Impact of our wheelchair loan 20 It is early days in Holly’s recovery, but the family has already used the chair on several occasions: > to visit the local park and small animal centre > to visit a street food and music festival in the city centre > to return to the hospital for X-rays when Holly’s leg was hurting during the night > to visit her grandmother > to attend school two afternoons a week for the last two weeks of the Spring term. Amy explained: “this meant Holly Holly, got fresh air and that can help with sleeping. There was another little girl at the park who asked her mum why Holly was in a wheelchair, so Yorkshire Holly told her and it became this whole teaching session...it was good for Holly, because she was a bit up and down at the time, for her Holly is six years old and confidence.” was diagnosed in 2014 with Amy intends to use the chair to developmental dysplasia of both get Holly (and herself) out of the hips. This condition causes general house most days, as they feel looseness and instability in the Holly needs to have her it is important for them to avoid hip joints. It is more commonly becoming housebound and diagnosed in younger infants, when legs elevated and splayed isolated. She feels it makes this it can be corrected fairly easily with following her operations, kind of experience more visible surgery. Due to the relatively late and a wheelchair is an in the local community and thus diagnosis, Holly had to undergo essential part of her encourages a sense of community an urgent double hip operation physical and emotional support and acceptance, rather to stabilise both hips. This meant recovery. It prevents her than feelings of being stigmatised, Holly had to be in a cast with her which could have a detrimental legs splayed and supported for two family being housebound effect on Holly’s sense of wellbeing. months following each hip operation and transports her to the Amy feels having the wheelchair is – a total of nearly four months GP and hospital for follow- also benefitting her own wellbeing: altogether. up. Being housebound for “not being cooped up, and not Holly’s mum (Amy) has taken time off four months would have a being so isolated. It would be very from her part-time job as a midwife. serious effect on Holly’s easy to become quite lonely and, With the support of her partner social skills, confidence as a parent, it would be really and extended family, she is looking with other children and hard to watch Holly’s distress after Holly at home. Holly also has and frustration when she can’t Vitamin D deficiency, so needs to education. The wheelchair get out.” Without the wheelchair have access to sunlight on a regular helps her parents to cope loan, the family would likely have basis. The family found out about and avoids the distress needed extra emotional support the Red Cross short-term wheelchair and pain of an isolating to cope with four months of being loan service from the occupational and frustrating long housebound. therapist and physiotherapist during recovery period. Holly’s pre-operation appointment at Sheffield Children’s Hospital. 20 The interview took place after Holly’s first operation and before the second one. 22