purplefocus Posted October 6, 2004 Report Share Posted October 6, 2004 If you had read my previous post you would have seen that I received a letter about my disability claim that said my medical part had been approved but was still deciding on the non-medical. Well yesterday I recieved 2 different calls from different departments of the Social Security Dept. that told me I had been approved and they also were getting more information. They also got my banking acct number for direct deposit. They were able to tell me what the amount would be and that I should recieve a payment by November. Yea!!!!!!!! In time for Christmas. This takes such a tremedous worry offme. I have felt so bad not being able to pull my part of the finacial part of our life. My husband never once made me feel bad about this it was something I did on my own. You know how some of us put blame on ourselves no matter what anyone is saying. Nobody give up, I thought I was gonna have to go thru all the appeals and figured it would take a couple of years but I am grateful that didn't happen to me. I thank all of you that answered all my questions and have giving me such encouragement when I have gotten so down physically and emotionally. This is the best forum site I have ever encountered. Another yea, now I will be able to afford a Dysautonomia bracelet. My sun is shining brightly this morning. Although I am having chest pain and shortness of breath and my heart rate is around 130 I still feel ok. I know this will pass just like it always does. I am able to really smile today. Paige Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merrill Posted October 6, 2004 Report Share Posted October 6, 2004 Congratulations, Paige! I'm really happy for you! Whew! Merrill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest GayleP Posted October 6, 2004 Report Share Posted October 6, 2004 That's really good news. Congratulations.GayleP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaime Posted October 6, 2004 Report Share Posted October 6, 2004 Congratulations, I am really happy for you! Jaime Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corina Posted October 6, 2004 Report Share Posted October 6, 2004 Congratulations Paige, I'm very very happy for you. I hope you can do some Christmasshopping in a few months .Corina Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ernie Posted October 6, 2004 Report Share Posted October 6, 2004 Congradulation Paige. Ernie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Julia59 Posted October 6, 2004 Report Share Posted October 6, 2004 Congratulations Paige!I have just sent in my application. I have finally resigned to the fact that I need to give my body a rest----and stop looking for a job that i'm not sure I can handle.I have included a lot of my medical records with my application in hopes it will speed thigs up a bit. I'm aware of how long things will take, and that most applications are turned down the first and second time. I have hired an attorney---actually his assistant---para-legal to handle the case. She told me to go ahead and file, then if it's denied she will handle the appeal. She said if I were to be accepted the first time around I would get the full amount. I respect her a great deal for telling me that---in the remote chance that I would be accepted the first time----she would not get her cut.After long thought i decided it would be better for me to NOT take a chance working fearing that if I couldn't handle the demands that I would be out of any back pay from SSDI. After being approved I can work on a trial basis, and then if I can't handle it, I would not lose my SSDI benefits. But if I work now I would take a big chance. My symptoms have been progressing lately, and my problems with my chiari/and cervial spine are also getting worse. It's obvious that I need to calm down a bit---and just let my body rest---and hopefully heal. There is simply no way I could handle sitting at a desk all day working on a computer, phone---ect. with the progressing problems i've been having. It's difficult for me to even sit up straight for more then and hour at a time. At home I can rest if I need to. If I go out I struggle with a lot of pain just from simple movement of walking, driving or sitting up for long periods. I don't know what i'm going to do about this spine of mine---------i'ts one big mess. Now that I have decided on SSDI---I can take the time I need to try and get the help I need for my spinal stenosis/chiari---and cervical/cranial instability with a deformed CI further aggrivating the brain stem---which is causing my symptoms to progress. It's really hard to go on disability after being in the work force for 20 years. I feel a bit disconnected from the outside world--- Take Care,Julie :0) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Sawicki Posted October 6, 2004 Report Share Posted October 6, 2004 Congratulations Paige!Michelle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purplefocus Posted October 6, 2004 Author Report Share Posted October 6, 2004 Julie, I know exactly what you mean about working. I was a nurse for over 15 years and that was my passion. I adored being a nurse. When I would hear other nurses talk so negative about there career, I never could understand it. Yes it was hard work but what you got from it was more than you could ever be rewarded with by money. I miss it sooo much. I feel like being a nurse was 75 percent of who I was. I have adjusted somewhat to my new life but I still have hope in the back of my mind that I one day will return to nursing. I refuse to let my nursing licenses expire. Also that is where most of my social actions started at and now I am mostly alone all day except for my 3 year old, until my husband gets home from work. I rarely feel like going out and if I do I only go with him, as far as going out with other girlfriends, I just don't feel safe. Like I said I am adjusting and I don't have a mindset that this is the way it will be forever. I didn't get this positive overnite, it has taking me almost a year. Paige Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicole's Mom Posted October 6, 2004 Report Share Posted October 6, 2004 purplefocus,Congratulations. I am so happy for you. I remember how unbelievably relieved Nicole was when she finally got approved. What a relief for you- and what a great pre-Christmas gift!!!!Beverly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geneva Posted October 7, 2004 Report Share Posted October 7, 2004 paige, I am so happy you shared your good news! I hope that this will give you peace of mind and relieve some of the stress you have been going though. You deserve it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DancingLight Posted October 7, 2004 Report Share Posted October 7, 2004 paige!yeah! hip hip hooray!what a huge relief!the process is so stressful! i had such a hard time getting mine, but it is so great to have it now, especially the medical coverage. just wanted to say yeah, and hope you have lots more days of your "sun shining" as you say! emilyp.s. it's so weird to be on the "other side"? do you feel that way? i'm still not used to it. especially you nurses who spent your lives helping people. oh, i hope you are not reading this wrong. you deserve your benefits. that is not what i mean. it is just that i never thought i would be the one who needed the help....i wanted to be the helper. i think that is the case for so many of us. but maybe that is the lesson in it all...learning to receive? okay, that was deep sorry. this is what happens when they deprive me of food and water and sleep these medical tests! he-he. