Short Term Disability

MissKlemenz- I can relate! Unfortunately I don't have enough good days lately to feel too guilty anymore. Then again I'm not on disability yet so I have nothing to feel guilty about as far as that's concerned!

My guilt lies in the fact that I was always a workaholic, but I've been out of work for quite some time. Also, my family could really use the income, and that makes me feel terrible. It's hard to be out of work!

I was a bartender during my college years, and a bar manager after, and now my husband and I own a couple bars/taverns. Last month I bartended a Christmas party for some "easy" cash, and ended up in bed for almost a full week afterwards. I felt like I had pneumonia. So, that being said, I now plan to go forward with my application for disability. I know they'll say I could do another type of "gainful employment", but I'll have to explain that I can't. I was trying to help with the Bookeeping for our businesses for a while, from home, and couldn't even keep up with that. I have a toddler at home, and my husband works around 70+ hours a week. So I'm lucky if I'm able just to keep up with my baby most days!!

Ok so I know you didn't ask for my story, but I wanted to share, because I feel guilty as well about even needing to apply, which is why I haven't yet. I did apply once before but was denied, and that just made me feel even worse!

I guess I'm saying we've gotta do what we've gotta do. If you need to take temp disability then by all means do so and allow yourself to heal. On your good days maybe you could volunteer somewhere, perhaps at the school where you work? That is, if you feel you could explain to them that your illness is unpredictable, and it wouldn't cause confusion.

Well I'm clearly starting to ramble and for that I apologize! However, I am glad your LLMD is willing to back you, and best of luck whatever you decide to do! Please keep us posted :)

Btw- what grade level/age range do you teach? I was a preschool teacher for years, and always imagined that I'd making teaching my career. I still hope for that someday. My dream job is to teach kindergarten at a Montesssori school

Thank you for sharing your stories! It helps to feel like I'm not alone.

I know that the leave from work won't be permanent, and I'm not giving up my job or career or anything.

I also know that day to day variability come with the lyme territory. I guess I'm hoping that a good chunk of time exclusively focused on healing and getting well will help me cope better when I do have to go back to work.

I feel weak in every way sometimes - physically, emotionally, mentally, and even spiritually. I would like to build up a little strength in each area, you know?

I would like to return to work when the good days out number the bad days, but not sure when that will be.

That's the toughest part of this journey, the not knowing. not knowing what will or won't work, not knowing how long recovery will take or where the path even is, exactly.

I'm trying to use this aspect of LD as my teacher right now. To teach me how to be in the moment and trust that things will go when and where they need to. Not an easy practice!

As the others said your should take the time off to heal.  Working with lyme can be so difficult (not always easy to explain to employers, co workers, etc.).

I expect as understanding as your school is, there are still job and performance reviews that go on record.  It might be best if you use your STD benefit, there is no reason to feel guilty.

I went undiagnoised with lyme for years while working and found myself "put out to pasture" by my employer of 13 years, then laid off 2 yrs later.  After 18 mo w/o work I found a decent paying job and was laid off after 4 month.  I was told I was not able to do the work as efficently as they expected based on my experience and salary.  I was devistated!

I did not find out until 8 months later that I had lyme.  I can not tell you how much I beat myself up w/ the job loss.  I had such bad neuro symptoms I could not explain what was happening, I too was going crazy!

I am getting better and I am so glad to see that I am not stuck in lyme H E L L everyday anymore.  I am just scared to ever go back.  It takes time and everyone is different, but keep moving forward is all we can do.

Good luck!

 

Is short term dissability through your work? Insurance? I asked my GP about it when I started my first round of ABX and she told me unless I had Geico ( I believe it was them. And the spelling doesnt look correct either) before I was diagnosed, that there is no such thing. Are you doing this through the government?

It sounds like Miss K has Short Term Disability (STD) through her employer which is different than SSI/SSDI which is gov based.

For STD it is based on the Dr submittal of Disability paperwork to MetLife  for approval.

Although the lengh of Disability leave varies, STD is usually only for 3 month maximum (80 to 100% of pay), usually DI coverage is effective on your 8th day of sickness but then payment is made retroactive to the first sick day.

After STD you shift to Long Term DI which is a lower % of pay usually for up to 1 year.  Again these are provided by the employer.

STD is often at no cost to the employee and LTD is elective with some cost.

Note these differ state to state and employer to employer, in many cases the employer does not offer Disability at all.

But to get SSI or SSDI is much more difficult with a lyme Dx  these are federal and state based programs.

Good luck