College class while on SSD ????

[Light_for_Jesus]

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I am bored and wondered what would happen to my social security disability benefits if I tried to take a college course here at my community college.

I heard about one man that had had a heart attack and was on SSD, but when they found out he was taking a college class they took away his benefits.

Karen

[raggedyann1]

I really don't know how to respond to your post. I am sure it would depend on the course you are taking and several other conditions. I don't think it is normal to take away benefits by taking one course at a local college and imagine there were other parts to the story. Personally I am far too sick to consider such an undertaking.

karen

[londonteatime]

I was in Graduate School when all of this hit and I had to withdraw. I couldn't keep up with all of the reading and the work. I know Grad. School is more demanding than community college work but reading is reading and it's tough to do if you have any problems with memory and concentration (I do).

I don't know how SSA would look at it but I'd imagine they'd think if you can read a lot, write papers and attend classes you can probably work, at least part-time.

Julie

[dudley]

Hi

I have thought about it - but every time some things flares up.

If I did anything it would be through the rehabilitaion part of SSDI inorder to rejoin the work force.

If you are able to take a class and are able to attend regualarly think of what SSDI might think.

I personally would like to reenter the work force that is why I think about it. But as I stated by body is not ready for it.

It is a big decision. Think about it carefully.

Good luck in what ever you do.

Elaine

[rwb200]

When my wife was getting SSD she was offered retraining several times by SSD.
They had courses where they would send you to be retrained for a new line of work that would be easier on you.
She never did it because her last job was in an office invironment and what were they going to train her to do ?
The double edged sword part of this is that yes if you can take college courses yes there are jobs you could do. When the training is done then they at least expect you to go out and try the field you have just been trained in.
The idea is that if you can set in a college for several hours a day and listen and take notes and learn then go home and do the needed homework for the course writting reports or what ever is expected then it proves you can set in an office and answer a phone and make appointments for someone, like maybe a lawyer or doctor.
Is this true ? Depends on the individual and what they are going through. Social Security cares very little that you may have to push yourself to do it, it may wear you down and may be very hazardous to your health they care about what there evaluation shows you can do.
College = Work Work = No SSD.

[here]

Please forgive me if I come across sounding harsh or rude. I am all for someone bettering thereself, and I am very glad that you feel so good as to take college credits.

But, you have to understand how much this post really upsets me. If you read through this forum there are a lot of us out here who would love to be "bored," and have been through a lot trying to get SSD. Not because we want to, but because we HAVE TO.

I can't do my housework, keep up with my family, have to bow out of things I would love to do, pay when I do what use to be considered for my an extremely light day, but is now a rough day for me.

Your post just wants to make me cry. I would give anything to be bored.

[londonteatime]

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I don't think one should ever apologise for speaking from the heart. The post struck me oddly, too, and it reminded me of the "good ole days" when I was teaching, working on my Master's and had dreams of getting a fellowship to study at Oxford. It hurts to remember that past life. ****'s bells, some days I can't even remember how to get to the store.

But maybe we should look at it a different way. If someone is receiving SS-D and is well enough to contemplate attending college, then there's hope for us to get approved for SS-D, too!!!!! style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif Hopefully sooner than later!

Seriously, Light, perhaps you should contact Social Security and tell them you might like to try retraining or working part-time. I think they have programs to help you do that.

Many of us can't understand being bored because this disease (and the others we have) throws us nasty curve balls all of the time and another doctor, syndrome, medication or side effect gets added to the mix. I just found out that I've tested positive for scleroderma, only four months after my doctor was finally ready to say I have Lupus.

I can't leave the house many days because taking a shower and getting dressed in regular clothes is too exhausting for me. It's hard to sleep because of the pain and when the painkillers wear off in the middle of the night I'm in agony so, lately, I just don't go to bed. I nap several times during the day for a couple hours at a time while the painkillers work. It's a sad and rather depressing existence.

I do wish you the best of luck and am happy that you are doing well enough to contemplate such an endeavor. I hope I can get there someday, too.

Julie

[Raglet]

Please note: being ill unfortunately does not correlate well with an absense of boredom.

Nor does it necessarily correlate with not being able to work, strange to say.

Personally I don't want to get into a debate about who is the sickest, but let's play nicely in the sandpit.

[Slightly worried]

Hi Karen,

I think its sad that people have responded a little bit negatively towards you here..

If you are feeling like you need more stimulation and don't just want to sit around wallowing in feeling sick than this is great - life is for living no matter how sick you are.

I can't answer about your benefits as I am not from the US - the only way you will find out for sure is to call the department and check yourself. Double check what that person says especially if you are reliant on the benefits. I don't imagine that living on benefits would be an easy life so if you are feeling more well in yourself explore what career opportunities are available that you could cope with doing while living with Lupus.

Explore volunary work there are so many great causes and I am sure that you would have loads of empathy, read books to better yourself, study online at home or do an open learning course.

I battle with fatigue, ulceration all over my pallette at the moment, lesions on both feet that have just been suricaly removed an chortorised. However I love being as active as possible, I love working in a really mentally stimulating environment, travelling and seeing the cup as being half full.

I can get really depressed about my health and get frustrated wondering what I have done to deserve this, but I try as much as possible to be realy grateful. I have volunteer looking after peope with AIDS and realise how many truly inspirational people are out there far sicker than me who live extraordinary lives and truly appreciate every day.

I hope you find your fun, stimulation and apetite for life.
x

[deberinpol]

I don't reply very often to posts, but I wanted to reply to this one.

I am not sure what the answer is in reference to your benifits.

But I wish you luck. I have lupus and some days are impossible for me to get out of bed. But I still
have dreams. In fact I am in the middle of a flare and I sent an application to go back for my masters degree.
It is a competitive program and I haven't heard if I have been accepted yet. But if I am and at that moment I am feeling okay, maybe I will try it!

I am young and I don't feel I should give up on my dreams, because maybe tomorrow will be a better day for me! Maybe It won't, but I will deal with this disease one day at a time.


Good Luck! Erin
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[JAgirl]

Well said Erin. style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/Thanx.gif

[Sprinkly]

Hello
I have also been denied twice for my SSD then approved because my condition has been long documented and is still going.
Currently I am also attending College for my BSA degree in liberal arts.
- but I have had my condition since early childhood and it has stayed the same throughout school to college.
I am also looking into my masters degree in what field I do not know now.

Studying is hard, but if you take a reduced load first to get started then ease up to a load level that you can handle it is ok.
- but you need to have a goal for the achievment of your courses. like mine is work reasearch.
- I plane on reading when I achieve my degree levels and obtain work employment. reading is long and tideous, but no lifting, just reading and occational righting.

College is good, just have a end goal before you start.

Hope this insight helps.
- college today is lots of reading, little actual thaught involved just memorization of instructor talk.

College, is seen as a full time job, expecially if you are taking courses to achieve a suttable employment end.
- you can have accomidations for your courses, such as mine are a scribe (notes) from a fellow student.
- so I do not need worry about all notes just participation and attendence. even if I am sick,
- if you are sick and do not show, the instructor will thaink that you are a slik back, and taking the easy seat.
- show up when you are sick, like a mild ear infection or (Flare) to a person who doesn't know what you have, you may appear having sever allergie reaction that takes a long time to go away. = swollen eye/red.
- non stop running nose. = to me its just everyday symptoms.

And I always to the assignments and tern them in a day or two early.

Any questions I will be here.
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