Re: question on Social Security Disability

[Guest guest]

Hi , I applied for SSDI in July of 2002 after having my first knee

replacement and was denied. My doctors told me to get and attorney and file and

appeal and request a hearing before an administrative law judge. My hearing was

1 year from the date I first appled. The judge awarded me the SSDI after

questioning me for almost an hour. I was 48 when I applied. I also live in PA.

Feel free to e-mail me privately if you like at Goldiesmom12@.... Maureen

Rambo <njr1651@...> wrote:Hello all,

I have been away from this group for awhile due to taking care of my mother

in law during Hospice care.

I have had and was diagnosed with arthritis about 40 years ago. I was

diagnosed with Psoriatic arthritis when I was in my 30's. I'll be 57 in

December.

I've tried all the drugs..............currently I am taking mtx, 7 tabs

weekly, Bextra every day, Prevacid for my stomach daily, folic acid daily,

also bp med, and two weekly injections of Enbrel. I had remicade infusions

for about 4 to 4 1/2 years but the doseage just didn't do the job any

longer. I also take a muscle relaxer each evening.

I am still working full time. Need the paycheck and of course the

INSURANCE. BUT, I cannot see that I will be able to continue to do so

until SS wants me to retire. I have an appointment with my rheumy tomorrow.

I would like tohear about anyone experience with SSDI.

Thanks

in PA with PA

[Guest guest]

-

Hi ,

I hate to be a person with bad news, but Disability from the

Government is VERY hard to get. I had to go to all sorts of Drs. and

I have a broken hip and use a walker plus a wheelchair along with my

PA. I was lucky the lady that was working my " case " was retiring and

she got tired of hearing from me and finally let it go through. I

think why it is so hard to get now is that it has been abused. I

hope this is too much of a " downer " but I was shocked by the way I

was treated by their Drs. They don't understand PA at all.

God Bless, Sue.

-- In , " Rambo "

<njr1651@t...> wrote:

> Hello all,

>

> I have been away from this group for awhile due to taking care of

my mother

> in law during Hospice care.

>

> I have had and was diagnosed with arthritis about 40 years ago. I

was

> diagnosed with Psoriatic arthritis when I was in my 30's. I'll be

57 in

> December.

>

> I've tried all the drugs..............currently I am taking mtx, 7

tabs

> weekly, Bextra every day, Prevacid for my stomach daily, folic acid

daily,

> also bp med, and two weekly injections of Enbrel. I had remicade

infusions

> for about 4 to 4 1/2 years but the doseage just didn't do the job

any

> longer. I also take a muscle relaxer each evening.

>

> I am still working full time. Need the paycheck and of course the

> INSURANCE. BUT, I cannot see that I will be able to continue to

do so

> until SS wants me to retire. I have an appointment with my rheumy

tomorrow.

>

> I would like tohear about anyone experience with SSDI.

>

> Thanks

>

> in PA with PA

[Guest guest]

I have been in the application process since November 2002. My appeals hearing

with the Administrative Law Judge on Monday. It only took 14 months to get to

this point from the time my initial appeal in August 2003. I got an attorney

immediately when my first appeal was rejected.

First of all, understand that it is policy that all applications will be

rejected initially if the applicant is not blind, deaf, or quadrapallegic. It

is simply a matter of course that an applicant with arthritis of any sort will

not be approved on initial application.

By the actual written definition of disability set forth by the social security

admin, we are disabled. But by sumarily rejecting all but the aforementioned

situations, the social security administration can clear anywhere from 25 to 40%

of borderline to reasonable applications without much work. Many simply do not

continue the process after one or two rejections.

