Re: ] ** Diane** r/t Disability

[Guest guest]

Hi Diane,

Yes, gosh, our work history's seem so so similar, I am literally sitting

here nodding along as I'm reading your post! You REALLY get what I was going

through! And I wasn't even in a Trauma ! !!! But

I did the same thing with my time and leave, ran through what I had, then it

was build up two or three days struggling every day, then out for a week,

able to keep it together for maybe one month, build up another 2 or 3 days, out

again for 3 days, or whatever, so when I went out this time I had nothing

saved. No time to take at all. And since we don't pay into state " short term "

disability, I would have had to purchase this little rinky dink policy that

would not cover pre-existing conditiions (so why bother?). They do have a

program where you can request to receive donated leave from other employees.

Can you believe there are people who do not use ANY sick leave, and there is a

limit to what you can carry forward, so some people actually LOOSE sick days

(or maybe it's vacation days, I forget which) but they can choose to donate

it to someone who is in need. I actually got 2 free weeks from some people

who donated to me a year ago. One guy gave me a week and some other friends

did a day each. that was so amazing! But my manager won't let me apply this

time. I really thing they are done helping me. Actually, it seems like

this is what they want me to do, just go out on disability retirement and say

good bye..... but at least it would be on good terms and not being fired.

At this point I have applied for the disability retirement from my job,

which if they grant it to me will be a decent check (not enough, but better than

nothing) plus I can opt to have them take out for my Blue Cross so I can keep

my medical coverage for me and the family, and I can also choose the option

where my husband would continue to get a benefit if I die first (we are

thinking that over because it would cost me $400 a month to take that benefit,

but

if he needed it it would be good for him to have it if the kids are still

young and at home (daughter 19 and son 15). So we are running the numbers and

trying to decide if that $400 is better in our pocket every month or whether

we just need to pay for it (he had to do this too, by the way 2 years ago, and

we took the option for me to get the annuity should he die first, so I kind

of feel that it would be nice to do the same for him)..... but it's a big

chunk of change out of my check..... plus since this is a federal job, I won't

get the social security money ON TOP OF my disability retirement. . I think

that's so lame, but my husband gets about $1,500 from SS which they deduct

from his disabilty pension, so he only gets about $400 extra from the job, (his

disability from work was $1900 then they deduct what SS pays him and give

him the difference). However, " glass-half-full girl that I am, it is an

extra $400 per month right?

Plus he gets money for being disabled Army dude, which is an amazing

blessing, and the kids can go to college and get monthly stipend which totally

covers the 2 year county college, and may even cover a moderate school of about

$8,000 per year. Anything over that the kids are going to have to take out

loans.... but even to give them that kind of a head start. Possibly not have

any student loans when they start out if they choose school wisely, some of

the worst things that have happened to our family have had such wonderful

silver linings!!!

I'm tired, my sleeping pill is kicking in and I'm rambling and

misspelling!!! LOL

goodnight all. I'll just try to read you all and catch up soon,

hugs,

Jo

In a message dated 8/30/2008 10:18:41 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,

tototoo42@... writes:

Hi Jo,

Yes, I was taking all of my sick days slowly...the least I could take was 4

hours a pay period....needless to say, my paycheck was for only .37 for 2

weeks after they took out for taxes and insurance...for 2 weeks after they

took out for taxes and insurance...<WBR>but I was still considered working t

here, just on a personal leave....then after all of my hours ran out (in

April),

I went to the S.S. office and filed a bunch of papers...they waited until

they received some papers from my Rheumy and PCP and the hospitals I went to

(probably confirmation from them that I truly was in the Then they had me go to

one of their Dr.s and he was real nice and just asked questions on when all

this happened and what happened (how it all came about)...My feet and legs

were real swollen then too so it was real bad at the time I went to him...and I

was also in a lot of pain and could not move my hands or feet real well...he

told me to get a cane...Then about 10 days later (this is July now) I

noticed some ''extra $$'' in our savings account and it was the automatic

deposit

from S.S. (back pay from when I first applied in April!)..I told them too that

my memory is real bad (I asked my Dr. why and he said I was on a lot of

heavy duty drugs!!) I told them I could not move up and down real fast at all

like you have to when a trauma comes in (I just can't tell a gsw to the head

''hold on, I am meditating right now! I can't have str

ess!!) Are you having problems or anything from S.S.? I also told them

how I did things (opening up a can of beans or a jar of mayo I needed help

with---getting dressed, I needed help with...just walking, I needed help

with....stopped driving...etc.

All the things I said to them was as if I was in a flare up...because you

never can tell when one will happen...one cant work and tell the boss, '' I am

having a flare up today and I wont be in today, I know there were only 2 of

us working and now my partner has to work alone..I don't know when I will be

back, maybe a week or maybe 3 months!! I will let you know''

That is not fair to the boss nor the other tech you are working with..I was

also afraid I would hurt the patient because if I could not help them on the

table and they fell, or could not prevent them from falling off the table or

wasn't fast enough to inject them with contrast at just the right moment

....and if the i.v. was infiltrating and you have to run in the room to stop it

and call the radiologist to look at it..blah blah blah..you know what I mean..

They say to stay away from sick people and avoid stress...how in a trauma

one hospital working the midnight shift was I going to do that?? Today my

hands are swollen and hurting real bad and I took 3 tablets of 800 mg each

ibuprofin and a dilaudid!! grrrrr

sorry to ramble on...

Keep me informed...

Diane....42

=0

A

when you used up all of your sick time did you file for disability? It

sounds like we are having such a similar experienceo for evaluation. Not

sure what they will be

looking for, b

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

**************It's only a deal if it's where you want to go. Find your travel

deal here.

(http://information.travel.aol.com/deals?ncid=aoltrv00050000000047)