Re: What's your typical day like ?

[Guest guest]

Dave

I know how you feel. People see you and on the outside you look fine. On the inside it is nothing but pain. I go through the same thing with my husband. We don't go out much because I'm working all the hours I can to pay the bills and he feels like a burden. We tried to explain to the Social Security judge how it can make him feel less of a man because he can't work. My family thinks because he looks ok on the outside he must be fine and faking it.

No one knows how bad the pain is and how depressed he is. Your lucky too, you have an understanding wife. We're fighting the system know 5 years and counting!

I have a wonderful husband and I will stand by him no matter what.

Ingrid

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

i know how it is too cause my hubby is 41 and everyone thinks he's fine too they don't see how many pain pills he has to take to make it through the day and the drs don't help,he's tried the epidurals,the pt etc and nothing helped and the drs say surgery won't help either because of the ddd and rsd, and he's lost all feeling in his right arm and hand. we've been going thru this for 5 years and he's on medicare which does not pay for his pills either.Ingrid McNeely <bluehelpone@...> wrote:

Dave

I know how you feel. People see you and on the outside you look fine. On the inside it is nothing but pain. I go through the same thing with my husband. We don't go out much because I'm working all the hours I can to pay the bills and he feels like a burden. We tried to explain to the Social Security judge how it can make him feel less of a man because he can't work. My family thinks because he looks ok on the outside he must be fine and faking it.

No one knows how bad the pain is and how depressed he is. Your lucky too, you have an understanding wife. We're fighting the system know 5 years and counting!

I have a wonderful husband and I will stand by him no matter what.

Ingrid

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Hi Dave well that pretty well hits the nail on the head for most of

us I am sure. I'll give you an example of my days so you can see its

not just you alone as I am sure others will say too. Mornings I wake

up early usually from the pain 4 or 5 am, get up groggy and stumble

to get my meds in me first. Coffee a gallon to wake up. Sit on the

porch outside and try to wake up and get the pain under control.

