Just fooling myself

Pete,
I'm not sure about FL, but I was told in my state at least that you need to be out of work for 12 continuous months to qualify for SS Disability. If that's the case there's probably not much benefit to starting the application while you're still working.

Good luck with everything! Hopefully rules are different in FL!
frances

Pete,
There are some others here who know more than I (way more!), but I think you only have to wait 6 months to apply. But I think you may have to be out of work for at least a year before you can receive it. I don't know so I really shouldn't be chiming in. I will say that I DO know the struggle to acknowledge the need to appy for disability. It's not easy. I'm still in a tug of war with myself, because is so, so hard to let go, even though work already let go of me (I got laid off over a year ago and am only working a few hours a week now).

The psychological piece of acceptance is a huge part of the pie, at least for me.

One other thought I had re: your other thread. Remember hormone levels can wreak havoc with moods (we women know this well!), so along with your anti-depressant check, remember to let whoever's prescribing that know about your testosterone level fluctuations.

PaLady

Post Edited (PAlady) : 2/9/2009 12:46:36 PM (GMT-7)

Pete,
If you can handle getting a bunch of surgeries in a row & your doctors are game for it, I say go for it! That's what insurance is there for. You've probably already put it off longer than most people. What else are the insurance companies going to do with all that money except lose it all in the stock market?! lol I say it would be a much better benefit both to you & society for you to get the help you need. If you were having fake surgeries or just doing stupid stuff to run up the tab that would be one thing, but from everything you've written so far it sounds like you have a legitimate medical reason for any or all of those procedures.

Keep in mind that you can always buy COBRA for at least 18 months after you leave a position (no matter the reason why). You would have to pay the entire premium, but I know from my own experience that sometimes it's cheaper to pay a $500/month premium than to go with skimpier coverage. You can call your health insurance provider to see whether they will cover treatment in another state. A lot of them do so it's at least worth the phone call. If they say "no", explain your situation with your wife & needing her care and ask how you can appeal their decision. Keep moving up the food chain until you get a "yes" and then make sure you get something in writing before you do anything crazy. :P Some insurance people are just sticks in the mud, but others have enough power to genuinely review your condition & decide that it would be in their best financial interest to agree to pay for the therapy where you are getting enough help that you can recover more quickly. If worse comes to worst, I do know some people who "rent" out a spare bedroom in exchange for a personal care assistant. Obviously you need to be very careful with that & get plenty of references, but a good friend of mine got the idea from one of her friends & both of them got really good PA's who helped them with dressing & bathing & medication & cooking and all that good stuff in exchange for a free place to live for 6 months or so and a little bit of spending money. Maybe it could work. No need to be miserable during the time you've most looked forward to your entire working life. Retirement is meant to be enjoyed, so if some surgeries or procedures or whatnot can help, go for it!

Alternatively, perhaps you could consider going on an extended Leave of Absence. My company let me do that for a while last year & it meant they continued to pay their portion of my benefits as long as I was on LOA. There is no pay for it, no absolute guarantee your job will be waiting for you when you're ready to return & I'm not sure how it would affect any retirement benefits you might otherwise qualify for, but maybe it's worth looking into. Unlike all the nightmare mountain of paperwork I need for everything else, for an LOA all I needed was a note from my doc stating I was under his continuous care & how long I would be out of commission.

blessings,
frances

OMG Pete, low thyroid levels have similar symptoms to depression. You definitely need to keep on top of that! Maybe you could keep regular check ups with one doc who at least would do all the testing for you and you wouldn't have to run around to specialists unless it was necessary.

Good luck!

PaLady

Pete,

 

No, I would not be working and applying for SSD at the same time. That would send up a red flag in my opinion. It would be like why is this man applying if he can work, see what I mean.  You will also need your dr behind you 500% about being off of work and you will need to be taken off work by a dr. Thats how they determine a date that disability began.

 

Working and chronic pain is probably one of the hardest things I ever did. I stayed totally stressed trying to look and act of the role of someone being just fine, not a person wracked with pain. But, my disability is not for CP, mine is related to crohns disease. My gastro is the one that medically retired me. Your disability has to be expected to last at least 12 months if not permanently. I waited about 3 months before applying then received my first check after being off about 7 months. Now, you if get awarded benefits its possible to get payment at the 6 month mark instead of the 12 month rule. They changed the law on that. It has helped alot of people with this new ruling because if I am going to be off more than 12 months why make me wait that long before being paid monthly checks.

 

Retirement, its a whole new ballgame even when its a medical retirement. I still do alot of things like I did when I worked, do laundry in the evenings, go grocery shopping in the evening, old habits are hard to break.

 

I don't know how long your wife has been away from you. But, if you plan on moving to where she is, believe me this will be really hard on both of you. She has her routine of what she does every day alone. If another person happens on the scene sometimes it can rock the entire boat.My husband retired two yrs ago and I still am not use to him being here every day,lol. Nerve wracking to say the least. lol.

 

Good luck in whatever directon you decide to go........Susie

 

 

Deep breath Pete. it'll be ok just relax. Sending you big hugs.

Scarred

Oh, Pete, I'm so sorry you've been having such a rough time lately. I've been going through a similar thing with deciding whether or not to call it quits with school. This type of decision is by no means an easy one to make, in fact I really haven't been able to make a decision (I know the decision that I should make, but I'm too terrified to make it), which I suppose is a decision in itself. Is there any way that you could reduce your hours instead of quitting working completely? Maybe a reduced workload would be a little less stressful and painful for your poor body, at least temporarily until you make your final decision? I honestly know nothing about the process of gaining disability.

Skeye

Pete,

Regarding SSD....I had Cervical Fusion in 2000, went back to work and continued to work for 3 more years.  During this time, I did NOT take Pain meds during the day but as soon as I walked in my door I did everything I could to reduce the pain.  This is how I lived my life, working all day, hoping for relief at night with meds.  All of this was documented, when I decided to stop working I made an appointment with SS and a Pain Rehab Dr., prior 3 year medical records in hand.  I also had my boss a Family Practice M.D. write a letter explaining what he observed since the surgery.  When I had my interview with SSD, the clerk told me having continued to work in severe pain would play a big part in the outcome.

It sounds to me like everyone at your work place has seen what you live everyday, you have documentation, get your appointment and get it done!  It was my worst day to finally admit that I had had enough but once done a big weight will be lifted.  You have so many problems, you DESERVE to do this for yourself.  We who live in chronic pain wear out our Adrenals which in turn shuts down the hormone system, hence, weight gain, depression and so on.  Its time for you to give in and allow some relief in to your life.  Stay on Cobra as long as possible it takes 25 months once approved on SSD for Medicare to kick in!

Go for it!!!

edt