So basically, unless you were born under a good sign or something, don't expect

success in the first two levels. What does that mean? It means you'll have to

sit and rot for at least two years. And in my case, it also means that through

the luck of the draw- you end up with the oldest ALJ on the bench in the

southeast. Apparently, she falls asleep during questioning, is hard of hearing

and is considered very conservative. You can't make this stuff up! My attorney

has told me expect her to ask the same questions two or three times. Not to

catch me of guard- but because she simply doesn't remember. Oh how I look

forward to Monday morning.

susieesue <susieesue@...> wrote:

-

Hi ,

I hate to be a person with bad news, but Disability from the

Government is VERY hard to get. I had to go to all sorts of Drs. and

I have a broken hip and use a walker plus a wheelchair along with my

PA. I was lucky the lady that was working my " case " was retiring and

she got tired of hearing from me and finally let it go through. I

think why it is so hard to get now is that it has been abused. I

hope this is too much of a " downer " but I was shocked by the way I

was treated by their Drs. They don't understand PA at all.

God Bless, Sue.

[Guest guest]

Many years ago I was married to a young man with severve asthma and he was

approved for SSD.

What everyone is saying is all true, but a HUGE key to this is the doctors ~ and

how accurately they describe your situation ~ how dire your situation really is

or how dire you are willing to explain it. Which simply put needs to be that

you are not able to do ANY job, period.

They don't care about the specifics per say, all they judge is if you are able

in any capacity, large or small, so essentially, it needs to be that you can not

write or type with any hand ~ you can not sit for long periods, you can not

walk, you can not focus due to pain, you can't pick up the phone, etc... If they

feel there is some job out there, no matter what the pay or the hours or

location or any specifics, they will detrimine you are able to work.

Good luck.

Lawrence Lichtenfeld <sportslinq@...> wrote:

I have been in the application process since November 2002. My appeals hearing

with the Administrative Law Judge on Monday. It only took 14 months to get to

this point from the time my initial appeal in August 2003. I got an attorney

immediately when my first appeal was rejected.

First of all, understand that it is policy that all applications will be

rejected initially if the applicant is not blind, deaf, or quadrapallegic. It

is simply a matter of course that an applicant with arthritis of any sort will

not be approved on initial application.

By the actual written definition of disability set forth by the social security

admin, we are disabled. But by sumarily rejecting all but the aforementioned

situations, the social security administration can clear anywhere from 25 to 40%

of borderline to reasonable applications without much work. Many simply do not

continue the process after one or two rejections.

So basically, unless you were born under a good sign or something, don't expect

success in the first two levels. What does that mean? It means you'll have to

sit and rot for at least two years. And in my case, it also means that through

the luck of the draw- you end up with the oldest ALJ on the bench in the

southeast. Apparently, she falls asleep during questioning, is hard of hearing

and is considered very conservative. You can't make this stuff up! My attorney

has told me expect her to ask the same questions two or three times. Not to

catch me of guard- but because she simply doesn't remember. Oh how I look

forward to Monday morning.

susieesue <susieesue@...> wrote:

[Guest guest]

-Hi,

I am one of the few people out there who was lucky and received SSDI

on my first try. My doc was great. He used the very phrase

gave....is unable to work in any capacity. Also my hand xrays looked

horrible.

Just wanted to give you a little hope,

Marti

P.S. Good luck on Monday, Lawrence! you have been through the mill

with this.

-- In ,

<kjreed0929@y...> wrote:

> Many years ago I was married to a young man with severve asthma and

he was approved for SSD.

>

> What everyone is saying is all true, but a HUGE key to this is the

doctors ~ and how accurately they describe your situation ~ how dire

your situation really is or how dire you are willing to explain it.

Which simply put needs to be that you are not able to do ANY job,

period.

>

> They don't care about the specifics per say, all they judge is if

you are able in any capacity, large or small, so essentially, it

needs to be that you can not write or type with any hand ~ you can

not sit for long periods, you can not walk, you can not focus due to

pain, you can't pick up the phone, etc... If they feel there is some

job out there, no matter what the pay or the hours or location or any

specifics, they will detrimine you are able to work.

>

> Good luck.

>

>

>

>

>

> Lawrence Lichtenfeld <sportslinq@y...> wrote:

> I have been in the application process since November 2002. My

appeals hearing with the Administrative Law Judge on Monday. It only

took 14 months to get to this point from the time my initial appeal

in August 2003. I got an attorney immediately when my first appeal

was rejected.