Then its time to feed my zoo of cats, a dog and horses. Sometimes

the dog gets a long walk, somedays I can just not manage it. I have

7 horses at home, so on bad days I hobble out open their gates and

say " go eat grass " . On better days or when the weather is bad I

can't do this. So I have to go out and feed them all. By the time I

get them all fed,watered and taken care of I am starting to hurt

worse and its time to get inside sit down again with some heat and

meds and pray the pain level goes down so I can do a few more

things, like

laundry or maybe a trip to pick up 10 things at the store (IF I am

lucky that day to be able to do it) Most days by lunchtime or before

that is it for me I have to get off my feet, get flat and stay with

heat on my leg and back for several hours at least. Trips in the car

are still few for me, once

in awhile I can actually drive now. But my new car has sat for 3 yrs

without me driving it very much. Shopping,movies, out to dinner

those things have not be on my lists for years and years.Family

outings such as BD's and holidays I try and make sometime I don't

but

even if I do its usually not much fun for me. I usually am up

walking outside halfway thru a dinner or bd party. Even though I

have

been going thru this for almost 5 yrs most of my family and friends

STILL DO NOT understand my pain. Even though they try for them NOT

EVER having gone thru pain like this its just unimaginable to them

and the

rest of the world around us. People seem to think a broken arm or

sprained muscle is something like what we go thru. Well with any

other injury you DO NOT live on pain meds for years at a time and

STILL get little to no relief. I have been thru probaly ever med

there is out there except for a pump which I refused to do. And last

count I had been to over 11 drs, 3 surgeries and people still wonder

WHY I am not well?? But instead of getting better again I am getting

worse as I did after my first two surgeries. The last one a 11/2

ago for my pain implant has helped ALOT BUT the pain in my back and

leg is worsening on my left and now my right side and leg are

joining

in too Luckily when they put my implant in they wired BOTH sides

just in case I should need the right one.The last 48 hrs have been

horrible for me, last nite I could

NOT EVEN walk at all without crying. As for sleeping well I haven't

slept more than 5 hrs at the most all week. Usually 3 -4 a nite if I

am lucky and I try and catch a nap during the day when I have to be

off my feet resting anyway. I was actually starting to THINK I was

making headway with my pain until the last few months. Now I am

positive its going backwards and there is nothing I can do but wait,

take my meds 24/7 and pray they get the double layer artificial disc

approved soon, as that is what I need. But that still looks like its

over a year away. From L4-L5 and L5-S1 I know

I need replaced. The rest of my lower back is not a pretty picture

either so who knows what will happen with that. Although I can't say

I am lucky I know I am luckier

than I was 4 yrs ago before my first surgery ( I could't even leave

the house at ALL) and I know there are many in this group worse off

than me. I feel for every one of them because I know firsthand how

it

is to be up half the nite praying for your pain to stop or let up so

you can rest, Wishing people around you TRULY understood how bad

this pain is, and searching all the time for an answer to give us

back part of our lives. I am selfish I guess because I am not ready

to settle for what I have now, I WANT MORE of my life back, not all

but more than I have now. So maybe I push myself too much at times

to try and get there, probably (those who know me would say so) But

I was never a sit around type person I was always the on the go type

one.And letting others do for me, loosing things I loved to do

one by one was a bitter pill for me to swallow, not one I took

lightly as I know you do too. And at the almost worst of it I

started this group, dumb idea I know bad timing but I needed

something to do and I felt strongly that a group of this kind was

needed the more I checked out other ones and was so disappointed in

them. I hope this group has helped some of you. Hang in there you

are not alone. Best wishes for as pain free day as possible

Sharon Group Owner

p.s.sorry for the book everyone I think it would be nice for

others in the group to share their day with us, so we can all

understand better what they are like. I hope others post a reply too.

> I apologize in advance if I already posted this or something

> similar. Lately I've become unsettled to what my life has

become. And

> since this is a support board, I thought I'd use it as a sounding

> board. Not necessarily to get consoled, but to see how typical

this

> is. Briefly 3 back surgeries, (1) Neck. 4 levels fused in back,

(1) in

> cervical. 44 year old male. I'm on 24 x 7 meds for pain. I'll

respect

> Larry and not name them, but the usual suspects.

>

> Sleep: I never know what night will bring. I do take a

prescribed sleep

> aid, but usually I read for 2 hours or so until sleep comes. Then

about 4

> hours the meds wear off and I awake. Sometimes I can get back to

sleep,

> sometimes not. The other night I lie awake until 6:30am, then

finally fell

> asleep till noon. Pre sleep routine is take pills an hour before

> bedtime. Usually get a mechanical massage from my Loving Wife

right before

> lights out, I sleep on a Messaging pad, and sometimes use Ice

packs if

> pain is bad.

>

> Days: usually takes an hour to shake off the grogginess. Usually

I'm

> woken by pain, or it comes not long after I'm up. It seems more

often

> than not I have about 3 hours a day were I'm alert and can be

somewhat

> productive. I can use this time to be a companion, or organize

bills,

> whatever. The rest of the time, I'm dealing with back pain, or

If I push

> too much, Nausea or a migrain. If I take a car trip over and

hour each

> direction it really takes alot out of me, and usually causes

increased pain.

>

> The rest of the time is spent in a much less than productive haze

or I

> nap. If I push on through to go on a family outing or something

> similar, I usually pay the next day with either increased pain,

or just

> no energy for 24-48 hours.

>

> All that being said I occasionally, very occasionally have good

days

> where everything is just clicking mind and body and I feel almost

normal.

>

> What brings this to the forefront now is that we recently moved.

