Curious about something.

You all were so helpful with guiding us through SSI &SSD but I am confused. I knew they might possibly want to send him to one of their doctors, which they did. But here is what is confusing to me. He is a psychologist. What does my husband's psyche have to do with his physical condition? What are they looking for? We are both kind of worried about this one. Any ideas or experience with this? Thanks so much!

Lena

Post Edited By Moderator (hep93) : 8/17/2013 6:36:53 PM (GMT-6)

Lena, I think they want to be sure that he can't work.

Liver disease is a bad one and I recall he had non alcoholic, non Hep C cirrhosis, at a pretty high stage.

Still liver disease is bad in advanced stages. With hepatic encephalopathy jarring your short term memory and good judgment, and edema causing difficulty walking and standing for any length of time, and the muscle wasting it is hard to keep up with the rigors of some professions, and the grinding fatigue that leaves most folks needing a bed nap mid day...well that just doesn't work in most companies. I don't recall what his work history is....remind me.

Mike had been a computer analyst working at an insurance company in their PC help desk department. When he got sick, he could barely figure out his PC to send emails.

Then he tried to work in the copy center at a local office supply box store. That went okay for a while, until the edema got bad and he got some horrible rash (in a private area) and couldn't stand to wear anything but pj bottoms or just undershorts....not exactly work attire. Then they wanted him to come in at 3AM to help unload the trucks. Well, that was IT. He just couldn't do it even when they agreed to cut his hours to part time.

The doc will want to know all about how hard it is for him to work I think and will want to make sure he isn't fooling around.

Hardly!!!!!

Best,
Mama Lama

Since I was NOT applying regarding liver disease at the time, though I had hep C and listed fatigue from that, my application was regarding inability to sit for long hours at my profession as a medical transcriptionist, following bilateral hip replacements and one revision (have since had 2 more.) Time is money in that occupation. If I got up to take a break, I was losing money. It is very much production based. My age at the time (late 50s) also played into it, as they didn't think I could be retrained for another job at that time. The older you are (or the closer to retirement), the better your chances. They look at it as how much money they will have to pay before you become eligible for SS or die. Because if approved for SSD, you will get the same amount you would get at full retirement age. (Not so with SSI, so best to go for SSD if you have sufficient work credits.)

They also had me see a vocational doctor (theirs) who did some ROM and other exercises to determine my ability to work as an MT...when ROM made no difference in my case. He said I was okay to work (he should've known better), but they overruled him. Whew!

Hugs,
Connie

Thank you so much to you all for your help.  I understand more now, thanks to all of you.  He is depressed, but really who wouldn't be when looking down this road.  Not taking any medication for it at this time because he doesn't want any more meds and now not having insurance makes that tough.

MamaLama, He was a Tool & Die Maker and had to stand on his feet all day long.  Towards the very end of working they made him supervisor and gave him an office, but he said even then maybe only an hour a day was sitting and the rest was standing which he physically cannot do anymore for any length of time.

Ziff, thanks for that point of view, I do understand what you mean.

Appointment is on the 28th, so hopefully it will go well.  I am sure they will not let me in the room, which is not good because I often speak for him about what is going on.  Hopefully it will go well! You are all awesome, thanks again so much! 

Lena

Hi Connie,

No with SSI I was on the phone with him and always got to go to everything else with him in the room. I meant for the psychologist appointment, I would doubt they would let me in due to the privacy thing of that.

Thanks!

Lena