>

> First of all, understand that it is policy that all applications

will be rejected initially if the applicant is not blind, deaf, or

quadrapallegic. It is simply a matter of course that an applicant

with arthritis of any sort will not be approved on initial

application.

>

> By the actual written definition of disability set forth by the

social security admin, we are disabled. But by sumarily rejecting

all but the aforementioned situations, the social security

administration can clear anywhere from 25 to 40% of borderline to

reasonable applications without much work. Many simply do not

continue the process after one or two rejections.

>

> So basically, unless you were born under a good sign or something,

don't expect success in the first two levels. What does that mean?

It means you'll have to sit and rot for at least two years. And in

my case, it also means that through the luck of the draw- you end up

with the oldest ALJ on the bench in the southeast. Apparently, she

falls asleep during questioning, is hard of hearing and is considered

very conservative. You can't make this stuff up! My attorney has

told me expect her to ask the same questions two or three times. Not

to catch me of guard- but because she simply doesn't remember. Oh

how I look forward to Monday morning.

>

> susieesue <susieesue@y...> wrote:

[Guest guest]

Thanks Marti!

Believe me, I understand what mangled hands are all about. I know this will

sound terrible, but I am lucky to have had a grandfather with an absolutely

horrific case of PA Mutalans. His hands were mangled clumps of flesh and bone

due to the disease. And though he suffered immesurably- it did give my doctors

and I a clear understanding of the family history of this disease and allowed me

an early enough diagnosis and treatment to have prevented much of the damage he-

and seemingly you suffered. I have read so many people's trouble getting proper

diagnosis and forward-thinking treatment. Now to get this next challenge taken

care of, and move forward.

-L

snowbound22003 <mlw402@...> wrote:

-Hi,

I am one of the few people out there who was lucky and received SSDI

on my first try. My doc was great. He used the very phrase

gave....is unable to work in any capacity. Also my hand xrays looked

horrible.

Just wanted to give you a little hope,

Marti

P.S. Good luck on Monday, Lawrence! you have been through the mill

with this.

[Guest guest]

---

Hi Marti,

Boy you were lucky to get approved on the first try. My Mother in

law had two knee surgeries, she was 60 years old and tried to get SSD

and got turned down in her first try-she was told that they have the

letters already printed up and in the mail as soon as you mail your

application. She had to go to their Drs. also and got approved. I

don't know if I gave the impression that I was turned down the first

time-I was, then everyone has to see " their " Drs. I didn't have to

get a attorney though because I kept calling my case worker and

bothering her. My local SS office called me on Christmas Eve to tell

me that I had been approve. I'm not saying you are wrong, but VERY

lucky!!

God Bless, Sue in Michigan.

In , " snowbound22003 " <mlw402@a...>

wrote:

> -Hi,

>

> I am one of the few people out there who was lucky and received

SSDI

> on my first try. My doc was great. He used the very phrase

> gave....is unable to work in any capacity. Also my hand xrays

looked

> horrible.

>

> Just wanted to give you a little hope,

>

> Marti

>

> P.S. Good luck on Monday, Lawrence! you have been through the mill

> with this.

[Guest guest]

Hi Sue,

yes...I discovered when I joined this group how lucky I was. I

hadn't even been diagnosed with the fibro yet but I always put that

second on my review forms now.

I'm sure lot's of group members will tell you that pa can definitely

affect the lower spine(called psoriatic spondylitis). I don't know

why your rheum told you that one.