In order

> to survive financially we closed our business, and moved in with

my

> Mother-in-law. I love my Mother-in-law she's great, but Now I

find a

> whole new group of people to whom I must explain that " sorry I

can't help

> you, lift that, go there etc. Yes I know lots of people have bad

backs,

> but this is a little more severe " It really wipes out your will

when you

> have to stand by and watch others toil and you stand there looking

like

> some lazy moron. I get self conscious every time my mother-in-law

see's me

> sitting, while she goes off to work at 63 years old. And I do

feel guilty

> that my Wife has to now work to support us fully. If all goes

well in 1.5

> -2 years I'll win SSI, but thats a big if.

>

> I don't know how those of you with little children or unsupportive

families

> do it. Little ones don't understand and Big one should, but don't

> always. Well that's it for now. Does anyone else relate, or am I

a little

> further down the road than others.

>

> Dave

>

>

>

> Say " Cheese " Photography Dave & Laurie Cruikshank Partners

> Specialist in Portraiture of Babies, Children, Seniors, and casual

Families

> http://www.saycheesephoto.com

[Guest guest]

Thanks to those who have replied. We are not alone. My biggest concern

for me was is this my normal routine to combat pain and fatigue or was I

slipping into depression. And I know the two sometimes go hand in

hand. Sometimes I go through periods where I feel I have to test myself,

" Is it really that bad ? " Then I get a reminder, an all night pain

event, or nausea and migraines that remind me, " Yes your pain has advanced

to that stage. " I look at those poor people in New Orleans and think what

I would be going through if I was without my meds for days. The withdraw

alone would be horrible. Sometimes I do a reality check and remind myself,

I'm in pain AND I'm on 24x7 meds. Where would I be without them ?

One last thought isn't it amazing and disappointing how fast pain can come

on, almost in the blink of an eye, and how slow it can be to get back to a

level 5 or something tolerable. Just now as I was typing, My should pain

kicked in. Took all of about 30 seconds to go from level 4 to level 9. Oh

well , back to the lazy boy for me.

Blessings on you all,

Dave

[Guest guest]

Hello ,How are you ?

My typical day is one filled with worry and stress about how in the world are we going to be able to pay our bills with me not being able to work and my wife being laid off from her job.

It starts when I wake up in the morning and ends when I' m finally able to fall asleep at night {or sometime the next day after having a stressful and sleepless night.}[at least when I'm asleep I do not constantly think about all this stuff]

You know,questions like,where in the world am I going to get the 485 dollars for this months rent.{now past due along with all the other household bills that I was unable to pay last month.]

How am I going to be able come up with the money to pay our vehicle insurance and the phone bill.

Where am I going to get the 20 dollars to go to the doctor so I can get a refill on my pain patch and the other medicine that I need.

And then there is the constant pain my neck and back and muscle weakness and nerve pain,and ,well you get the idea.

There are the times when the muscle's is my low back jerk so hard from the nerves firing off that my whole body will jump and hurt like crazy.

The pain is always with me and is my constant shadow.

But then we all know about the pain.

I have not had any surgeries,yet.

My doctor says that I need a cervical fusion at the c4-c5 level,but I'm not a candidate for any surgery because I have sleep apnea and high blood pressure, diabetes ,and the list goes on.

So I just have to try and get by on my pain meds and the pain patch.

The patch comes off in this Texas heat ,so I try to just stay inside all the time.

Well you can't very well stay in doors all the time,so I am constantly fighting to keep my patch on my arm. Sometimes it's a losing battle and the patch will come off.

I will sure be glad to see the cool weather come so my patch will stay on the entire 3 days that it is supposed to stay on.Well,I've rambled on for long enough ,so I'll say so long for now.

MAY YOU ALL HAVE A BETTER DAY TODAY THAN YESTERDAY AND NOT AS GOOD

A DAY AS TOMORROW.

