Two New Sets of Wheels for Ella

Kids grow … and Ella’s right there along with them. Since her spine surgery, Ella has gained a bit more than 5 inches in her height. And every three months, she gets her spine rods lengthened. She sits tall and straight in her wheelchair, and her lungs are now free to breathe without scoliosis crushing them.

The time has come for a new wheelchair because she has outgrown her current one. We had the wheelchair rep meet with Ella’s physical therapist, and they agreed that the next size up was in order. We decided to get her the Permobil F3 Corpus. She was measured and was able to try the demo F3. Everything looked good. We submitted our claim to the insurance company, and within one month from submission time, we got the answer that insurance will cover the wheelchair 100 percent!

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Everything looked good for getting Ella the new wheelchair except for one component … the car. The current car we have is a Honda Odyssey, with a ramp in the back of the van. Ella has an EZ-Lock system that secures her in the car. As it turns out, the new wheelchair would not fit in our current van. We need a new van, plain and simple. To that end, we have started a GoFundMe account and have asked family and friends to help with the cost of a new van and the modifications it will need. The response has been very positive to date. We are also looking to state funding to help defray some of the cost. Only time will tell if we end up with enough money to purchase what Ella needs.

It’s wonderful to know that there are people out there willing to help when the need arises. The support we receive from others is critical in caring for a child with SMA.

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Note: SMA News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of SMA News Today, or its parent company, Bionews Services, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to spinal muscular atrophy.