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ethansmom Posted October 7, 2004 Report Share Posted October 7, 2004 I am so happy for you! It just shows all of us that it's worth the fight...and well deserved for you! Happy Christmas shopping Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purplefocus Posted October 7, 2004 Author Report Share Posted October 7, 2004 Ok Ok OK folks, ya have got to quit with the emotions mushy stuff. I do try to stay in control or maybe I am just feeling extremely emotional this morning. Response to how it feels to be on the other side.........WEIRD.........I thought I would take care of people the rest of my life.........I'm one of those that thought I would stop working when I no longer could (maybe at age 70 or 75) not when I would get to early retirement. I figured I would go out kicking and screaming, well in a sense I did just way early. Paige Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danelle Posted October 7, 2004 Report Share Posted October 7, 2004 Paige, I have to put in my CONGRATS too!!! I read your post and it has given me hope again. I filed back in early July and am still waiting to hear. The last thing I have to do is go for a "physical" with their disability dr next Sat (16th), then they will make a decision. My case worker told me that I should know something by early Nov. I have had many ups and downs about this thing, more downs. I guess just doubting myself, even though my reality is so clear-I CAN"T DO IT ANYMORE. I can really relate to you. I loved my job as a nurse too and I find myself dreaming about it often, then waking up feeling empty. I, too hope to go back to nursing sometime in the future, the thought keeps me going.I can only hope and pray that I will be approved the first time around because we are in financial trouble already. Did you do anything special for your case?I am so happy for you and am glad the people are finally starting to realize that dysautonomia is a disabling problem. Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers, I feel so helpless right now.ANy advice you can give me would be aprreciated.Hope you have a stress free Christmas, now you can relax some and focus on your health! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purplefocus Posted October 7, 2004 Author Report Share Posted October 7, 2004 Danelle, I didn't do anything special. I just did what they asked and waited. I had gotten so stressed worrying about everything that I had to find a way to cope. I came to the realization that I did not have to be in control right now. I could let go and let others take care of me. My husband is very supported and I know that has helped more than anything. Of course no where in my mind do I think this is permanent. I also had to let some of my pride go and allow others to do things for us. That was hard but you know, I had done so much for people over the years and I never thought any bad thoughts toward the ones I was helping so I figured they couldn't be thinking bad thoughts about me. I still have days where nothing helps with depression but I have many more good days now than bad days as far as depression is concerned. I have become really good at given advice to everyone I can about taking out disability insurance with the company they work for and stuff like that, when I do little things like that it makes me feel like I am making a difference. We really don't need all the extra worry along with having to deal with our illness and I am sure for most of you like myself, finances is the biggest worry..........losing your house, cars, unable to pay bills, where is money for the groceries coming from, kids still have school expenses and so on............I know our struggle still goes on today but I do have an answer and if I can get approved then I think anyone can. I sure am in a rambling mood this morning. Haha Paige Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DancingLight Posted October 7, 2004 Report Share Posted October 7, 2004 purplefocus...you made me laugh about the mushy stuff! i cry all the time reading the sweet things people say to each other on this site!thanks for answering my "on the other side" question...i do hope you will be able to go back to nursing. but, in the mean time....you are right that you are making a difference just the way you are now. our essence is what matters! i also thought it was interesting how you said that you know things about getting disability etc. that you didn't know before and help people that way. i am an "expert" in all these things now too that i never dreamed of! i just hope that our experiences and what we learn makes the process easier for the next folks! you know?danelle...please, please keep us posted on what you hear. when you get your first answer back...let us know and maybe we all can have some tips where to go from there? i ended up getting lawyer. it cost me like 250 dollars TOTAL. honestly, that was nothing for the HUGE amount of time he spent on my case...and the peace of mind i had from it was AMAZING. it seems many folks hae not had a problem getting disability without a lawyer, but i had no luck that route. he probably made 2 dollars an hour off of me and that's it. (they can only charge a certain percentage of your retro-pay).anyway, danelle, i just wanted to offer you a little encouragement since yousaid you are really struggling right now and let you know that i'm thinking about you. this illness really throws us some curve balls huh? ugh! the good news is that I DID WIN my case and have had no questions asked since then. (i'd better go knock on wood right about now!) so, you WILL WIN. the waiting just stinks!emily Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danelle Posted October 9, 2004 Report Share Posted October 9, 2004 I will keep you all posted. Thanks for your thoughts and prayers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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