TAKE AS BEST CARE AS YOU CAN AND BE SAFE

LARRY,IN COWTOWN{for those of you that don't know that's FT.WORTH,TEXAS}

Dave Cruikshank <d.cruikshank@...> wrote:

I apologize in advance if I already posted this or something similar. Lately I've become unsettled to what my life has become. And since this is a support board, I thought I'd use it as a sounding board. Not necessarily to get consoled, but to see how typical this is. Briefly 3 back surgeries, (1) Neck. 4 levels fused in back, (1) in cervical. 44 year old male. I'm on 24 x 7 meds for pain. I'll respect Larry and not name them, but the usual suspects.Sleep: I never know what night will bring. I do take a prescribed sleep aid, but usually I read for 2 hours or so until sleep comes. Then about 4 hours the meds wear off and I awake. Sometimes I can get back to sleep, sometimes not. The other night I lie awake until 6:30am, then finally fell asleep

till noon. Pre sleep routine is take pills an hour before bedtime. Usually get a mechanical massage from my Loving Wife right before lights out, I sleep on a Messaging pad, and sometimes use Ice packs if pain is bad.Days: usually takes an hour to shake off the grogginess. Usually I'm woken by pain, or it comes not long after I'm up. It seems more often than not I have about 3 hours a day were I'm alert and can be somewhat productive. I can use this time to be a companion, or organize bills, whatever. The rest of the time, I'm dealing with back pain, or If I push too much, Nausea or a migrain. If I take a car trip over and hour each direction it really takes alot out of me, and usually causes increased pain.The rest of the time is spent in a much less than productive haze or I nap. If I push on through to go on a family outing or

something similar, I usually pay the next day with either increased pain, or just no energy for 24-48 hours.All that being said I occasionally, very occasionally have good days where everything is just clicking mind and body and I feel almost normal.What brings this to the forefront now is that we recently moved. In order to survive financially we closed our business, and moved in with my Mother-in-law. I love my Mother-in-law she's great, but Now I find a whole new group of people to whom I must explain that "sorry I can't help you, lift that, go there etc. Yes I know lots of people have bad backs, but this is a little more severe" It really wipes out your will when you have to stand by and watch others toil and you stand there looking like some lazy moron. I get self conscious every time my mother-in-law see's me sitting, while she goes off to work at 63 years

old. And I do feel guilty that my Wife has to now work to support us fully. If all goes well in 1.5 -2 years I'll win SSI, but thats a big if.I don't know how those of you with little children or unsupportive families do it. Little ones don't understand and Big one should, but don't always. Well that's it for now. Does anyone else relate, or am I a little further down the road than others.DaveSay "Cheese" Photography Dave & Laurie Cruikshank PartnersSpecialist in Portraiture of Babies, Children, Seniors, and casual Familieshttp://www.saycheesephoto.com REMEMBER ALL OF OUR MEN AND

WOMEN IN THE ARMED SERVICE OF OUR NATION

PRAY THAT THEY MAY BE SAFE

AND SOUND IN BODY AND MIND

[Guest guest]

i totally feel you dave.

my in laws are both physically challenged in their own ways. my father in

law has a form of arthritis that has made his hands and feet into virtually

useless lumps. he still works and worse he still drives down to help us out

with things and his wife has just had a liver transplant along with other

complications. when they are around i feel as if i should be taking care of

them but i cant. i have a one year old and a five year old and i cant play

or even really hold them. we've moved a couple of times the past few years

and i just sit and watch. it crushes your spirit. im thirty years old and

i am not the father/husband i should be and it is so depressing. i do not

know how i would handle LIVING with my in-laws. i so understand what

you're saying and you are stronger for being able to let those who can help

you, help you. it just sucks. i have little mental break downs all the

time; where i just start crying out of the blue and not from any physical

pain. My wife, who was a stay at home mom now has to work full time. and i

dont think we'll be able to have a third child as planned. i dont know what

to say, and i doubt this has made you feel any better.

try and stay strong dave.

rob in va

>From: Dave Cruikshank <d.cruikshank@...>

>Reply-neck pain

>neck pain

>Subject: What's your typical day like ?

