Guest guest Posted October 12, 2003 Report Share Posted October 12, 2003 Dear Miriam, Welcome to the group. This is in VA. I am 26, single, no kids and was diagnosed with arthritis in 11/99 (next month will be my 4 year "anniversary"). It took 14 doctors 2 months to diagnose me. It felt like a lifetime to me but I now realize most people goes years without being diagnosed. My current meds are: Prednisone, Azulfidine EN, Methotrexate, Folic Acid, Remicade & Ibuprofen. As far as shoes go, I wear sneakers with the reinforced arch because I have flat feet. What type of work do you do? I am the Child Services Coordinator for the local family shelter. I wear my sneakers every day to work and leave dress shoes at the office in case I have a meeting or presentation. Luckily for me, the local paper did an article about my arthritis and my quest for a diagnosis so most people know I have arthritis and they are pretty understanding about my limitations. As far as feeling "normal" again I afraid that that is unlikely to happen, at least from my experience. Remicade has helped me alot, but I have learned to (begrudgeingly) accept that the normal I knew will never happen again. I have a new "normal" which includes lots of meds, having a schedule of bedtime/wake time/nap when possible, etc. That's all for now. Take care, Steph in VA~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ High-speed Internet access as low as $29.95/month*. Click here. *Depending on the local service providers in your area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 17, 2005 Report Share Posted September 17, 2005 Thanks for the support. Wish some of you lived near me, I think I'd actually ask you to go with me for moral support. I sometimes blank right out, so I had to tell my attorney that. It is in the RA drs records that I just go blank and can't think at all. I applied almost 2 years ago, and was denied the first time, which I understand is "normal", then I got the attorney and had appealed in April of 2004 and it's taken this long to get into a hearing. Where do you live? Sometimes on tv, they show attorneys that only handle disability claims, and now I wish I had gone through one of them. My lawyer stutters, which I did as a kid, and wow, it makes me nervous just listening to him. The lawyer said you never hear anything that day of the hearing, but the court notifies you within 30 days of the hearing. Wish I knew more, but that's about it. Let me know how things are going for you. I live in PA. Where are you? Take care and write anytime! ~mpalevsky_bunnylover <mpalevsky@...> wrote: I am just starting the process of filing for disability. My employer paid short term disability ends in 2 weeks and it transitions to long term disability through another company. I got the paperwork from them to complete and one of the forms I have to sign says that I MUST file for SSD within 90 days of receiving my first disability check from them. The checks from them will only be 60% of my prior pay.I am very interested to know more about the whole process as well. How long ago did you complete your application? How long did it take before they scheduled your hearing? Any idea how long it is before they make a decision and notify you? How do they determine how much money you qualify for? If you have minor children and your spouse doesn't work, do they qualify for something also?Thanks to anyone who can answer these questions. Good luck to you , I don't blame you for being nervous, these thing make me nervous to. Just know that you have all of us standing behind you who understand what you are going through.Miriam> Does anyone out there in this group receive disability for their RA? I have to go for a disability hearing and would like any input you may have as to what I may be in for. For some reason, I am really nervous about it. Thanks~ shelsmieg2000@y... > > > ---------------------------------> for Good> Click here to donate to the Hurricane Katrina relief effort. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 17, 2005 Report Share Posted September 17, 2005 I'm probably not much help because I'm not sure I can remember how long it's been since I applied for SSD. I know I've been on long term disability since January of 2003 so I probably had to file along about then and I just recently had my hearing. It'll probably be a little while yet before I hear anything. If I don't win my hearing I hope I don't have to worry about losing my long term disability, because I can't afford to not have any income and I need something until I can get into vocational rehab and can get to a point where I can work again. Susie > > Does anyone out there in this group receive disability for their > RA? I have to go for a disability hearing and would like any input > you may have as to what I may be in for. For some reason, I am > really nervous about it. Thanks~ shelsmieg2000@y... > > > > > > --------------------------------- > > for Good > > Click here to donate to the Hurricane Katrina relief effort. > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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