Re: My post got lost, Sue

[Guest guest]

Cheryl, I do intend to pursue the SS back pay to when I had to stop

teaching. That's when I was at my worst and could hardly get out of bed. I

honestly

thought I was going to die and started writing a list of important things that

my husband would need to know. I have since looked back on that little book

and can't believe what I wrote and you should see what it looks like.I can

hardly read my own writing!! I just rambled on and on about all kinds of

things. Bank accts., where important papers were, what I wanted each of my

children to have, funeral arrangements, etc. That's how frightened I was. Other

than

normal childhood illnesses I was NEVER sick. I was an outdoor kid and rode

horses all my life. Never broke a bone, never was hospitalized except to have

my children. As sick as I was I never something was terribly wrong.

I know what you mean about your brain turning to mush. I felt the same way.

I couldn't even think of what I needed to get out of the house to go

somewhere. I thought I was going crazy and didn't want to tell anyone.

When you get your appt. with Dr. Shoemaker can your husband go with you? You

certainly will need someone to drive you there and it would be good for him

to listen to what he says. My first few visits I couldn't even remember what

Dr. S had said. I remember which room I was in and about 2 minutes into

telling him about myself and my symptoms I completely forgot what I was talking

about. I then just started to cry because I felt like such an idiot. He was so

understanding and I was so happy that he wasn't looking at me like I had 3

heads. That's how I was treated by my local Drs .which really ticked me off.

I wouldn't try getting ALL of your records sent. Just enough for him to see

what's going on. If he wants more you can always forward it later. Main thing

is a good summary of what's been going on with you. If you haven't done that

start typing right now and send it off with your paper work quickly!

About how far a drive to you think it is for you to get to Pocomoke? I think

he is having most of his new patients go to Salisbury(only about 35 mins.

north) to have the MRS

_(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetic_resonance_spectroscopy_

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetic_resonance_spectroscopy) ) done

while you are there.It takes 50 minutes but nothing to it. It's loud but I

was able to fall asleep through some of it. If tight spaces bother you he'll

give you a sedative for it.

It is a frightening illness that the medical community doesn't understand or

even want to. One teacher at my school is only 32 and extremely sick. She

keeps going from Dr. to Dr. and has been on and off steroids. Drs. at s

Hopkins told her she could take the steroids forever!!! She the one that had a

horrible rash and a temp of 104 for 2 weeks!!! She went to Dr. S once or twice

but didn't return.She's looking for an over night fix which isn't going to

happen. I feel sorry for her but I can only lead the horse to water.

Take Care,

Sue

I wrote back a couple days ago, but think I fell asleep before

sending! SS def. difficult, it's up to you, but I would get med.

records from Shoemaker to try to prove you were disabled yrs. before,

esp. b/c you will get a lump sum of back pay from that date to

present. I have no idea what they mean by non-medical.present. I

excellent news that you got approved! It's very hard coming to terms

that you can't work anymore---very frustrating.

You don't have to worry about scaring me--I'm already there!

Honestly, I feel like my brain is turning to mush. I'm in SW VA. I

wish I could find a dr. to see sooner than Shoemaker. I have to call

his office to find out how much of my med. record he needs; I also

wanted to ask if I couldn't get an appt. before he reviews all my

paperwork b/c I seem to be deteriorating quicker for some reason.

It's very hard to say which place got moldy first b/c we bought both

at same time, but mold started on carpet here 1st, I think. We've

been going back and forth for yrs.. Then again, we were at the house

when my rash started and when we replaced carpet there, I coded(resp.

arrest) while at UVA for my skin and our basement has always smelled

bad to me. The sooner I get to land the better, not only for

myself, but I'm hoping the info I get from Dr. Shoemaker will open my

husbands eyes concerning remediation & the affects this has had on

our sons. Enough babbling for now! Talk to ya soon!

Hugs,

Cheryl

[Guest guest]

Sue, regarding SS. I know you get back benefits but I thought it

goes back to when you filed for SS. I have a letter from Dr.

Johanning back in 2000 saying I was partially permanently disabled

but I have never bothered to file. Can you explain the back pay thing

and tell us about what you have had to do. I know it hasn't been

that long since you filed so I am impressed that you have

accomplished something.

>

>

> Cheryl, I do intend to pursue the SS back pay to when I had to

stop

> teaching. That's when I was at my worst and could hardly get out of

bed. I honestly

> thought I was going to die and started writing a list of important

things that

> my husband would need to know. I have since looked back on that

little book

> and can't believe what I wrote and you should see what it looks

like.I can

> hardly read my own writing!! I just rambled on and on about all

kinds of

> things. Bank accts., where important papers were, what I wanted

each of my

> children to have, funeral arrangements, etc. That's how frightened

I was. Other than

> normal childhood illnesses I was NEVER sick. I was an outdoor kid

and rode

> horses all my life. Never broke a bone, never was hospitalized

except to have

> my children. As sick as I was I never something was terribly

wrong.

