got my disability

dogeyed · Post by **dogeyed** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 10:53 am

Everyone,
For those who followed me a few years back, and some of you gave some excellent advice to me, I finally got my disability. Only it wasn't just for RLS, altho it was on the list of stuff wrong. My primary illness is major depression, which comes from my back problems, which I think my RLS comes from it too, perhaps. Anyhow, my first claim was filed back in 2004, put RLS up as main illness, gave up on appeal, went back to work, only lasted a few months, lost my house, and it took me a couple summers to get over the whole thing. So, I applied brand new again a year ago. This time I put my mental illness as main complaint, adding RLS further down. Rejected once again, but on appeal, somehow I managed to show them of the seriousness of my situation a little better, and a visit to an SSA psychiatrist sealed it for me.

I'm grateful, but oh how I wish I had gotten it before we lost the house a couple years ago. Sigh. But I guess I wasn't "sick" enough. Well, I'm most definitely sick enough now. I had figured if they denied me this time, I was going to get a lawyer and sue them all the way back to 2004 and for losing my house and the whole nine yards. But I'll get funds going back a year, which suits me fine, we need it so much.

Just putting it in here, in case anyone had kept up with the other lady's efforts a couple years ago to get disability. She actually got hers for RLS, with mental illness down on the list, if I remember correctly. That was quite an achievement for our sort, for her to do that. I got mine for depression, altho several other ailments and RLS were in the list below it.
GG

Post by **ViewsAskew** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 6:02 pm

I imagine you must have a lot of gratitude today, dogeyed.

Post by **Polar Bear** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 9:07 pm

Well done, Dogeyed.

Sorry you needed it, but glad you got it.

SquirmingSusan · Post by **SquirmingSusan** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 9:22 pm

That's great, GG.

becat · Post by **becat** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 9:50 pm

G, I'm so happy it finally came through.

Yes, it would have been nice if they could have seen that, before the house was lost, but I hope that you get what is owed you now.

I have been following the American Pain Assc. and the bills that they support. They stay on top of the politics part of the ADA bill and know that it needs work.

Even one of the co authors of the bill 18 yrs ago, D- Harkin (Maybe, I was working and listening, not watching) said that when they wrote the bill, they meant for it to be used with broad language and used to help, not hinder people from getting help, but still being able to work, if they could.

There are so many things that should be changed and this man said that it was time for a new bill or a new explanation of the terms of use. How it is used and who gets to get benefits. He said too many of the people fall through the cracks.

I'm so glad you did were not one of them my dear.

Lynne

Aiken · Post by **Aiken** » Tue Sep 16, 2008 2:14 am

Making it easier is a double-edged sword, though. Too many people abuse the system, and making it easier will make it easier for them, too, which in turn means there's less money to go around for the legitimate cases.

I wouldn't want to be on the end that has to decide who's sick and who isn't. That's got to be a sucktastic job. Everyone they meet probably hates them.

They really just need to make it a seriously significant crime to fake a disability. Make it so horrible to get caught that very few people will take the chance. Make the punishment be that 20 people with real disabilities get an hour behind a locked door with the bad guy tied to a table, something like that.

Anyway, I'm glad it came through...