Thursday, February 17, 2011

Time for a change

Past time, actually.

Oh, the decisions...

I worried about this last year. Austin is getting BIG. And he's definitely a mover. I knew it wouldn't be long before a crib was no longer an option. It made me nuts anyway. The padding, padding, and more padding to protect his little head from nasty drops. Even with all the extra attention I've put into that thing, I still worried. I bought a video monitor a long time ago so I could when he was having seizures and/or getting up acting wild. That helped A LOT. It helped me see what was going on so I'd know whether or not I needed to intervene or leave him be. Unfortunately, there were still incidents. Despite all the padding, he's still gotten bloody lips a couple times from smacking his head on the rail.

Then came surgery talk. I held off on any special equipment in the hopes that seizures wouldn't be an issue anymore. Surgery came and went. We arrived home still with seizures, but also with a sensitive incision and weakness to boot. That crib was completely out of the question. Chad was generous enough to give up his spot in the bed for Austin and take the couch temporarily.

And just when we thought we were approaching the end of our special sleeping arrangements, I found out his crib had been recalled and the exact model was associated in an infant's death. Assuming Austin is twice the size of a 12 month old that collapsed the metal bars under the mattress, I KNEW he wasn't getting back into that thing again. So, instead of taking it down, returning it, purchasing another crib, and padding it so he could outgrow it in a few months, I thought it was time to start exploring other options. It's only a matter of time before Chad's back can't take the couch anymore. It's not exactly ideal for me either, though. I bound to the bed once Austin's in there.

He certainly cannot sleep in a typical toddler bed. He has no safety awareness and, of course, has the dangerous seizures. It must have an enclosure. Something soft enough to not cause injury in the event of a drop seizure, but durable enough to withstand his mighty 37 lbs of weight -and activity. He definitely likes to get up and move around in the bed.

This is what I've found so far (with the help of my mom and Chad):


This is the Pedicraft Homecare Canopy Bed. It will definitely suit our needs, but comes with a hefty price tag and not to mention jumping through hoops with our insurance company, a vicious cycle of paperwork, evaluations, doctor's script, and lots of waiting I'm sure. Time is of the essence here, a guy that has to get up at 4:30 am for work can only be patient for so long. lol Also, not exactly aesthetically pleasing to the eye. ;)


Then there's this one, The Courtney Bed. Much more visually pleasing and less sterile looking. Not as pricey, but not really affordable either. Another long wait since I think they build them as you order them. We'd probably have to pay out of pocket for this one. LOTS of color options.








Then, The Safety Sleeper. Basically just an enclosure for a bed. Originally designed for kids with autism, but their website states parents of kids with seizures use them too. Much more affordable but definitely out of pocket, plus we'd have to buy a bed in addition. It's portable and can be used on an air mattress. Shipped directly, other color options, and padding available for the metal bars on the side. I like it. My main concern is the durability and weight resistance. I'm waiting on a response from the company now.








And thanks Danielle for showing me this option, The Nickel Bed Tent. I really like the price on this one. Much MUCH more budget friendly. I have a big decision to make! (I tried uploading a photo, but dang Blogger won't let me rearrange my photos!)


7 comments:

Danielle said...

Ohhhhhh...I really like the last one. I think we may got that direction with Trevy. He outgrew his crib and we've built our own version of a safe bed in a nook that an extended baby gate fits across. Trevy doesn't seem to mind. But it's not a permanent fix either. Which is why I'm fighting the urge to order that last one in blue right this very minute!

...danielle

Danielle said...

Holy Moly...some how I missed the price tag. You might not have seen this one...it's similar but MUCH less expensive.

http://www.myreadysetbloom.com/

Closer to what my budget can handle.

...danielle

Holli said...

Oh yeah, I meant the shipping was $49!! lol I'll have to check out the one you found too.

I guess I need to clarify that. lol

Holli said...

Oh that's nice too D!! Chad actually found the Safety Sleeper through his own googling. Guess I should googled enclosures or bed tents rather than special needs beds. ;)

Thanks for sharing!

Danielle said...

Trevy isn't aggressive. He's just curious. And if he has the option of getting out of bed...he takes it. And he's not safe running around on his own with no supervision. All that to say...while I think the other more expensive beds are cute. I don't think they're what we, personally, need. If Austin needs something more like the other two...have your doctor write a script and start the process of billing your insurance. This is medical equipment and they should cover it.

I feel bossy! I'm just saying...you guys shouldn't just pay for it out of pocket without trying to bill insurance first. That's why you have it. I can't remember if you've applied for Medicaid or not?

...danielle

Sophie's Story by Elaine said...

I've SPOILED Sophie. She sleeps in bed right in the middle between Brandon and I. She USE to be a great sleeper...until she started having seizures in the middle of the night at 18 months old. I tried padding the crib but she still got bloody lips. So I moved her on in. UGH! I should have looked into these safety beds. All this to say...I am glad you are going in the right direction and I hope you find something that works for Austin.

blogzilly said...

You can manually re-arrange your photos in blogger, it's really really easy. When the time is right and you want to find out how, lemme know, I'll walk you through it.

Saw your post on Facebook. A second opinion is a good thing. Either place is probably going to be a solid option for you to try. Obviously your results are going to be different than anybody else's...but I liked the people at Cleveland Clinic. I've also had people tell me they hated their experience there. But I've seen the exact same thing at any hospital. Anywhere.

As for the bed thing...this may seem weird, but have you thought about looking into some, let's say, alternative-type places? I shit you not, you can find a very large child-like bed/crib that offers the security and protection you want but will last into the future and you won't have to replace it down the road as Austin grows, it's that big.

I'll talk to you about it offline, but I've seen 'em.