RE: A message of hope for disability applicants

April 3, 2004

Hi :

I don't feel like you are gloating at all. I remember vividly how I felt when I

learned that my case had been approved for SSDI and I agree that there is

usually a mix of emotions that come into play. The biggest feeling I recall was

relief in that I had not been able to work for some time and this was having a

big impact on the family finances. A year after I finally had to give up my

job, my husband got cancer and when he told his boss about it, he was fired! We

tried to get together a case against that company that this was a wrongful

termination, but the attorney couldn't act on it because the courts in my state

almost never find for the injured employee, usually the company wins. The

company tried to say that my husband had an attitude problem because he felt

that his duties as an accountant prevented him from doing some of the things the

company wanted him to do with corporate funds (i.e., not really legal things) so

they felt that this was grounds for termination. They just timed it at a really

lousy time. I wanted him to fight for his rights but he was too busy with

radiation and stuff and just didn't feel physically able to challenge a

corporation. Very frustrating.

Well, sorry I got off on that tangent. :-) When we become incapacitated by

illness and have to make the decision to file for SSDI, it is a big undertaking

and fraught with anxiety and worry. So it's no wonder that when our case is

approved we feel like a huge weight has been lifted off our shoulders. Even

though the amount of SSDI we get each month is probably a good deal less than we

made on the job, there comes a time when that check for Social Security looks

pretty darn good, especially when we are behind on some payments here and there.

My attorney gets 99 percent of the credit for getting my case through on Round

Two. I didn't use him the first time I filed and it came flying back to me. I

knew I didn't have the emotional or physical wherewithal to take the next step,

so I got the lawyer and I was so glad I did. He made it so much easier and took

a lot of the worry away. Now you are at a place where you can take stock of

where you are and actually make some plans for the future without worrying about

lots of other things. Also, this helps relieve your mother of some of the

responsibility that she has so generously assumed on your behalf.

Don't feel ill at ease for speaking about the acceptance of your case. Many

others have spoken about this and have felt justifiably relieved and happy.

It's very normal to feel this way. Talking about this is helpful for those

haven't been able to get their cases through, because they might see an area

that they perhaps didn't think was very important to stress in their case

application and now understand better how to submit a case more effectively.

Many congratulations!

Virginia, USA

Know someone who could benefit from our list? Send our direct sign-up URL:

http://www.yahoogroups.com/subscribe.cgi/chronic_pain or write us at:

chronic_pain-listowner

Manage your subscription with several special email addresses:

chronic_pain-owner - Sends email to the list owners

chronic_pain-subscribe - Subscribe to the list through email

chronic_pain-unsubscribe - Unsubscribe from the list

chronic_pain-normal - Switch your subscription to normal

chronic_pain-digest - Switch your subscription to digest

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

April 3, 2004