>Date: Fri, 02 Sep 2005 14:16:25 -0400

>

>I apologize in advance if I already posted this or something

>similar. Lately I've become unsettled to what my life has become. And

>since this is a support board, I thought I'd use it as a sounding

>board. Not necessarily to get consoled, but to see how typical this

>is. Briefly 3 back surgeries, (1) Neck. 4 levels fused in back, (1) in

>cervical. 44 year old male. I'm on 24 x 7 meds for pain. I'll respect

>Larry and not name them, but the usual suspects.

>

>Sleep: I never know what night will bring. I do take a prescribed sleep

>aid, but usually I read for 2 hours or so until sleep comes. Then about 4

>hours the meds wear off and I awake. Sometimes I can get back to sleep,

>sometimes not. The other night I lie awake until 6:30am, then finally fell

>asleep till noon. Pre sleep routine is take pills an hour before

>bedtime. Usually get a mechanical massage from my Loving Wife right before

>lights out, I sleep on a Messaging pad, and sometimes use Ice packs if

>pain is bad.

>

>Days: usually takes an hour to shake off the grogginess. Usually I'm

>woken by pain, or it comes not long after I'm up. It seems more often

>than not I have about 3 hours a day were I'm alert and can be somewhat

>productive. I can use this time to be a companion, or organize bills,

>whatever. The rest of the time, I'm dealing with back pain, or If I push

>too much, Nausea or a migrain. If I take a car trip over and hour each

>direction it really takes alot out of me, and usually causes increased

>pain.

>

>The rest of the time is spent in a much less than productive haze or I

>nap. If I push on through to go on a family outing or something

>similar, I usually pay the next day with either increased pain, or just

>no energy for 24-48 hours.

>

>All that being said I occasionally, very occasionally have good days

>where everything is just clicking mind and body and I feel almost normal.

>

>What brings this to the forefront now is that we recently moved. In order

>to survive financially we closed our business, and moved in with my

>Mother-in-law. I love my Mother-in-law she's great, but Now I find a

>whole new group of people to whom I must explain that " sorry I can't help

>you, lift that, go there etc. Yes I know lots of people have bad backs,

>but this is a little more severe " It really wipes out your will when you

>have to stand by and watch others toil and you stand there looking like

>some lazy moron. I get self conscious every time my mother-in-law see's me

>sitting, while she goes off to work at 63 years old. And I do feel guilty

>that my Wife has to now work to support us fully. If all goes well in 1.5

>-2 years I'll win SSI, but thats a big if.

>

>I don't know how those of you with little children or unsupportive families

>do it. Little ones don't understand and Big one should, but don't

>always. Well that's it for now. Does anyone else relate, or am I a little

>further down the road than others.

>

>Dave

>

>

>

>Say " Cheese " Photography Dave & Laurie Cruikshank Partners

>Specialist in Portraiture of Babies, Children, Seniors, and casual Families

>http://www.saycheesephoto.com

>

_________________________________________________________________

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[Guest guest]

Hi Larry have you filed for SS disablitiy yet? if not do so as soon

as possible. Also hire a lawyer to help you without one your

chances are slim. Also try taping the patch on with medical tape,

the kind you use with gauze and bandages. I had to do that when I

used those, they NEVER stayed on in the summertime. But taping them

at the beginning helped alot in keeping them on. Sorry about your

worries I know that makes it even tougher on your pain. Isn't there

any way they can get your blood pressure and other stuff to a decent

level so they CAN do the surgery?? Seems like there has to be. Have

you tried asking another dr his opinion?? Can you apply for medicare

or some kind of help?? One thing I will suggest to you and anyone

who is under alot of stress is try biofeedback to relax. Being

stressed just sends your pain level up I learned that the hard way.

So when I was having my implant done a dr taught me how to do it and

it really helps me when things get to be too much. If anyone wants

to know how to do it I can probably find a site to help you learn

how. Best wishes for as painfree day as possible. Sharon Group Owner

> Hello ,How are you ?

> My typical day is one filled with worry and stress about how in

the world are we going to be able to pay our bills with me not

being able to work and my wife being laid off from her job.

