Michigan teen with CP waits months for a new wheelchair that still hasn't arrived

From The Jackson Citizen Patriot in Mich.:

Shayna Miller's (pictured) main form of transportation is her wheelchair, and without one that fits her properly her health could be in jeopardy.

But getting a proper wheelchair has proven to be a drawn-out and frustrating process for her family.

On Aug. 17, 2009, Miller, 16, went through a lengthy surgery to straighten her spine. Two weeks after the surgery, the family applied through Medicaid for a new wheelchair that would better support her back.

Miller, who was diagnosed with cerebral palsy when she was 9 months old, is still waiting for the wheelchair, said Miller's mother, Kym Scouten (pictured) of Napoleon Township.

"The chair is like her shoes. If it doesn't fit, it doesn't do anybody any good," Scouten said. "After nine months, the (current) chair is hurting her."

Miller is using a chair that was in the closet at the Lyle Torrant Center, 1175 W. Parnall Road, Scouten said. The back rest is hollowed out, and tape covers the right and left sides to make it a little more comfortable.

Miller, whose back had a 110-degree curve, underwent an 81⁄2-hour surgery that put a rod in her back to decrease the curve to 40 degrees. A curvature of 10 degrees or less is considered in the normal range, according to The University Hospital's website, www.theuniversityhospital.com.

Michelle Caird, pediatric orthopedic surgeon for the University of Michigan Health System, said Miller is at risk for sores and infections that could jeopardize her health if she does not have a chair that fits her.

She can't safely sit without a new wheelchair, Caird said.

"After her surgery, we really changed the shape of her entire back and the trunk and the torso and the way that she sits," Caird said. "Now that she's in a new position, she really needs a new shape (for the wheelchair)."

Scouten first started the process of applying for a new wheelchair in July, in order for her daughter to have a new chair by the time the surgery was complete. After the surgery, Scouten learned the company she had planned to get a wheelchair through no longer worked with Medicaid.

The family turned to the University of Michigan Health System Wheelchair Seating Service, which has been helpful, Scouten said.

The only roadblock now is Medicaid. Paperwork has been sent back four times, she said. At one point, Medicaid needed more documentation to why Miller needed the chair.

"I understand protocol, but they have all the documentation," Scouten said. "Medicaid is trying to play by the same kind of standards (that they used to) before we were in this economic situation."

James McCurtis, public relations officer for the Michigan Department of Community Health, said the process can sometimes be delayed because of improper paperwork.

The physician first prescribes a wheelchair, then a physical therapist gives an evaluation for the type of wheelchair needed. That information is then sent to the Department of Community Health, McCurtis said.

"The process is quite simple in what you need to do," he said. "The part that gets difficult is when it gets in the shuffle of going back and forth."

McCurtis said the wheelchair was approved the last week of May. Scouten said she still is unsure when Miller will receive her chair.