Re: Hello to all: Chelsea

[Guest guest]

Hi! Chelsea,

I have not posted a lot on this group, but your post made me want

to. I have been ill for 17 years and was finally diagnosed with fibromyalgia 10

years ago. I also have blood work that shows I probably will develop RA, but I

do not have the deformities yet.

I am 59 years old and I had to make a step down from full-time employment in

March 2001, and then from stressful employment in

March of 2003. Then to part-time employment in September of 2006

and now I am considering disability due to being laid off due to renovation, but

early lay off due to physical shortcomings.

I will be interested in how it goes for you receiving benefits from social

security as I am going to start my paperwork really soon. I am giving it two

more weeks of job hunting and fact gathering, plus

a serious talk with my doctor.

Just out of curiosity, I would like to know more about you, do you

do any hobbies or activities that you enjoy? I have found them to be a good idea

for me as I tend to get blue easily.

I also suffer from chronic depression, which I experienced in my early teen

years and then it reappeared in 1993 along with my first symptoms. I also have a

lot of pain in all quadrants of my body,

but worse in my upper body and hips.

Your post was fine and I welcome you to this group.

Penny from Wisconsin.

> Chelsea wrote:

I am 54 years old and 4 years ago I was diagnosed with seronegative r.a., but

never received treatment.

> I have severe and constant pain in my hands, wrists, elbows, feet

> and ankles along with severe fatigue and weakness and, many times, flu-like

symptoms. I am no longer able to work (after a truly glorious 30+ year career as

a techie in commercial insurance) and left employment in Aug. 2008. I am

currently seeking social security benefits.

[Guest guest]

Penny wrote:

I have been ill for 17 years and was finally diagnosed with fibromyalgia 10

years ago. I also have blood work that shows I probably will develop RA, but I

do not have the deformities yet.

**Hi, Penny!

Crazy that my test for RA was just the opposite, I have tested negative on the

blood test twice now but just in the last 6 months have developed the deformity

in my thumbs. Hence the questioning of the fibro diagnosis. I actually argued

with my former doctor for 2 years: He would say, " So, you have muscle pain " (a

statement, not a question!) and I would answer, " No, I have joint pain " and

around and around we went. It is only with a new GP and the obvious state of my

thumbs that we are now looking into seronegative RA again. A little

frustrating, but, we are making progress of a kind.

> I will be interested in how it goes for you receiving benefits from social

security as I am going to start my paperwork really soon. I am giving it two

more weeks of job hunting and fact gathering, plus

> a serious talk with my doctor.

**My experience thus far has been good. I had been out of work for 14 months

before I filed my paperwork. I did it online and while it took me nearly an

entire day because of the pain, the forms themselves were simple and

straightforward. I can tell you that you will need complete employment history

(dates, addresses and phone #'s, salary amounts, etc) at your fingertips when

you fill out the forms.

After about two months I received notification from social security that they

had set up an appointment for me for an independant medical evaluation. That

took place on Dec. 30. I had heard horror stories about rude and disrespectful

doctors and terrible office conditions prior to going to the appointment and am

happy to report that my experience was quite pleasant.

The doctor I saw was sympathetic, friendly and pretty darn wonderful. The

office was inpeccably clean and efficient with a helpful, friendly staff. Now I

wait for the decision from SS, I suppose. I would cross my fingers if I could

and hope I hear good news soon, but I remain aware that SS could still find a

reason to turn me down. I hope that you are filing for unemployment because of

the layoff in the meantime?

> Just out of curiosity, I would like to know more about you, do you

> do any hobbies or activities that you enjoy? I have found them to be a good

idea for me as I tend to get blue easily.

**Gee, I hope I'm not writing a big, boring novel here. If so, I apologize.

Hobbies and activities have changed dramatically with the progression of

whatever-it-is-I-have. I can no longer crochet, needlepoint, draw or dance,

hike or camp and going shooting at the range is over.

But, I do alot of crossword puzzles, read, watch movies and visit with my

parents as often as I can get out of the house and talk on the phone to family

and friends on a daily basis. Also, I spend all day every day with my two dogs.

Luckily, they are big couch-taters like their mom. We hang out and I talk to

them almost constantly, it helps keep me from feeling isolated as crazy as it

would appear. For their part, they are attentive and affectionate beyond

belief.

There's really nothing like snuggling up with the big dogs and doing a half

dozen crosswords or watching a movie (the dogs prefer science fiction). Amazing

how such simple pleasures now mean the world to me.

As for the blues, when they come (which is too often for my taste), I try to

recognize them for what they are and fight to get past it in the moment.

Sometimes it works, other times not so much, but it's a fight worth fighting. I

know all too well what happens when depression gets the upper hand with me and

it's too horrifying to consider that I might go there again. So I fight. As

long and hard as I have to. And it's tough. And I can never give up.

And now it's 3:30 in the a.m. and I feel that I can give sleep another try.

Pain-based insomnia is lovely stuff. Good night (or good morning) to all.

Chelsea