You've got a month before your homeless with Crohns or UC?

I,too, am relieved to hear you are feeling a little bit better. My mom use to say that it may feel like the world is ending but if you just hold on until tomorrow you will find that it is not ending. Just hold on, Buddha, and take it one minute, one hour, one day at a time. That's what I'm doing....just holding on. More and more people are suffering each day. The price of everything has gone up and we have to hold onto the hope that at some point things will get better. JUST HOLD ON TO HOPE.

Walmart allows people to camp overnight in their parking lots too Randy.

Can you elaborate why you will be homeless in a month? Are you losing a job? Are you losing disability benefits? Are you having trouble paying your rent? Are you being foreclosed? Are you evicted? There are lots of assistance programs out there but we need to know a bit about what kind of situation is forcing you out.

buddah,
i will pray for you. i sincerly hope things will turn in your favor.

I am living this as we speak. I have severe crohns disease, I have a son that has Autism. We lived with my sister until her taking care of us got "too much" form her and her family. My son and I moved in with a friend of a friend recently. I have no vehicle because it got repossessed by the bank, I owe my gasto doctor $7,000 dollars, I cant get a job because when a employer here in the state of Georgia finds out that you are sick, they either don't hire you or they let you go for "other" reasons (not telling you that the real reason that they are letting you go is because you are sick). I am awaiting a SSDI hearing in Savannah, GA (I have been fighting with SSDI since 2004). I was told by this "friend of a friend" that me and my son may have to move out because this is getting too much for him to deal with. I cant get any state welfare or medical. I have contacted senators and congressman and they tell me that they cant assist me. Any suggestions from my fellow suffers with Crohns disease.

I've been there before although to be fair at the time I wasn't dxed with Crohn's yet but, was in full flare up mode. My parents (more story in other thread) told me to get a job in 2 weeks or get out so I feel your pain (atleast somewhat). Either way stay calm and positive, friends or family is the best option followed by the gov. listings made earlier. Stay strong and remember that sometimes your meds can control your emotions and make you feel like your even worse than you really are, I know you know this but try to keep this in mind when you feel worse than normal.

dcham1 about the job, when the employer finds out your "sick" I usually ask them if they discriminate against a thing like that, basically the race card but with being sick, with any major company they usually hire you out of fear of repercussions especially if you make it an issue. I learned this trick when working for Nike because this one guy could get away with murder and was basically untouchable because they knew his problem and hired him knowing this and hired him not because he was qualified but because they were scared of not hiring him, you can almost use this to your advantage if you play it smart. I remember he missed a week of work because and I quote "I lost my soul and I need my dad to help me find it" and our managers were worried sick that he would quit and they would get in trouble.

I just want to give everyone a bit of background about me. I found out I had Crohn's in 1989, Had a fistula removed that destroyed 50% of my rectal muscle. I did have medical treatment back then. Between 1990 to 2004, I graduated from college, then my son was diagnosed with Autism, so I worked a full time (stressful job) and put my medical needs aside to help my son with his autism.

Then in 2004, I became sick, the doctors in Atlanta did three (3) tests to determine that small and large intestines were so diseased that he wanted to do a temporary colostomy (but then he back tracked and he said it would be permanent) but then said that he wanted to try a drug called Remicade. I was able to take this drug for 2 years until I developed severe reactions to it. From 2004 to present, I have had four (4) employers and I had been released from each job. I had these job to 1) provide food on the table for me and my son, and 2) to provide medical insurance for us. I applied for the Patient assistance program for the Remicade and received the MEDICINE for free (what they don't tell you is that you get the medicine for free, but the infusion part was NOT free). I paid the doctor as much money as I could so that he did not refuse treatment. Also, when I did have insurance during this time, the insurance companies informed me that my Crohn's disease was a "pre-existing condition" and it would not be covered under my medical insurance for 12 months. So any medical treatment for my disease came out of my pocket. So not trying to be deceiving, I did not want to tell my employers I had Crohn's disease, so I did not tell them, but they eventually found out and I was let go.

Here in the state of Georgia, its a Hire-at -will/Fire-at-will policy. I could not use the ADA policy because Social Security claims that Crohn's is not a "disability". I have been fighting with Social Security for 5 years now and finally have a court date in August, 2009 in Savannah, GA. Here are some things about the SSA that are discriminatory, 1) they ask you if you made $800.00 or more in a monthand you said "yes", they hold that against you. 2) If you have an education, they hold it against you. 3) If you don't "fit" their criteria for IBD's for SSDI, you are automatically denied. Lawyers, well they discriminate also, I had one from Feb. 2006 to May of 2009. I was told by his assistant that they no longer could do my case because there is no "back monies" that they could fight for. So last week I finally found an lawyer, but I don't think that can prepare my case in time for the court date that is in 2 weeks. As for for a husband, my ex-husband dumped me and my son 20 years ago when he found out that my son has autism. Potential suitors discriminate against you because you are sick and that they would "prefer" someone that is "healthy". The folks at CCFA in Atlanta are trying to get documentation that I can take to court. My last medical visit was paid for by my mom and dad. As my life stands today, I have no job, no car (i have to have people take me places), I am staying with a "friend" of a friend (but this is only temporary) and my life savings is gone. I went from a self-sufficient adult that has been reduced to bankruptcy, being homeless, dealing with mine and my son's illness. I want to tell everyone my story this to show that employer(s), state governments and our federal government discriminates against people with IBD and there needs to be something done. I know that I could of done things a bit different with this bout of the disease, but you have to do what you have to do to survive in this world. I would not want the situation that I am in to happen to other people.

