Re: Re: ssdisablility- Approved!

[Guest guest]

Hi group-

I just wanted to add my success with obtaining disability on the first

attempt. I was unsure as I also had heard the horror stories of having to

fight

and get lawyers, etc. I was not granted the disability due to " Leukemia " but

due to the side effects of extreme fatigue, chronic bone and muscle pain,

loss of concentration, chronic dehydration from extreme bouts of diarrhea and

gastritis as well as de pigmentation of skin.

I think its important to focus of the causes of why you cant work and not so

much the " cancer " itself. Cancer alone is not a disability. And they will

tell you that. I also stayed in constant contact with the person making her

decision. I sent her weekly labs and dictation from my doctors appointments.

She got to know me as an individual and not a person on a piece of paper on

her desk. Stay involved, be true, advocate for your self and fight for it if

you need it. Please don't abuse the system if you are not disabled as it

makes it hard for those people who really do need it. I was in the hospital

every 4-5 weeks to the point of getting weekly IV's twice a week from home. I

now have been the healthiest since not working, still have the side effects

but I can be a mom to my 3 children while not having to be debilitated or in

the hospital. I am hoping to go back to work by the end of next year. I miss

being a nurse as I am a workaholic. Staying home is mentally hard to

swallow. I am glad I had this to fall back on for now. I don't get my first

check

until September and living on one income with our 3 children is tight right

now but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. We also relocated to

the Midwest for a less expensive cost of living.

I am having my 5th bone marrow biopsy this afternoon with my new doctor out

here. I am terrified since it is with a new doctor. I hope all goes well.

I had a horrific experience with my first doctor for those of you who can

remember so I am sure I will panic once I get there. Yes, I will be medicated.

I hope greatly. I have those images from the first one in my head, although

I don't think anything could ever be so brutal again. I will share results

when I get them.

Best to all-

Hugs

CML 5-13-05

Gleevec 800mg PCRU

Wife and mother of 3 (11,8,6)

************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com.

[Guest guest]

hey :

Good advise! I also got approved with the first check coming in September. I

miss my job and hope to get back to it Jan. or Feb. next year. I am a

workaholic also. I spent alot of my time at work wishing I could be home (I am

a single parent). Now that I am in isolation recovery stuck in my house, I just

wish I could leave this house and go back to work! The saying is - be careful

what you wish for, it might come true! best luck with the biopsy.

Therese

vegasrnjen@... wrote: Hi group-

I just wanted to add my success with obtaining disability on the first

attempt. I was unsure as I also had heard the horror stories of having to

fight

and get lawyers, etc. I was not granted the disability due to " Leukemia " but

due to the side effects of extreme fatigue, chronic bone and muscle pain,

loss of concentration, chronic dehydration from extreme bouts of diarrhea and

gastritis as well as de pigmentation of skin.

I think its important to focus of the causes of why you cant work and not so

much the " cancer " itself. Cancer alone is not a disability. And they will

tell you that. I also stayed in constant contact with the person making her

decision. I sent her weekly labs and dictation from my doctors appointments.

She got to know me as an individual and not a person on a piece of paper on

her desk. Stay involved, be true, advocate for your self and fight for it if

you need it. Please don't abuse the system if you are not disabled as it

makes it hard for those people who really do need it. I was in the hospital

every 4-5 weeks to the point of getting weekly IV's twice a week from home. I

now have been the healthiest since not working, still have the side effects

but I can be a mom to my 3 children while not having to be debilitated or in

the hospital. I am hoping to go back to work by the end of next year. I miss

being a nurse as I am a workaholic. Staying home is mentally hard to

swallow. I am glad I had this to fall back on for now. I don't get my first

check

until September and living on one income with our 3 children is tight right

now but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. We also relocated to

the Midwest for a less expensive cost of living.

I am having my 5th bone marrow biopsy this afternoon with my new doctor out

here. I am terrified since it is with a new doctor. I hope all goes well.

I had a horrific experience with my first doctor for those of you who can

remember so I am sure I will panic once I get there. Yes, I will be

medicated.

I hope greatly. I have those images from the first one in my head, although

I don't think anything could ever be so brutal again. I will share results

when I get them.

