I have been using Pride and Quantum wheelchairs since I was 11. My very first power wheelchair was a Jazzy 1122. I can tell you that that wheelchair was an actual beast. It had a LOT of life in it. I got it when I was 11, but I was still using it in college. In fact, when I studied abroad in Ireland in my sophomore year, I brought my Jazzy 1122 with me and I got to see so much with my trusty power wheelchair.
Receiving My First Wheelchair with iLevel®
Since my Jazzy1122, I have had three more power wheelchairs, all Quantum and each one topping the last. My first Quantum power chair was faster than my Jazzy1122 and helped me get across my college campus easily. After that, when I graduated law school, I got an Edge 2 motorized wheelchair and it came with iLevel. This was really a game changer. I could reach podiums in courtrooms, I could reach printers in the office and I could network at young lawyers’ events. After that, I moved on to the Edge 3 motorized wheelchair with iLevel and it was even better! The color, raspberry beret, received more compliments than I have ever received on a wheelchair, and it moved even faster at iLevel.
Needless to say, I have loved all of my motorized wheelchairs. My wheelchairs have helped me traverse the world, start a career, and have a lot of fun. However, I never knew what I was missing until I first sat in a Stretto. The Edge 3 Stretto is the narrowest power chair in the U.S. and it fits in so many tight spaces!
What I Love About the Stretto
I have always been petite. I am 4’10″ with a pretty small frame. When I was a child, you could never find me during games of Hide and Seek because I could fit in the tiniest spaces. That changed when I began using power wheelchairs, because the base of my wheelchairs have always been much bigger than my body. I no longer fit in the tight spots but I finally had the freedom to move around in the world. It was a trade that I happily made.
That all changed when I sat in a Stretto! For the first time ever, I felt like my chair truly fit me! With its narrow base, the Stretto can make turns without me having to fear that I’ll leave a gouge in the doorframe. I can fit in tiny elevators AND turn around without hitting anything. I can do so much and go to so many narrow places now because my chair is more compact.
For the first time, I don’t have to choose between being small or having the freedom of movement with a wheelchair. Now I have both! I feel like my chair truly fits me! While I have loved all of my motorized wheelchairs, I have also loved experiencing the improvements in technology with each new wheelchair. I can say that the Edge 3 Stretto is definitely my favorite power wheelchair yet!
About Stephanie Woodward: Stephanie is a brand ambassador advisor for Quantum Rehab® and works as a disability rights activist. She has received many awards for helping communities become more accessible, as well as for her actions in fighting for the rights of disabled individuals as it relates to Medicaid and other support services. Click here to learn more about Stephanie.