Are the leaves pretty this year in Michigan? They are just starting

to turn here in Nebraska. And it's apple season...I love this time of

year....

good luck,

Marti

-- In , " susieesue "

<susieesue@y...> wrote:

>

> ---

> Hi Marti,

>

> Boy you were lucky to get approved on the first try. My Mother in

> law had two knee surgeries, she was 60 years old and tried to get

SSD

> and got turned down in her first try-she was told that they have

the

> letters already printed up and in the mail as soon as you mail your

> application. She had to go to their Drs. also and got approved. I

> don't know if I gave the impression that I was turned down the

first

> time-I was, then everyone has to see " their " Drs. I didn't have

to

> get a attorney though because I kept calling my case worker and

> bothering her. My local SS office called me on Christmas Eve to

tell

> me that I had been approve. I'm not saying you are wrong, but VERY

> lucky!!

>

> God Bless, Sue in Michigan.

> In , " snowbound22003 "

<mlw402@a...>

> wrote:

> > -Hi,

> >

> > I am one of the few people out there who was lucky and received

> SSDI

> > on my first try. My doc was great. He used the very phrase

> > gave....is unable to work in any capacity. Also my hand xrays

> looked

> > horrible.

> >

> > Just wanted to give you a little hope,

> >

> > Marti

> >

> > P.S. Good luck on Monday, Lawrence! you have been through the

mill

> > with this.

[Guest guest]

---

Hi Marti,

The leaves here in Michigan are starting to turn different colors-

they are pretty. I always love the Autumn, but I get depressed

because I know what is coming afterward. I hate the winters here and

it gets so cold. I'm not too far from Lake Erie. I do love the

apples and everything that goes with the fall season though. I did

a almost a 2 hour trip to Ann Arbor this afternoon for my bone scan

that my Osteopedic Dr. wanted me to have on my hip and boy am I happy

that is over!! Laying on that " table " for all those x-rays killed my

hip, knee and shin bone-I had to take an extra pain pill just to get

over that pain.

Thanks again for all your kind words. God Bless, Sue in Michigan.

In , " snowbound22003 "

<mlw402@a...> wrote:

>

>

> Hi Sue,

>

> yes...I discovered when I joined this group how lucky I was. I

> hadn't even been diagnosed with the fibro yet but I always put that

> second on my review forms now.

>

> I'm sure lot's of group members will tell you that pa can

definitely

> affect the lower spine(called psoriatic spondylitis). I don't know

> why your rheum told you that one.

>

> Are the leaves pretty this year in Michigan? They are just

starting

> to turn here in Nebraska. And it's apple season...I love this time

of

> year....

>

> good luck,

> Marti

[Guest guest]

-Hi Sue,

Sorry the bone scan caused additional pain for you. I always have

trouble with those procedures too. Hope the results will be

helpful.When I had an all body bone scan it was very helpful to the

docs. All the places I hurt lit up. It was like a picture of my

pain for the docs.

Take care....and here's hoping for a mild winter!

Marti

-- In , " susieesue "

<susieesue@y...> wrote:

>

> ---

> Hi Marti,

>

> The leaves here in Michigan are starting to turn different colors-

> they are pretty. I always love the Autumn, but I get depressed

> because I know what is coming afterward. I hate the winters here

and

> it gets so cold. I'm not too far from Lake Erie. I do love the

> apples and everything that goes with the fall season though. I

did

> a almost a 2 hour trip to Ann Arbor this afternoon for my bone scan

> that my Osteopedic Dr. wanted me to have on my hip and boy am I

happy

> that is over!! Laying on that " table " for all those x-rays killed

my

> hip, knee and shin bone-I had to take an extra pain pill just to

get

> over that pain.

>

> Thanks again for all your kind words. God Bless, Sue in Michigan.

> In , " snowbound22003 "

> <mlw402@a...> wrote:

> >

> >

> > Hi Sue,

> >

> > yes...I discovered when I joined this group how lucky I was. I

> > hadn't even been diagnosed with the fibro yet but I always put

that

> > second on my review forms now.

> >

> > I'm sure lot's of group members will tell you that pa can

> definitely

> > affect the lower spine(called psoriatic spondylitis). I don't

know

> > why your rheum told you that one.

> >

> > Are the leaves pretty this year in Michigan? They are just

> starting

> > to turn here in Nebraska. And it's apple season...I love this

time

> of

> > year....

