Missy is left Paraplegic after surgery goes wrong

Hi my name is Mary and I'm fund raising for Melissa Shaw Herrmann. Missy was diagnosed in her 30s with Marphan syndrome, which is a conective tissue condition that causes aortic aneurysm .

Missy has had 5 surgeries. All went well except for this last one. Missy found herself paralyzed and on dialysis three days after surgery. Her struggle through recovery was 6 1/2 months. Her goal was to get home and to be able to live independent. Missy lost her husband of 25 years to cancer 6 years ago. In order for her to be able to take care of herself while being paralyzed from the waist down would mean special equipment. The hospital sent her home with a special wheel chair that has a different angle to help stabalize her that was on loan pending a delivery of her wheel chair from the manufacturer. 5 months past and on Friday afternoon a representative showed up and says they need the chair and that her insurance will not cover. He picked it up and left. This left a paraplegic without a way of getting around. She called to find out the price of the chair and found it was around $4000.00 Insurance would only cover a $170.00 wheel chair that does not stabilize a paraplegic.

Missy has found that her medical insurance does not cover durable equipment. Being paralyzed takes specialized equipment that's more expensive then average handicap equipment. Missy is in need of a wheel chair and a used wheel chair accessible van in order to keep living independently. My husband and I came together and fixed her home so she can get around. Now Missy is finding it a financial struggle to meet her equipment needs. Being a retired teacher she does not qualify for disability. A donation of any size will be a blessing.