I am 23 and have been dealing with chronic pain since I was 18 when I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis; the disease didn't affect my life until my second year in college. I didn't even know it was considered a disability. Anyway in january of 2007 I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, then in June of 2007 I was diagnosed with raneud's disease and systematic lupus (SLE).
Currently I am new to this online community and have never done this before; I just need an outlet or someone to understand; ecspecially since the onset of the fibromyalgia, raneud's, and lupus (SLE). I live in a small community, by the grace of god and understanding professors at my college I graduated with a B.A in English and a minor in French. But where I live there is not very much need for either, so vocational rehabilitation center were able to secure a grant to start a yoga business, mild yoga mind you, which I got into initially 5 years ago b/c I needed a low impact exercise. Unfortuanatley after one year in business I had to close which was in January of 2007 prior to the onset of all the other 3 illnesses, the point is I really tried to make an effort to work but I couldn't handle it due to chronic pain and fatigue ya da ya da. I take 25-30 pills a day now; constantly up and down; correction every day is crapty there are just different levels when waking up on how crapty one will feel.
I am in the middle of an SSDI case with my ALJ hearing in early november of 2007. The biggest factor against me is my age; I am so frusterated b/c I constantly feel I have to justify my diseases b/c to the common person I don't look extremely sick.I am so nervous for my SSDI case hopefully having an attorney will help me. Have any advice on the hearing or the chances of succeeding I would think four diseases would be a shoe inn, and the insomnia, depression, and chronic anxiety.
I just feel as though I cannot take anymore and I am sick of justifying my illnesses. 