> >

> > good luck,

> > Marti

[Guest guest]

---

Hi Marti,

I do hope the bone scan helps the Drs. to see what is going on.

Laying on that " table " for that length of time was a big sacrifice on

my part to find out what is wrong-so painful.

I do hope we have a mild winter here in Michigan like we have had in

the past.

Thanks for your kind words, God Bless, Sue.

In , " snowbound22003 " <mlw402@a...>

wrote:

>

>

> -Hi Sue,

>

> Sorry the bone scan caused additional pain for you. I always have

> trouble with those procedures too. Hope the results will be

> helpful.When I had an all body bone scan it was very helpful to the

> docs. All the places I hurt lit up. It was like a picture of my

> pain for the docs.

>

> Take care....and here's hoping for a mild winter!

>

> Marti

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

> -- In , " susieesue "

> <susieesue@y...> wrote:

> >

> > ---

> > Hi Marti,

> >

> > The leaves here in Michigan are starting to turn different colors-

> > they are pretty. I always love the Autumn, but I get depressed

> > because I know what is coming afterward. I hate the winters here

> and

> > it gets so cold. I'm not too far from Lake Erie. I do love the

> > apples and everything that goes with the fall season though. I

> did

> > a almost a 2 hour trip to Ann Arbor this afternoon for my bone

scan

> > that my Osteopedic Dr. wanted me to have on my hip and boy am I

> happy

> > that is over!! Laying on that " table " for all those x-rays

killed

> my

> > hip, knee and shin bone-I had to take an extra pain pill just to

> get

> > over that pain.

> >

> > Thanks again for all your kind words. God Bless, Sue in Michigan.

> > In , " snowbound22003 "

> > <mlw402@a...> wrote:

> > >

> > >

> > > Hi Sue,

> > >

> > > yes...I discovered when I joined this group how lucky I was. I

> > > hadn't even been diagnosed with the fibro yet but I always put

> that

> > > second on my review forms now.

> > >

> > > I'm sure lot's of group members will tell you that pa can

> > definitely

> > > affect the lower spine(called psoriatic spondylitis). I don't

> know

> > > why your rheum told you that one.

> > >

> > > Are the leaves pretty this year in Michigan? They are just

> > starting

> > > to turn here in Nebraska. And it's apple season...I love this

> time

> > of

> > > year....

> > >

> > > good luck,

> > > Marti

[Guest guest]

Hi Fran,

Hope the experts are correct about the hurricane season being over

for this year! I read where the only other time a state had gotten

hit from 4 in one seasn was Texas in 1886....125 years ago!!

Mayo did the bone scan for me. I had seen a number of rheums

here who told me I had " no active pa " it was very frustrating. I

tried to tell them how much pain I was in and they would say...well,

you're going to get pain...? Mayo doc took a look at me and

found " active spondylitis " immediately and said he wanted to do a

bone scan to see about my hands and feet. It lit up like a christmas

tree too...every rib was outlined, etc etc I was disappointed that

the actual written report just said " multiple areas of uptake

consistent with pa " haha...I wanted then to SEE it.

After that I went on a minor crusade to get the word out that you

don't need swelling to get permaent bone damage....or to have " active

pa " I even wrote to a group of rheums who are studying pa and told

them my story...LOL! I have no idea if any of this helped but it

made me feel a little better.

the swelling and lab report/vs patient report of pain seems to still

be a controverisal rheum issue. I have seen studies that reportedly

" prove " both sides. I find the good rheums(my opinion) always listen

to the patient's report of pain...

.....and I have no idea why they don't order more bone scans....are

they exensive?

take Care,

Marti

-- In , " Fran Mishler " <fran@m...>

wrote:

>

> Dear Marti,

>

> You are the only other person I know who had a bone scan done and

was told

> it was arthritis. I had one done to rule out RSD or Complex

Regional Pain

> syndrome, and it came back lit up like a Christmas tree. I wonder

why more

> doctors don't order this test? I've thought so much about that

rotten trip

> to the Cleveland Clinic and how that rheumatologist told me none of

my

> joints were swollen or inflamed. LOL> I sure wish he could feel

them. I

> of course, included the bone scan in my paperwork, but I doubt he

even

> looked at it.