>

> I know what you mean about your brain turning to mush. I felt the

same way.

> I couldn't even think of what I needed to get out of the house to

go

> somewhere. I thought I was going crazy and didn't want to tell

anyone.

> When you get your appt. with Dr. Shoemaker can your husband go with

you? You

> certainly will need someone to drive you there and it would be good

for him

> to listen to what he says. My first few visits I couldn't even

remember what

> Dr. S had said. I remember which room I was in and about 2 minutes

into

> telling him about myself and my symptoms I completely forgot what

I was talking

> about. I then just started to cry because I felt like such an

idiot. He was so

> understanding and I was so happy that he wasn't looking at me like

I had 3

> heads. That's how I was treated by my local Drs .which really

ticked me off.

>

> I wouldn't try getting ALL of your records sent. Just enough for

him to see

> what's going on. If he wants more you can always forward it later.

Main thing

> is a good summary of what's been going on with you. If you haven't

done that

> start typing right now and send it off with your paper work

quickly!

> About how far a drive to you think it is for you to get to

Pocomoke? I think

> he is having most of his new patients go to Salisbury(only about 35

mins.

> north) to have the MRS

> _(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetic_resonance_spectroscopy_

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetic_resonance_spectroscopy) )

done

> while you are there.It takes 50 minutes but nothing to it. It's

loud but I

> was able to fall asleep through some of it. If tight spaces bother

you he'll

> give you a sedative for it.

> It is a frightening illness that the medical community doesn't

understand or

> even want to. One teacher at my school is only 32 and extremely

sick. She

> keeps going from Dr. to Dr. and has been on and off steroids. Drs.

at s

> Hopkins told her she could take the steroids forever!!! She the one

that had a

> horrible rash and a temp of 104 for 2 weeks!!! She went to Dr. S

once or twice

> but didn't return.She's looking for an over night fix which isn't

going to

> happen. I feel sorry for her but I can only lead the horse to

water.

>

> Take Care,

> Sue

>

>

>

>

> I wrote back a couple days ago, but think I fell asleep before

> sending! SS def. difficult, it's up to you, but I would get med.

> records from Shoemaker to try to prove you were disabled yrs.

before,

> esp. b/c you will get a lump sum of back pay from that date to

> present. I have no idea what they mean by non-medical.present. I

> excellent news that you got approved! It's very hard coming to

terms

> that you can't work anymore---very frustrating.

>

> You don't have to worry about scaring me--I'm already there!

> Honestly, I feel like my brain is turning to mush. I'm in SW VA. I

> wish I could find a dr. to see sooner than Shoemaker. I have to

call

> his office to find out how much of my med. record he needs; I also

> wanted to ask if I couldn't get an appt. before he reviews all my

> paperwork b/c I seem to be deteriorating quicker for some reason.

> It's very hard to say which place got moldy first b/c we bought

both

> at same time, but mold started on carpet here 1st, I think. We've

> been going back and forth for yrs.. Then again, we were at the

house

> when my rash started and when we replaced carpet there, I coded

(resp.

> arrest) while at UVA for my skin and our basement has always

smelled

> bad to me. The sooner I get to land the better, not only for

> myself, but I'm hoping the info I get from Dr. Shoemaker will open

my

> husbands eyes concerning remediation & the affects this has had on

> our sons. Enough babbling for now! Talk to ya soon!

> Hugs,

> Cheryl

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Good morning Sue, I know exactly what you mean about trying to tell

others about this illness. I have friends too that are going Dr. to

Dr. looking for answers, just like I have been, but gosh when the

evidence hits you in the face, hard to ignore it. There are still alot

of people out there that believe their dr.s know all which is amazing

to me b/c the medical care in this country is pitiful. How are you

feeling these days? Funny, I have a med. diary I've been keeping for

about 3-4 yrs. now too. Same as you, there are many days that the

writing was illegable. Recently, what really scared me was when one of

my son's homework came back all wrong and I had helped him w/it & at

the time it looked right and he's only in 1st grade! I'm going to call

my dr.s office today and stop talking about it and get the darn thing

in the mail! I'm trying to remember cause I've traveled back to NJ to

see a friend of mine so often through the yrs. I think I'm about 6

hrs. from Baltimore and not sure where Pocomoke is from there. Guess I

better get my phone calls made! Hope you have a good day!

Hugs,

Cheryl

[Guest guest]

----snip----

> That never happen so I filed for SS. I also thought that they back

pay begins

> at the time you filed NOT the date that they pick so I'm sure we'll

have to

> appeal that decision.

> Sue

I'm new here but this was my experience.

I filed in 2006. They declared that my disability began in 2003

(believe me, I was disabled before that). They paid me back into 2005

telling me that there was an absolute number of months that was the

maximum for back pay.

YMMV,

SJH