> It starts when I wake up in the morning and ends when I' m finally

able to fall asleep at night {or sometime the next day after having

a stressful and sleepless night.}[at least when I'm asleep I do not

constantly think about all this stuff]

> You know,questions like,where in the world am I going to get the

485 dollars for this months rent.{now past due along with all the

other household bills that I was unable to pay last month.]

> How am I going to be able come up with the money to pay our

vehicle insurance and the phone bill.

> Where am I going to get the 20 dollars to go to the doctor so I

can get a refill on my pain patch and the other medicine that I need.

>

> And then there is the constant pain my neck and back and muscle

weakness and nerve pain,and ,well you get the idea.

> There are the times when the muscle's is my low back jerk so hard

from the nerves firing off that my whole body will jump and hurt

like crazy.

> The pain is always with me and is my constant shadow.

> But then we all know about the pain.

> I have not had any surgeries,yet.

> My doctor says that I need a cervical fusion at the c4-c5

level,but I'm not a candidate for any surgery because I have sleep

apnea and high blood pressure, diabetes ,and the list goes on.

> So I just have to try and get by on my pain meds and the pain

patch.

> The patch comes off in this Texas heat ,so I try to just stay

inside all the time.

> Well you can't very well stay in doors all the time,so I am

constantly fighting to keep my patch on my arm. Sometimes it's a

losing battle and the patch will come off.

> I will sure be glad to see the cool weather come so my patch will

stay on the entire 3 days that it is supposed to stay on.

> Well,I've rambled on for long enough ,so I'll say so long for now.

> MAY YOU ALL HAVE A BETTER DAY TODAY THAN YESTERDAY AND NOT AS GOOD

> A DAY AS TOMORROW.

> TAKE AS BEST CARE AS YOU CAN AND BE SAFE

> LARRY,IN COWTOWN{for those of you that don't know that's

FT.WORTH,TEXAS}

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Larry

Call your congressman, they can help in getting you money and paying your bills.

They can also push to get you benefits faster. Also call your senator and they can get you medical and make calls for you for benefits. I have been there and my congressman made sure we got a hearing asap for social security. I know how you feel, I am the only one in the household working. It is hard trying to pay all the bills. If you have any questions, feel free to ask.

Good luck

Ingrid

Hello ,How are you ?

My typical day is one filled with worry and stress about how in the world are we going to be able to pay our bills with me not being able to work and my wife being laid off from her job.

It starts when I wake up in the morning and ends when I' m finally able to fall asleep at night {or sometime the next day after having a stressful and sleepless night.}[at least when I'm asleep I do not constantly think about all this stuff]

You know,questions like,where in the world am I going to get the 485 dollars for this months rent.{now past due along with all the other household bills that I was unable to pay last month.]

How am I going to be able come up with the money to pay our vehicle insurance and the phone bill.

Where am I going to get the 20 dollars to go to the doctor so I can get a refill on my pain patch and the other medicine that I need.

And then there is the constant pain my neck and back and muscle weakness and nerve pain,and ,well you get the idea.

There are the times when the muscle's is my low back jerk so hard from the nerves firing off that my whole body will jump and hurt like crazy.

The pain is always with me and is my constant shadow.

But then we all know about the pain.

I have not had any surgeries,yet.

My doctor says that I need a cervical fusion at the c4-c5 level,but I'm not a candidate for any surgery because I have sleep apnea and high blood pressure, diabetes ,and the list goes on.

So I just have to try and get by on my pain meds and the pain patch.

The patch comes off in this Texas heat ,so I try to just stay inside all the time.

Well you can't very well stay in doors all the time,so I am constantly fighting to keep my patch on my arm. Sometimes it's a losing battle and the patch will come off.

I will sure be glad to see the cool weather come so my patch will stay on the entire 3 days that it is supposed to stay on.Well,I've rambled on for long enough ,so I'll say so long for now.