Best to all-

Hugs

CML 5-13-05

Gleevec 800mg PCRU

Wife and mother of 3 (11,8,6)

************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com.

[Guest guest]

Congrats and amen Therese,

It took me nearly three years but that is exactly why I was approved. Not

for CML as much as the side effects of the Gleevec. As I said in my case I

had to go through allot of paper pushers before it finally went before a

judge that truly looked at my case and did not just see " remission " and deny

me. It sucks not being able to work and I lose track sometimes on what day

it is..lol. I loved my job, but you know how when your working you sometimes

wished you didn't have to??? Well I learned the hard way to becareful what

you wish for. I would love to be back at work making the money I was making,

but unfortunately for me that is not going to happen. I will be stuck making

now a third of what I could have been making, and with having a wife and

kids it just plain sucks, not to mention I have no real insurance. Granted I

have Medicare A and B, and will be picking up a supliment plan soon to cover

the 20% A and B does not cover, Medicare is a joke but I guess it beats

having nothing. I just miss having the insurance I once had. Also I have

never had to be on any sort of assistance before and it does sort of hurt my

pride a bit that all I worked for just went away..oh well there are those

allot worse off then I am.

On the subject of BMB's I will not EVER have one done unless I am heavily

medicated. If anyone has a doctor that refuses to medicate you DON'T TAKE NO

FOR AN ANSWER! When I first switched docs right after my first BMB they were

just going to do a local and go with that. I looked my doctor straight in

the eye and told him, " If you do not want me to jump off the table then you

better medicate me! " Call me a sissy but those damn things hurt!! I am not

trying to alarm anyone but it is the truth. They cannot numb the nerves

inside your bones so when they draw out that marrow it hurts. So just demand

medication whenever a doctor wants to do a BMB. Trust me you will thank me

later.

On 7/9/07, Therese Stone <kidme2003@...> wrote:

>

> hey :

>

> Good advise! I also got approved with the first check coming in September.

> I miss my job and hope to get back to it Jan. or Feb. next year. I am a

> workaholic also. I spent alot of my time at work wishing I could be home (I

> am a single parent). Now that I am in isolation recovery stuck in my house,

> I just wish I could leave this house and go back to work! The saying is - be

> careful what you wish for, it might come true! best luck with the biopsy.

>

> Therese

>

> vegasrnjen@... <vegasrnjen%40aol.com> wrote: Hi group-

>

> I just wanted to add my success with obtaining disability on the first

> attempt. I was unsure as I also had heard the horror stories of having to

> fight

> and get lawyers, etc. I was not granted the disability due to " Leukemia "

> but

> due to the side effects of extreme fatigue, chronic bone and muscle pain,

> loss of concentration, chronic dehydration from extreme bouts of diarrhea

> and

> gastritis as well as de pigmentation of skin.

>

> I think its important to focus of the causes of why you cant work and not

> so

> much the " cancer " itself. Cancer alone is not a disability. And they will

> tell you that. I also stayed in constant contact with the person making

> her

> decision. I sent her weekly labs and dictation from my doctors

> appointments.

> She got to know me as an individual and not a person on a piece of paper

> on

> her desk. Stay involved, be true, advocate for your self and fight for it

> if

> you need it. Please don't abuse the system if you are not disabled as it

> makes it hard for those people who really do need it. I was in the

> hospital

> every 4-5 weeks to the point of getting weekly IV's twice a week from

> home. I

> now have been the healthiest since not working, still have the side

> effects

> but I can be a mom to my 3 children while not having to be debilitated or

> in

> the hospital. I am hoping to go back to work by the end of next year. I

> miss

> being a nurse as I am a workaholic. Staying home is mentally hard to

> swallow. I am glad I had this to fall back on for now. I don't get my

> first check

> until September and living on one income with our 3 children is tight

> right

> now but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. We also relocated to

>

> the Midwest for a less expensive cost of living.

>

> I am having my 5th bone marrow biopsy this afternoon with my new doctor

> out

> here. I am terrified since it is with a new doctor. I hope all goes well.

> I had a horrific experience with my first doctor for those of you who can

> remember so I am sure I will panic once I get there. Yes, I will be

> medicated.

> I hope greatly. I have those images from the first one in my head,

> although

> I don't think anything could ever be so brutal again. I will share results

>

> when I get them.

>

> Best to all-

> Hugs

>

> CML 5-13-05

> Gleevec 800mg PCRU

> Wife and mother of 3 (11,8,6)

>

> ************************************** See what's free at

> http://www.aol.com.

>

>