Finally a Good News Day

[Guest guest]

After talking with the lawyer's office about not recieving any kind

of settlement because the clinic wouldn't reduce their bill, I was

very depressed. I thought why me??? I have been in so much pain

for so long and here I thought that Jay and I would be able to get

our heads above water with this money just to be told - NOPE - you

can't have it - the lawyer and the Doc are going to get richer off

your injuries...

Well, I went out to meet the mailman to sign my letter from the

lawyer's office releasing the funds and he handed me another

package...

Now what you ask was in the other package???

It was from the VA...I had filed an appeal last summer after having

the shoulder surgery and the impending neck surgery and hadn't heard

from them except that they were still working on my claim...

Well, today I got the answer.

As of Sept 1 2003 they put me at 100% disabled and then on Oct1st

they put me as housebound and unable to work...this is through Jan

1st 2004. As of the 1st of Jan I was reduced down to 80% and the

housebound was taken off but that is 10% more then I was getting.

It is a substantial increase from 70 to 80 so Jay and I will be able

to put some money aside each month for a rainy day or a new car when

the truck kicks the bucket(8 years old and 150,000miles but don't

tell it).

I will be recieving a check for my back pay since Sept. We will be

able to get the plumbing fixed and the roof and happy days are in

our house again.

Of course, I now have to appeal the decision again and ask for a

higher rating again. I have a 0% disability on my lower back at the

moment but that was when there was just a slight bit of arthritis

there. The last xrays showed it has increased 3 fold so I will

start all over again. Hopefully, I will get it raised to 90 and

then they usually bump it to 100.

All the paperwork. They hope like SSDI people that you will just

quit but I am not going to. I have been told by several people to

keep applying and answer every letter and to keep sending them more

information.

But isn't it great that the sun was shining on my house today. I

thought it was going to be a miserable achey day but the mailman

brought rotten and great mail.

God bless,

Althea

PS Prayers work!