Hi all,

We're going to be having some infants with us for several months. At
night, seeing as I have a circadian rhythm sleep disorder and the
medication+pain keep me up anyway, I'll be doing the feeding and the
changing (we're taking precautions to minimise the risk of infection to
me, but it's pretty safe with these kids, it's not like I'm risking
toxoplasmosis from cleaning cat litter or the like).

My main problem is how am I going to safely carry them. This won't just
be at night around the house. I'll likely have to bring them with me
durng the day, sometimes with their double stroller (double pram for the
other folks in the Commonwealth).

Most of you know my situation, but here's a summary and some updates:
-bilateral hip replacement
-collapsed and osteonecrotic right ankle - I can move short distance
without a crutch, but cannot carry anything without a crutch
-multiple stress fractures in both feet, spine, etc (they're FINALLY
starting to heal)
-diagnosed today with an as yet unspecified type of autoimmine
spondyloarthropathy (negative in blood tests to RA and not positive for
ankylosing spondylitis antigens) affecting pretty much every synovial
joint and extending down the ligaments
-etc etc etc (and my signature refers to apastic anaemia)

Now, in their infinite wisdom, the health services here refuse to
provide me with a motorised wheelchair (I cannot operate a manual one
due to the need to continually clean my hands during use to prevent
infection, the spinal pain/damage involved in operating it that does NOT
get better with rest, the line in my chest that doesn't like me pushing
the wheels, damage to my hands and wrists that make even using crutches
difficult if it wasn't a necessity, etc etc etc) and the only other
grant system that I'm aware of has decided that since I'm not completely
bed ridden yet (because I'm a stubborn bastard) that they're not going
to give me the grant for a basic one that the hospital's OT says I need.
I have a small scooter, but no means of deploying it myself from the
back of our little compact car (and the lack of seat padding in addition
to solid tyres makes every tiny little bump go right to my multiple
spinal injuries).

Some of the things I need advice with:

-We're going to be getting another vehicle, but we're not sure which one
will be suitable for either a larger scooter or a motorised wheelchair
(we're looking at getting one of the remaining stock of the ShopRider
Snappy wheelchairs). Even if we just get a better scooter (a much
cheaper option) we're going to want the ability to put in a bigger lift
and stow the wheelchair if I absolutely must have it in the future (if
we had more money, I'd have it now). It'll have to be big enough for at
least two adults and two children, as well as a scooter or wheelchair
AND a double stroller plus baby materials.

-I'm not quite sure how I'm going to carry the infants. Whenever I leave
the house and am on unfamiliar ground or have to move more than about 10
meters I use two crutches (these hurt the damage in my wrists and hands,
but the stress and pain using two crutches places on my spinal
damage+fractures as well as the joints of my sternum is not good). If I
use a motorised wheelchair, how am I going to get them in and out of
their crib or onto and off the changing table. Standing up causes me a
lot of pain, and sitting down isn't much better. These children are
pretty much newborns, so I suspect there'll be a lot of diaper changing
and feeding and such during the night! I'm wondering if one crutch would
be better, but I'm worried about the off centre load of carrying the
kids repeatedly every night on my spine. I've never had to do this since
I got this /great/ new body :-(

-Finally, wheelchair or scooter? I can move short distances on two
crutches outside, but not shopping (I may have no choice but to go and
do emergency shopping from time to time, despite the infection risk in
being exposed to crowds) and not around the university library or
campus. I can't deploy the little Shoprider QT4 I have now, and as I
mentioned above this thing hurts me to use unless I'm on a very smooth
surface. I also need something that I can carry at least one large
school bag with around campus (I currently put this bag behind my feet
and the laptop in the basket behind the seat). The turning radius is not
appropriate for in home use, and it's not nearly as precise as a
wheelchair (I'm worried about bumping into the things, like a crib,
using it). Maybe I should get something for in the house and something
deployable from a vehicle? Money *is* a major issue here.

As you can imagine, I'm feeling just a wee little bit stressed! I'm out
of my experience here, so I'm hoping to draw on yours.

TIA,

Ari