MAY YOU ALL HAVE A BETTER DAY TODAY THAN YESTERDAY AND NOT AS GOOD

A DAY AS TOMORROW.

TAKE AS BEST CARE AS YOU CAN AND BE SAFE

LARRY,IN COWTOWN{for those of you that don't know that's FT.WORTH,TEXAS}

Dave Cruikshank <d.cruikshank@...> wrote:

I apologize in advance if I already posted this or something similar. Lately I've become unsettled to what my life has become. And since this is a support board, I thought I'd use it as a sounding board. Not necessarily to get consoled, but to see how typical this is. Briefly 3 back surgeries, (1) Neck. 4 levels fused in back, (1) in cervical. 44 year old male. I'm on 24 x 7 meds for pain. I'll respect Larry and not name them, but the usual suspects.Sleep: I never know what night will bring. I do take a prescribed sleep aid, but usually I read for 2 hours or so until sleep comes. Then about 4 hours the meds wear off and I awake. Sometimes I can get back to sleep, sometimes not. The other night I lie awake until 6:30am, then finally fell asleep

till noon. Pre sleep routine is take pills an hour before bedtime. Usually get a mechanical massage from my Loving Wife right before lights out, I sleep on a Messaging pad, and sometimes use Ice packs if pain is bad.Days: usually takes an hour to shake off the grogginess. Usually I'm woken by pain, or it comes not long after I'm up. It seems more often than not I have about 3 hours a day were I'm alert and can be somewhat productive. I can use this time to be a companion, or organize bills, whatever. The rest of the time, I'm dealing with back pain, or If I push too much, Nausea or a migrain. If I take a car trip over and hour each direction it really takes alot out of me, and usually causes increased pain.The rest of the time is spent in a much less than productive haze or I nap. If I push on through to go on a family outing or

something similar, I usually pay the next day with either increased pain, or just no energy for 24-48 hours.All that being said I occasionally, very occasionally have good days where everything is just clicking mind and body and I feel almost normal.What brings this to the forefront now is that we recently moved. In order to survive financially we closed our business, and moved in with my Mother-in-law. I love my Mother-in-law she's great, but Now I find a whole new group of people to whom I must explain that "sorry I can't help you, lift that, go there etc. Yes I know lots of people have bad backs, but this is a little more severe" It really wipes out your will when you have to stand by and watch others toil and you stand there looking like some lazy moron. I get self conscious every time my mother-in-law see's me sitting, while she goes off to work at 63 years

old. And I do feel guilty that my Wife has to now work to support us fully. If all goes well in 1.5 -2 years I'll win SSI, but thats a big if.I don't know how those of you with little children or unsupportive families do it. Little ones don't understand and Big one should, but don't always. Well that's it for now. Does anyone else relate, or am I a little further down the road than others.DaveSay "Cheese" Photography Dave & Laurie Cruikshank PartnersSpecialist in Portraiture of Babies, Children, Seniors, and casual Familieshttp://www.saycheesephoto.com

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[Guest guest]

Ingrid,Thanks for the information. I'll check it out as soon as I get a chance to do so.

Till then~~~~~~~MAY YOU HAVE A BETTER DAY TODAY THAN YESTERDAY AND NOT AS GOOD A DAY AS TOMORROW.

TAKE AS BEST CARE AS YOU CAN AND BE SAFE

LARRY FROM COWTOWN

Ingrid McNeely <bluehelpone@...> wrote:

Larry

Call your congressman, they can help in getting you money and paying your bills.

They can also push to get you benefits faster. Also call your senator and they can get you medical and make calls for you for benefits. I have been there and my congressman made sure we got a hearing asap for social security. I know how you feel, I am the only one in the household working. It is hard trying to pay all the bills. If you have any questions, feel free to ask.

Good luck

Ingrid

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WOMEN IN THE ARMED SERVICE OF OUR NATION

PRAY THAT THEY MAY BE SAFE

AND SOUND IN BODY AND MIND