Disability

[Daydreamer88]

Is anyone on disability? Like through social security?

 

[Angee]

I am

 

[Daydreamer88]

How does it work? Like what do you have to do for it and what are your benefits from it?

 

[Nytefyre]

I am starting the process today. I told myself that yesterday too!

 

[Jennjenn]

I am on it. Have been since november 08'. Took a while to get approved had to get an attorney to hurry up the process for approval. If you are applying start with an attorney. It is nothing like the salary that I used to have. I can barely pay my rent, car and other bills. They even take medicare payments out each month and the medicare only covers 80% which means people need to have supplemental insurance before they go into debt or get denied treatment. That costs more money, I might be dropped at the end of febuary for the supplemental Aetna that I pay for. I just dont have enough to make the payment. Not sure what I will do then. I have been contemplating to find a job again or not even though I am not feeling and doing well. It is a scary thought to decide a roof over your head or try to last as long as you can at a job so that I may have a savings account again. This comes with the possibility of making myself in a worse position. When I was working I couldnt stay out of the hospital. I wish that Social Security could pay at least 1/2 of what people used to make. Unfortunately thats not the case. I have a few decisions to make and it scares me to become more sick than what I feel now.

 

[farm]

I feel for you Jenn, I know exactly what you are going through. You spend a ton of time and energy fighting the battle to get disability, then realize you cannot live on it. The system sucks!

AMEN and AMEN!

 

[krahsdnal]

Sorry to hear that Jenn, that is awful. That is the government working for us!

I am not on disability, but I am looking into it for my wife, she has had 3 hip replacement surgeries in the last 15 mos and has nuropathy in her legs and cant walk without a walker. She was a teacher and I doubt she will be able to do that anymore. I have heard that getting SS Disability is nothing but a nightmare.

 

[Jennjenn]

It is a nightmare! It took a while to get approved. The lawyers work well though. If you try on your own no matter what your condition they will deny you. SS sent me to their doctor for a visit even though I had all my records and the 2 months before visiting their doctor I had 3 surgeries in 5 weeks then an abcess that followed a few weeks after. Social Securities doctor told me to bend down and touch my toes. I told her why I am still healing my stomach is really soar and hurts. She said do your best. The she said lift up your arms to the ceiling. Then she pulled out a doll and asked me to button her dress with my right hand and zip up her jacket with my left. I stopped her and asked her if she had the right chart. She said yes. I told her this is a joke and not right my arms and legs work fine its my intestines that do not work from crohns. She then said you will be fine and suggested that I go get some lunch. Maybe it was because I was 15lbs underweight which didnt look right. The only thing she was right about is that I ould get 15 lbs back to put me at an ok weight.
Attorneys help get it approved when you are ill. And yes the system does suck.
I hope it works out for you guys on getting the Social Security.

 

[CrohnsHobo]

My GF wanted me to go on disability to try and get my current flare under control. We work together and I tend to stress/obsess about work more than I should. So she though it would be good to back off for a month or so.

 

[Jennjenn]

If you are able to maybe it would be good for you to rest CrohnsHobo

 

[Jennifer]

I've been on SS for years. It can be a nightmare. Getting your own lawyer is the best way to go, preferably one who works with a doctor. It is possible to live off of SS but not comfortably. For anyone who's married, you should know that they do ask how much your spouse makes and they take that amount into consideration when deciding how much money to give you. Even if you live with a roommate they assume that you are getting financial help from this other person even if they are a perfect stranger. All they ask is how much your rent is, how much are your utilities and how much you spend on food each month. After that, you're just about out of SS. Often times I'd have to ask my parents for help towards the end of the month because of insurance payments for my car or gas money etc. SS assumes you sit at home, eat Ramen and rot.

Plus sometimes they give you too much money and don't tell you till almost a year later and say that you can either pay it back or they'll take it out themselves in a couple of months. Doesn't happen often but does happen. It's happening to me now. They'll take money out starting in April for 3 months. So now I have to sell my car just to get by.

My mom used to take care of SS when I was younger and I had no idea how much of a hassle it was until I was on my own. I still wish someone else would handle it cause it's stressful as hell.

 

[AmyWooden]

I actually have my hearing today for Social Security Disability. I'm a bit nervous. I've waited 2 years and went through a lawyer. I was denied once already and my lawyer file an appeal. I know it's not much, but it's better than nothing and at this point I'll take it.

 

[Guest555]

Good luck Amy. It is a nightmare here in the UK to get on disability as well.

 

[AmyWooden]

Thank you, dlzoidberg! After over 2 years of waiting the judge approved my claim right then and there! I couldn't believe it. I feel about 100x lighter today!

btw - Donnie Darko is my absolute favorite movie

 

[Guest555]

Well done! I am on disability but not for IBD.

 

[GutlessWonder86]

I am so happy for you Amy. I went through the exact same thing. I had to apply for disability myself due to Crohn's and a having stroke caused by a 12" clot on my brain that hemorrhaged. I was denied and had to obtain an attorney.

I waited 2 years and the judge approved my claim on the spot as well. It was the best feeling ever!!! Good for you. Now you can concentrate on your well being!!! :kiss:

~Gutless Wonderwoman

 

[AmyWooden]

I am so happy for you Amy. I went through the exact same thing. I had to apply for disability myself due to Crohn's and a having stroke caused by a 12" clot on my brain that hemorrhaged. I was denied and had to obtain an attorney.

I waited 2 years and the judge approved my claim on the spot as well. It was the best feeling ever!!! Good for you. Now you can concentrate on your well being!!! :kiss:

~Gutless Wonderwoman

Thank you! You're absolutely right - now I can really concentrate on my health. :biggrin:

 

[MysteryLocket]

I am, but not for crohn's. ... go figure.. They will give it to me for something other. (They wont even let me add it to my diagnosis, and i've found myself stuck in the "you are to inform us of any changes" and the "We can't add this on there." statements I'm getting.)
But thankfully I am on it no matter what diagnosis they have me on it for. Because with that I get medical insurance, and the Encort i believe it was, turned out being over a thousand dollars. *shakes head in disbelief* I almost killed over when I saw what the price was intially. and that was just ONE of my meds.

 

[jazmac]

WOW you guys in the US really have it tough. I have been on disability support for the last few months, I thought the 2 months it took to be approved was bad. They back paid to the date I applied. I just had my gastro spec fill out paperwork and had to go in for what they call job capacity assessment. She looked at all my results and said that they didn't mean much to her. She asked my illness history and then said you must be really tough cause most people would be in tears by now! Its not a lot but it covers my rent and leaves me with about$150 fortnight for bills etc, also get higher rebates from medicare and assistance from the gov for other things including some money towards uni application I have just put in for next year. We really are the lucky country here.