>

> It does seem like a good tool for doctors to realize just where the

problems

> lie. Especially if they can't tell or don't believe the patient

that we

> have pain or inflammation in a certain area. I had mine done

about 3 years

> ago and I wonder if it would beneficial to have another one?

>

> Well as far as the hurricanes go, and I'm almost afraid to write

this...they

> tell us the bad spell is over. I hope they are right this time.

I guess

> there is still a possibility one could develop in the gulf since

the water

> there is still really warm, but hopefully we will get a break now.

We've

> had enough to last us for a few years. I was really lucky and only

lost

> power for 48 hours. Enough time to throw out everything in the

> refrigerator, but no real serious damage. Thanks for asking.

Love, Fran

> [ ] Re: question on Social Security

Disability

>

>

>

>

> -Hi Sue,

>

> Sorry the bone scan caused additional pain for you. I always have

> trouble with those procedures too. Hope the results will be

> helpful.When I had an all body bone scan it was very helpful to

the

> docs. All the places I hurt lit up. It was like a picture of my

> pain for the docs.

>

> Take care....and here's hoping for a mild winter!

>

> Marti

[Guest guest]

hi there, it took me 2 years to get mine. during the entire process, i

volunteered to go see their doctors. they refused me too because they

knew i would win. so it was just a way to put me off for awhile.

i have lost a knee, hip, elbow and wrist to P.A.. i have a " spider " in

my left wrist to keep the bones in place. It was a long 2 years, but

i'm glad i toughed it out.

[Guest guest]

---

Hi,

I'm sorry you had to wait so long for your disability-I had to wait

for about a year-it is terrible. It really hurt us financially-I

think that is what they want and in the meantime that we would all

give up and try and find a job even though we can't.

God Bless, Sue in Michigan.

In , " rangerover75 "

<rangerover75@y...> wrote:

>

>

> hi there, it took me 2 years to get mine. during the entire

process, i

> volunteered to go see their doctors. they refused me too because

they

> knew i would win. so it was just a way to put me off for awhile.

> i have lost a knee, hip, elbow and wrist to P.A.. i have a " spider "

in

> my left wrist to keep the bones in place. It was a long 2 years, but

> i'm glad i toughed it out.

[Guest guest]

Actually Susie, my attorney told me to focus on my emotional state in my

hearing. She said that the medical evidence is irrefutable, despite the two

denials- the thing that makes the physical challenges so hard to overcome in a

work environment is the emotional ramifications. And so so true, my wife and I

have had to beg borrow and steal to keep afloat. If you even want to call it

that.

-L

susieesue <susieesue@...> wrote:

---

Hi ,

Your message about how hard it is to get SSD was so true and right to

the point-I believed everything about what you said. I don't know of

anyone that was approved at the first try. My husband reminded me

the other day about what I (we) went through finanically and

emotionally. We had to borrow money from relatives. I called

my " caseworker " every day and just bothered her to death, finally she

let it through and it was because she was retiring. My retro pay was

from when I broke my hip-a year and half earlier even though I had

been out of work for 2 years before that with health problems-hands,

hip, legs, etc. and hospitalized numerous times. And you wouldn't

believe what was the main reason they finally gave me SSD-my

emotional state!! They sent me to their Psychologist and I cried

through the whole " exam " and he wrote that I was totally unfit to

work. Let me tell you I'm not too proud of that admission!! But if

it worked and I AM on two antidepresants-Prozac and Elavil I won't be

too proud! lol!! Maybe they were afraid of a me going " post tal " on

them!! LOL! Anyhow I thought what you wrote was so true. When a

relative says boy you've got it made not working and collecting SSD I

tell them " I'm certainly not getting rich off it!! " and I would work

anytime if I could have this pain gone.