I went to my SSDI hearing and the hearing started an 1½ hours later that my scheduled appointment. I was then asked questions by the judge (for which some of them has nothing had to do with my case). I was asked to hold my hands up in the air and "wiggle" my fingers and other "stupid" questions. Finally after 45 minutes, the judge said that he was going to send me for a "state" paid for psychological exam. I received the letter stating where I needed to go and that I was going to receive a general medical exam and psychological exam. On this letter it says that I needed to bring all my medicines and any doctors records and that this would take 3 hours. I go to the designated place for this appointment and the people in that office stated that "this doctor has moved and we don't know where he went to". I called the office that set up this appointment and they said "oh did you not get another letter telling you that he has moved and you needed to go to another facility". I said I did not get this. So they told me where to go. It was 10 miles away in a "community center" . I arrive there to find a hallway full of people, and no where to sit. After 1 hour of waiting, the assistant to the psychologist brings a clipboard to me with a bunch of math questions on them. The I turn in the test and 45 minutes later I get called in by the psychologist. He proceeds to "fire off" questions at me (again to which some of these questions have nothing to do with my crohns). Finally after 20 minutes, he tells me to go wait in the "waiting area". I am waiting in this "area", and the assistant to the psychologist comes out and says that they are "overbooked" and that this is the fault of the Department of Labor for "overbooking" them. A few minutes later, the psychologist comes out and says the same thing. After 1 hour, I get called back to the assistants "area" and she proceeds to to "fire off" questions to test my memory. They she gives me some blocks and tells me to build the design that is in the picture that she had shown me. After 45 minutes of this, I was done. I had to "run" to the bathroom because she would not let me go to the bathroom and of course I had a "accident". My friend that took me to this appointment went up to the psychologist and asked him if he wanted to see my medical records, medicine and background information about Crohn's Disease and he said to him (and I quote), "NO, I already know about Crohn's Disease". I thought to myself , "Yeah right you do, you are a low paid psychologist that are just "pushing" people out to get to the next $75.00 per person fee". I was there for 4 hours and he did not even want to see my medical records or my medications. I felt like a was on a "speed round" of Are you smarter than a 5th grader.

As of today, nothing has been decided and I have contacted the congressman that is helping me and they have not heard anything. They did say, it will take 30-60 days for the psychologist to get the records to the judge and then he will decide. In the mean time, I take a lot of Tylenol to deal with the pain that I deal with and I had to go to the Urgency Care center because I have a kidney infection that I had been dealing with for 1 week. The doctor said that I needed to go to a gastro doctor as soon as possible because the crohn's is making my kidneys and bladder spasm. He did tell me that I needed to stop taking Tylenol because it is not good for your bladder, kidneys or liver. My pain is getting worse and the metradiazole the doctor prescribed me is not helping. The person I am staying said that my son and I should start looking for another place to live because it was getting too much to deal with. I live off of the unemployment that I have been getting since I was "laid off" from my last job in April of 2008 and I only get $788.00 a month.

Now the Federal government and judge holds my fate in their hands. They will decide whether I get health care or not. I do not have faith in the Health Care bill that is currently in congress because we (the people who have pre-existing conditions) will be shut out and the states and health care companies will still find a way not to have health care coverage. I did this topic that because I want everyone to know what you have to go thru in order to get the SSDI/SSI that you have paid into all of your life. I will update everyone as to anything new that is happening on this.

I am feeling so bad for you, as I live in Canada, our services are different than yours and I can't offer any help in that area.

One thing I can suggest that I think would help is going to a church, they are always willing to help someone in need, especially if they are sick.

They do not care what denomination you are, they are there to help anybody.  You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

I hope this advice helps and that things can turn around for you.

 

NewatCrohns, which state are you in?

dcham1 and Buddha, I hope you are doing well.

Budda, you can always go to any ER and they MUST treat you (it's the law). As for pooping in your pants, I suggest you try eatting nothing but fruit for three days and see what that does temporarily.

When traveling, carry several litle grocery bags and at least one larger dark colored garbage bags and toilet paper. In an emergency you pull you pants down, stoop down in a squatting position, hold the grocery bag opened (holding it by the two handles) under your butt and empty your bowel into the bag. Be careful to keep your hands and arms and pants clean. Use the toilet paper carefully. Put it all into the dark garbage bag and you're good to go.

this might happen more than once so be prepared for that. Good luck Bubba!!