My name is Dona DiStefano and I am writing about my husband Robert DiStefano. We are 27 years old and my husband has been disabled since birth. He was born with a disability called Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus. He is unable to feel from his knees down, and is wheelchair bound. In June of 2004 he had to have his right leg amputated to about mid-calf due to an infection that was in the foot going into the bone. He healed shortly after but because he is unable to walk when he transfers back and forth from his wheelchair to the car or to the steps to go up stairs on his behind it drags on the floor. Because of this he has a wound on his leg that has been there again since March of this year (2005) He was recently in the hospital for three weeks, during which time for 8 days he was on a ventilator. While on the ventilator he had 4 grand mal seizures. Being has he was in the hospital for so long laying on his back he has no upper body strength to transfer himself from the hospital bed we have downstairs in his mother's living to his wheelchair. He has to have assistance, and in order to go back and forth to doctor's appointments we have to borrow our friends van who is also disabled. It has a ramp so that he can roll up into the van without ever having to transfer. He will be going back into the hospital next week for a skin grafting on the leg which means he definitely will not be able to transfer into our car any longer. We are paying on 2002 nissian sentra and it is very low to the ground. If he transfers into or out of it the leg drags on the floor. Being married and him being on social security I can only make a 1,700 dollars a month in order for him to keep his medical insurance, but he only gets about 100.00 a month from the social security administration some months depending on what I made. The most is just over 200.00. If there is any way that you would be able to help us get a wheelchair acessible van I would greatly appreciate it. This way he doesn't feel like he is isolated in his house unable to go out with friends or out with his family for functions outside of the house. Thank you for your time and consideration.