God Bless, Sue in Michigan.

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 10/19/2004 8:23:22 PM Eastern Standard Time,

susieesue@... writes:

Hi ,

Your message about how hard it is to get SSD was so true and right to

the point-I believed everything about what you said. I don't know of

anyone that was approved at the first try

not true. I applied in march this year and was aprroved about 4 months

later. I decided not cut through the BS because I had heard so many horror

stories and hire an attorney who specialized in SS disability from the start.

The get a percentage of back pay when you win but it was worth it. I went

for one medical exam with my cane and all my meds and got very lucky, There

is hope.

Janet

[Guest guest]

---

Hi Janet,

Yours is one of the very few and lucky. How much did you have to pay

the Attorney or did they take that out of your SSD settlement? I

didn't have to pay for an attorney and didn't want to.

God Bless, Sue in Michigan.

In , fam24@a... wrote:

>

>

> In a message dated 10/19/2004 8:23:22 PM Eastern Standard Time,

> susieesue@y... writes:

>

> Hi ,

>

> Your message about how hard it is to get SSD was so true and right

to

> the point-I believed everything about what you said. I don't know

of

> anyone that was approved at the first try

>

>

> not true. I applied in march this year and was aprroved about 4

months

> later. I decided not cut through the BS because I had heard so

many horror

> stories and hire an attorney who specialized in SS disability from

the start.

> The get a percentage of back pay when you win but it was worth

it. I went

> for one medical exam with my cane and all my meds and got very

lucky, There

> is hope.

> Janet

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

Not sure if you saw the posts a few weeks or so back about SSD, if you didn't,

it might be a good idea to look back...

It is possible to get SSD on the first try (my ex-husband did with asthma), but

it does take a lot of due dilegence on your part and your doctor's ~ or a good

lawyer... We went the first route, but the second is probably even a surer

route.

Good Luck!!

(idaho)

[Guest guest]

---

Hi ,

Was your husband close to retirement age? To get SSD on the first

try is hard to believe because the government has the denial papers

already printed up and ready to send-it takes the government about a

year to go through all their " red tape " to start a SSD applicant with

payment. I'm not saying you are wrong (or what you say is not true)

I'm just having a different view.

God Bless, Sue in Michigan.

In , <kjreed0929@y...>

wrote:

>

> Hi ,

>

> Not sure if you saw the posts a few weeks or so back about SSD, if

you didn't, it might be a good idea to look back...

>

> It is possible to get SSD on the first try (my ex-husband did with

asthma), but it does take a lot of due dilegence on your part and

your doctor's ~ or a good lawyer... We went the first route, but the

second is probably even a surer route.

>

> Good Luck!!

>

> (idaho)

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi in Oklahoma,

I hear what you are saying. In the UK they say that they automatically

refuse 90% of the applications initially but then approve about 80% of those on

appeal. It worked out ok for me personally. I was accepted right away for the

lower rate but was told to appeal. We informed them that we intended to appeal

and the changed it to the higher amount before we had to do so. I have since

read what both my own doctors said about me and also what their doctor said.

All of it backed up what I had put on the form. So I was one of the lucky

ones. On the other hand they knocked back my mother-in-law for even the lower

rate days before she died!

So, as I said, I know what you are saying.

Take care,

[Guest guest]

They told me I was disqualified for any kind of assistance because I

haven't worked in the last ten years; they refused to discuss the

degree of need under those circumstances. Needless to say, that news

was totally discouraging.

Can someone explain to me the benefits of SSD? I ask only because it

might make me a bit more determined to fight it if it's worth it in

the long run or just wait another couple years when I'll be 65. There

are times when the interviewer acts as though the money comes out of

his/her personal pocket.

Patty B in the unseasonably warm Pineywoods of East Texas

[Guest guest]

Hi Rangerover,

Good to hear from you. I hope that is it for you with the joints affected.

You have had to put up with a lot already and your still pretty young.

Good luck,