Glendale man among thousands affected by more AHCCCS budget cuts

GLENDALE, AZ - Mary Rogalski sits next to her husband, Ron Clendenin, who is in a wheelchair.

The Glendale paraplegic has spent the past year re-learning how to walk and stand.

Clendenin suffered a spinal cord injury after he slipped and fell one day getting out of the shower.

"I'd like to be able to walk again," Clendenin said.

But his chances of getting back on his feet are at a standstill because the couple just received a letter from the state-run free health care program known as AHCCCS.

It stated Clendenin will only be covered for 15 more physical therapy sessions.

"He goes three times a week," Rogalski said. "He needs a minimum of another six months to a year before he will start walking on his own and this is a really critical time for him."

A spokesperson for AHCCCS said it was forced to make millions in cuts and announced the decision last spring.

Many have already been notified, but the couple said they were assured Clendenin's therapy would be covered under the long term care plan.

The former engineer is finally at the point in his therapy where he can stand up with some assistance, but his wife says if his therapy doesn't continue he might not ever walk again.

"He's in a situation where if he doesn't jump on this opportunity right now he's going to lose the ability to ever walk again," she said.

Despite the news from the state, the couple is not giving up. Rogalski is now acting as Clendenin's therapist.

She says both are determined to fight for Clendenin to walk again..

"What else can I do," he said. "Just got to fight."

"We're not asking for anything unreasonable," Rogalski said. "All we're asking for is assistance to help him learn to walk again."