Denise Comes Home

I brought Denise home yesterday. She is 10 years old and is quite the character. I think she will fit into this family very well!
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No, I didn't adopt another child. Denise is our new (used) van!

Back in March I wrote about the wonderful deal I was getting on a used van. The Tate family, truly special people, made it possible for me to have a van for transporting Ronnie. I've named the van Denise after my social worker. Denise - the social worker not the van - was instrumental in getting our local newspaper to do a story on Ronnie's homecoming, and that is what precipitated the offer of Denise - the van not the social worker.

So, say hello to Denise the van:

Expensive Transportation

Since today was a holiday from work, I went and looked at wheelchair vans. Oh my goodness, they are expensive!

Getting a van is the final step in making our home and family ready for Johnny. He currently has a regular rigid wheelchair, and will be getting a power chair. There is no other option for a vehicle other than a modified van.

I looked at three brands - Toyota, Chrysler, and Dodge. And, I looked at both side entry and rear entry models. One of the challenges I face (besides financing the vehicle, of course) is finding one that has enough seating for everyone. I need the one wheelchair position, and at least four other non-wheelchair seats (including the driver seat). A fifth non-wheelchair seat would be a huge plus, and would allow for an aide to travel with us.

To get enough seating, it seems my best option is a rear entry model, and the Toyota Sienna seems to have the most seats as well as the most comfortable seats. But, I would like your opinions.

If you have a wheelchair van, what criteria did you use to decide on the best model? Were there must-haves and nice-to-haves, and if so, what were they? How long have you have your van, and have you found a modified van to have more/less/or equal problems as a non-modified van?

Do you have any advice for me as I try to work out this last major obstacle? Everything else seems to be falling into place, and it would be wonderful if I could work through this van issue quickly also.