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SSI appointment tomorrow...pointers?

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Posted 10/24/2011 8:24 PM (GMT 0)
Obviously I'm a bit nervous. It's hard enough explaining my disease to normal people in a normal context but when my livelihood depends on it...just a little pressure!

Has anyone applied for SSI and has any pointers? I remember reason somewhere that whether they approve you/how much you get depends on where you live/if you pay rent and whether family or friends give you any money...of course my family gives me money for the necessities because otherwise I'll starve to death (and of course not be able to pay doctor bills) but that doesn't mean I don't need the money by their standards, does it? Where I'm living rent-free right now is only a temporary situation...I can't live here forever, and my parents are selling the house so I have nowhere to go in a few months. Will I be denied because my family is helping me out? So I have to be homeless and starving to qualify? I don't get it.
Posted 10/25/2011 6:53 PM (GMT 0)
I'm so sorry to hear that! I am without a doubt unable to work right now and that's without being in a wheel chair. I don't know why this whole thing has to be so complicated for us. Our bodies aren't useful and neither are our minds. If they can find me a job that doesn't require thinking or the use of my body in an upright position I'd be happy to take it, or perhaps a job that lets you only work at the most random times of the day without a single deadline. This whole thing is seriously depressing, and sadly I think I'd have a better chance if I went to a psychiatrist, played along with the notion that it's all in my head, and had them document that I was nuts. Certainly someone who thinks they can't work bc of a mental disability can't work. But someone who actually is sick is expected to. I hate this system.
Posted 10/26/2011 4:40 AM (GMT 0)
That's terrible!! How dare these people judge what they don't understand! I considered getting a wheelchair for a while when things got really bad...seemed like a better option than collapsing in the floor everywhere I went. I'd like to say I'm shocked at what you went through, but sadly I'm not. I'm just sorry you had to go through that.
Posted 10/26/2011 7:38 PM (GMT 0)
I am so sorry to hear of your experiences, Sicktoolong! I couldn't get disability because I haven't been able to work for 25 years, so by the time I had my diagnosis, I no longer had the 'right' to file!

Borderlyme,
How did your appt go?
Posted 10/26/2011 7:46 PM (GMT 0)
It went alright...they already had all my info from SSDI so it was really quick. I just wish I'd included more doctors...I figured it would go faster if I only included my current Lyme doctor but now I think I should've included every doctor I've seen since I got sick 8ish years ago....

The guy was really nasty to me though. A while ago I got a letter saying bla bla bla we've enclosed a medical release form... Except whoever sent it out FORGOT to enclose the form, so every day for 3 weeks I called and asked for that form and no one ever called me back. Someone finally sent it because they noticed it was late, and so the guy is like it's not that hard all you have to do is sign it and put it in an envelope. So I said well it's not that hard to enclose a form but apparenty you guys can't handle that!

Then I really didn't like having to give them my bank account number and how much money is in there. I obviously didn't lie but I have 500 in there right now because my mother wrote me a check to buy a computer since mine got destroyed in the flood and the cost was reimbursed. But now they're using that money against me as if I have income. Crappy timing....

Now I have to wait 3-4 months to hear anything. At least it's over for now I can't deal with any more humiliation.
Posted 10/26/2011 8:08 PM (GMT 0)
I'm so sorry that you had such a rotten experience! Yes, it seems that those in the Social Security determination need to have a bout - just a little one devil - with what we live with - or maybe cancer?? At least they would have some understanding of how hard this is!

Did you know that in clinical studies the pain that we have has been described as severe as post-surgery patients and our fatigue is no less severe as MS patients? It would be helpful if we could get others to understand this!!!
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