Our two hundred and fifty dollar seatbelt

A couple people have asked how we travel with Brian.  It's rather a tricky thing to get a good shot of, but here it is - our $250 seatbelt.

And I know that because the nurse who came in and told us we couldn't leave the hospital without it, also told us that our insurance didn't want to cover it.  Nice.  But we're working on that...none to worry. 

The basic set-up is this:

• All in one piece are two straps across the chest, two over the shoulders and two under the crotch
• In a second piece is a belt that just goes around the leg closest to the seat
• His head goes in the middle seat, the good leg against the back
• The middle seat belt weaves thru the two chest straps and is pulled snug
• The shoulder strap is woven thru the belt hold the leg, and is locked in place with one of those tricky little belt lock thingies that come with the car seats

And that's it. It's easiest to put the whole belt thing on in the house, but I didn't feel like dragging it around the hospital yesterday so I left it in the van and it really wasn't that big a deal to put him in it in there. We got so good at it, we went in to visit at my sister-in-laws to give Brian a change of scenery and fun with cousins when we went to pick up the other kids.

I wouldn't travel 500 miles north with it - but it works out for going to the hospital and back. It better, for 250 bucks.

heh.

Comments

[Laura Kangas]

Those must not have been invented back in 2000. :) or probably just never made it to the U.P.

[Amy]

Okay, back in the DARK AGES when I was a child with a broken femus and in a similar cast(mid '80s), I just laid on a pallet in the back of my parents' pickup (with a camper shell) or station wagon. Hmmm. It was much cheaper, but I'm sure terribly dangerous. Times have changed!

[Kathryn]

I say appeal over and over and over again to the insurance company so they finally get sick of denying you and will cover it. This has worked for others (including us).

[sue Treiber]

that is a very interesting contraption.
Your doctor is cheesing me off too. I would sit down and come up with 4 pages worth of questions to ask this person, and refuse to leave until they were answered.

[mindijo]

Ugh! Seriously? Gillette Children's Hospital (where two of my daughters still go) was nice enough to loan us special carseats. As if you don't have enough expense with all of this! I feel your pain.

[Barbara]

hmmmmmmmmmmmm what would the hospital of done if you could not afford or would not buy the carseat? Keep Brian? Makes you wonder...................................