This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

I'm starting to feel like I'm not such a good employee anymore. I have a rough time keeping up, learning new things, I'll never be as fast with my spastic trembling hands as I need to be.
I will not have insurance if I remove myself. I risk a battle with SSDI though I'm told it's the only thing I am OVER qualified for. How do I live during the 5 months of the application process?
It would be nice to think that I could do something else, but my cognitive challenges are as bad as my physical. My lovely world famous neurologist told me to get long term care insurance and move to assisted living...little late on the LTC recommendation.
How do people do this? I've been able to reach down into deep reserves of a positive nature, but it seems I've exhausted my supply.

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Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle..

It was the hardest things I ever had to do because I loved my job.

One thing you need to remember is this is your disease and your decision. Not your doctors either.

Do you need assisted living?

SSDI will take about three months if you go to an occupational therapist who specializes in Disability Assessments. I am not a fan of MS Centers or society's but the local ones especially know of local Therapists who specialize in that. It's how I got mine so quickly.

Good luck to you on whatever decision you make.

Chris

I had a neuropsych eval that recommended SSDI in 3 different places, I'm not rady for assisted living but financially I near homeless, so I don't know what to do...
Did you use an attorney for the SS? Should I do the occ therapist as well?

What other documentation did they require forr the quick response?

Don't you have to wait then for 2 years to get medicare? What about that in between time?

Colleen

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Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle..

Reading in the Spring 2010 issue of Multiple Sclerosis Quarterly Report (MSQR), I found the article "Preparing Successful Applications for Social Security Disability Insurance"on pages 8-13.

I just checked on the website (http://www.narcoms.org/) to see if the article was available online -- I didn't see it. Maybe you can find a friend with the publication, if you don't already get it. You MIGHT find it helpful.

Mymsthing,

I think we all struggle with this idea. My work has just raised our "quota" of what we are expected to do in a day/week. I was already having a hard time keeping up with the old "quota". I can't imagine that they will tolorate my inability to keep up with everyone else and in time I may get laid off.

I will be thinking of you and hope whatever you decide works great for you!!

Cat

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Holly - Shine On You Crazy Diamond - Pink Floyd

9/3/09 Stanford - Dr Dake - Stent in R-J to unblock Arachnoid Cyst in Sigmoid Sinus. Stent in narrowed L-J. Balloon in narrowing where R & L Jugulars meet.

Cat, I've always wanted to ask, is that your own cat that you aded animation to?

Anyway, my struggle is that, yes, there is everyday, a new process or procedure we are to learn, that is added to the work load we already have.

Since I've dropped my hours down to 20/week (the least I can work and still buy in to insurance) I may be gone as long as 4 days in a row, and come in to totally different set of expectations.

Training is non-existent, so, my nasty a** of a boss, just looks at me like MS has eaten my brain. Unfortunately, I trusted her with the knowledge that I have it...but I kinda had to so that the expectation that I woud jump in and work everytime someone else can't ( I work in a hospital, and they will chew you up and spit you out after an 80 hour week)

I don't know if the rest of the folks out there have trouble changing things that have steps that you've learned. For instance, I have started to 'load' the coffee maker before I go to bed...many times I will pour the water in and press the brew button at night, because that's the step I learned before.
healthcare systems are on constant step changing mode, to see which one is most cost effective. And since I am a fairly low paid employee as far as the big picture, what falls out lands on me.

I know the fact that I have a nasty a** of a boss has alot to do with my feelings about this...she is SSSOOOOBBAAADD at her job that I don't have the spirit to contribute to her success. BTW her bosses, all 3 levels up, think I'm a genius of an employee and a value to the operation. I won what is the Congressional Medal of Honor in the system, and have been nominated for one 2 other times.

I just don't know how to make it work for the 24 month gap between getting accepted into SSDI and getting medicare. And do you just hope that your docs will continue to have you have a patient when they barely get paid by Medicare? And I'm supposedly overqualified for SSDI, but what if I quit, and it takes not just 5 months but a year or more to get accepted. I'm already on the verge of being unable to pay rent, I've cut back on the quality of food I eat, I have no fat in the system here that I can cut out. I sqeaked when I had to come up with 15 dollars to take the train into the city to see my daughter give a speech. I don't have a winter coat, I sit on a salvation army couch.

I need to know HOW to do it.

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Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle..

I hate giving up but I think I will have to now. I am not at disabled stage but my job is high stress. Fatigue is a big issue and the building is very hot. I teach junior math and it is getting too much. I really like the feeling of contributing to society and to feel like I am doing something but I have nothing left at the end of work for my family. I will not be teaching next year, it was a hard decision but one that I will do for a year.

Val

Hello,
I am starting the process now, and I am in about the same boat as you. I'm single, middle aged and have worked for most of my career as an information technology, technical analyst. At my last job, I would forget things as soon as they were told to me .and spend a long time on calls, spinning my wheels. I worked contractually and then got laid off. That was in August and I've had interviews, but when it comes to technical interviews . . . I have totally blanked.

A friend offered this link to me and said she found it very good. I have yet to look at it, but I am going to in the next few days.

http://www.disabilitysecrets.com/

I hope to not be on disability long as I am a supporter of the CCSVI hypothesis and I have friend that has been liberated . . her cognitive issues have greatly diminished. I will be having an appointment about this in May.

I will be looking at the above link as I have much faith in my friends that provided it.

Hope this helps. I do know how you feel first hand.



PS i want to know that about the cat too hehe.

Yes, what about that cat????

Anyway, i have come to 2 crossroads, one is I have to work til the end of the year i order ot be vested in my co's retirement plan..so that's a given, I'm kinda concerned too, because there was one year there where I took a couple of months of disability, then cam e back part time, so I'm hoping I worked enough that ear to qualify for vesting.

The 2nd is, I changed jobs within the hospital...to a much much more physical job, with much more emotional rewards, and a GREAT boss instead of the bitch I was working for where the sound of her heels on the floor would make me cringe..I was always waiting for the other shoe to drop, and hoping it would drop on her HEAD.

I wonder if the reduced emotional stress will have an impact, as of this thursday, I am no longer under her job code. I am counting the minutes really..

Also the new, (old) job will allow me to go swimming about 4-5 day a week, that always makes me feel better, emotionally and physically, so now, I am an experiment.....
The crux is, i have to hold out til the end of the year, then go to HR and see if I'm vested, then decide..

I'm scared, I don't want to disappoint this boss as far as performance ability goes..

I will update..

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Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle..