrella stroller and we will pray about how God provides when you get home. My 7 year old easily sits in the umbrella stroller...my healthy 6 year old too (50 lbs). Also, we hardly ever walked anywhere on this last trip to china. Our hotel in GZ was wonderful, took buses every where we had to go but ate all our meals there and enjoyed the pool everyday. If they go to the zoo one day they have good strollers there. Did you do that before? HE WILL LOVE IT! Safari zoo.
praying,
laura
So frustrating- I just posted and it erased! So much for modern technology!
ReplyDeleteI am thinking you should get a donated wheelchair! Try shriners, an old folks home, craigs list, etc! He is most likely heavier than 40 lbs. A wheel chair would be easier for JOhn and he can check it at the gate, Honestly you should get preferential seating on the plane, too.
Just a thought??
And YES to the Safari Zoo!!
Wow... that's weird! I was JUST thinking about this very thing for Rachel TODAY!...wondering what we should do. We are going to be in China with THREE 7 yr olds and I'm figuring if Rachel doesn't want to sit in it... one of the other girls will want to! I'm just looking for something that won't feel so much like a "baby" stroller... but when little 7 year old girls get tired, I'm not sure they'd even care! :-) I'll probably reinvest in a jogging stroller when we get home for trips to the beach and such, but for China we've got to find something really light weight! If I find a solution, I'll pass and your way... and you do the same! Can't wait to really "meet" you! Lori McCary
ReplyDeleteOh.... BTW, my other little 7 year old from China that is within one month of Rachel weighs in the mid to upper 40s.... she's on a "more than healthy" diet and doesn't have the medical issues these guys have, so you are probably pretty close in your weight "guess"....
ReplyDeleteI'm with Jean up above. You should be able to get a wheelchair donated. When I've had surgery I was able to get a wheelchair, and walker, from DAV-Disabled American Veterans, and VFW-Veterans of Foreign Wars. They were very accommodating. Just about every town has these organizations. Possibly check with churches in your area. If they could post it in their bulletins, you might have good luck that way. With a wheelchair you would be able to board the plane first, as well as other activities you might attend. My prayers for your family.
ReplyDeleteI apologize for having to sign on as "anonymous". I do have a Gooogle account, and I'm able to sign on to other blogs, such as Laura's and Jean's. For some reason I was unable to do so here. My name is Lynne Thompson.
ReplyDeleteHey. I have a Maclaren Volo that Ben can ride in = he's 7 and weighs about 50 lbs. He's really pushing the advertised weight limit (of 50 lbs) but has no trouble riding in it. It's also super easy to travel with which is a big plus. I've heard great things about the BOB but I'm not sure it's as easy to travel with. But the weight limit is fantastic on that.
ReplyDeleteGood luck!