[pearless]

Just thought Id let others know just applied last week for ssi and ssd. My phone interview took 1 1/2 hours. He said it would only take 45 minutes to complete. Had to keep appologizing to him cuz of all my docs that Ive seen and all the diagnosis'. The man was very nice. He said Isnt that the reason that your applying for disability. Your conditions are making it impossible for you to work. You dont need to appologize. Any ways, on the heavy side. My MRI came back. My thorasic region is worn down and I have a T4 fracture. For anyone that was following my other post. At least I know now that I need to be even more careful with everything. The fracture is in the vertebre and god knows when it happened.
Well wish me luck over the next 4-6 months that I dont have to appeal or anything with my disability.
pearl

 

[alobreto]

Hi, Pearl!
Just wanted to say that I'm thinking of you and hope that all goes smoothly with your application and that no appeal is necessary! :thumbs:
Regards,
Angela :flowers:

 

[dudley]

Hi,

Yes it is the waiting game. Just be prepared for what it can do to your nerves.
I did get it the first time around but it is a very nerve racking experience.

Remeber to always get copies of everything. I did not have a telaphone interview. Mine was on paper. See if you can get a copy of what was actually sent into Social security. You will need this for your records and also to make sure the interview got everything correct.

Best of luck

Elaine

 

[raggedyann1]

Pearless,

I had a phone interview but I had copies in my hand of what information I was giving them.

Not everybody has to appeal. A high percentage yes but some of us get approved on the first go round. Keep you contact updated on any new doctors, prescriptions, or tests that are run. They will send new requests and it will keep your file updated.

Ask your rheumatologist to go over over the functinal capacity form with you. He will receive it in the mail in the next two months, if pain is part of your disability.

Mine actually took 9 months but I was never turned down. Sometimes it is workload but also our own doctors not sending the requested information very quickly.

Karen

 

[Scarlet Wolf]

Dear (((Pearless))),

Just want to wish you the best of luck in getting your SSDI approved immediately. I am in agreement with Karen that some of us do get approved immediately. I was approved right away, much ot my surprise.

Just be sure when you describe your activities of daily living, that you describe your worst day, not your best because it's your worst days that prevent your from working and if you are like most lupies, you cannot predict when or if you will have a good day.

Best wishes.

hugs,
Scarlet Wolf

 

[pearless]

Just thought i would let you know. i was finally approved for full disability in may of 08. notice my initial post date and todays date! long wait but also never had to go to court. my official disability date backdated to 4/05.
pearl

 

[Katharine]

Hi Pearl,

That's great news that you were approved :eleph:. It must be a great relief for you.

I hope you're keeping well enough and that that fracture has healed a bit,

Katharine

 

[Lily]

Hi Pearl!

That's great news and not before time either

love
Lily

 

[KarolH]

Great news Pearl.

Sorry it took so long but glad you got it.

Don't spend that retro check in one day!:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

 

[dudley]

Congrats

I know it is a long andnerve wrecking process.

Also congrats on the back pay. Don't spend it all in one day. There could possibly be taxes owed or money to be paid back to SSI.

Again Congrats

Elaine

 

[Pickles]

Congratulations,

Its very rare to get approved the first go round.

 

[cad]

Hi Pearl,
Just wanted to say congratuations!!!

I was aproved foirst time round aswell and it really has made a difference!
It was such a relief not to have to battle and battle to prove you are disabled and genuinly ill.

Good Luck

Take Care

Cassie

 

[Pickles]

Congrats,

I don't think I had to pay taxes on it...Does anyone remember if they had to??? Now, I know for a fact that Soc Sec can "overpay" you and then come back months later and take it out. They did that to me twice which I still don't think they overpaid me. They will write you a letter and say
the recalculated and the overpaid so each month they will take out some until it is paid back.

If I were you I would try to keep up with everything they send you. I kept copies of everything. I still have ALL the letters I got from them.

 

[sam101360]

Hi:

I posted under another thread, I think I was approved (I got a letter that said that after additional review they found that I met the medical requirements for disability). My disability date is 11/03, will they pay me back to that date? I thought that they limit how much they will pay. Also is the pay back at the rate it was then or at the current rate (I understand disability can go up as COLA rises).

Thanks - Stephanie

 

[Lady_sirrap1]

You know, for years I was advised not to apply for SSI due to the possibility of being denied as I have a cousin who has lupus and went through hoops and STILL didn't get the benefit. So I continued working, taking time off whenever I had a flare-up. This went on for five years until I was informed that my kidney's were failing.

Funny, when I started dialysis in April of 2007, I applied for SSI through the online app while I still had about 6 months left on receiving my state disability benefits. Because of the dialysis, I received my SSI payment, via direct deposit four months later, as well as medi-care....and I was paid from the date I stopped working which was 8 months prior. I only talked to one person once the whole time my app was being processed. I'm glad that I got it but this really would've helped if I received it earlier and not go through all of the stress. I guess they (SSI officials) feel that people with lupus can still work.

I hope everything works out for you and good luck.

 

[Lady_sirrap1]

Hi:

I posted under another thread, I think I was approved (I got a letter that said that after additional review they found that I met the medical requirements for disability). My disability date is 11/03, will they pay me back to that date? I thought that they limit how much they will pay. Also is the pay back at the rate it was then or at the current rate (I understand disability can go up as COLA rises).

Thanks - Stephanie

Hi Stephanie, you should be receiving back pay from that date. When I received mine, it was a lump sum of $2800 and some change, back pay from the time I became disabled. As far as the rate, I'm not sure. I you happen to have the little booklet, there may be information in there about that, or I believe you can check online at socialsecurity.gov

 

[pearless]

Ok, so it has been over a year. No back pay yet. I didnt recieve workers comp or get SSI. Have been calling and down to the local SSD dept. It is alot of money in back pay. My last phone call to ssd the representative said (and she was so nice and helpful) that the payment center will release it when ever they feel like it. There is no one that can make them go faster and do it for that matter. Not a lawyer and not even a judge under court order. She was nice, she said Im sorry to be the one to break it to you like this. Your amount is fairly large. She did look into an approximated date. Looks like this month. Plan to use it for down payment on the house weve been living in for the past 3 years but not all of it. Im putting some away for taxes.
pearl

 

[jlp369]

I should have applied for SSI 2 years ago when i was going through Chemo treatments and so sick. taking so much time off until they finally laid me off. i was devastated...my med insurance, how would i pay my bills etc... that's when i had to apply for disability and thought great...this is gonna be an experience. I was approved in 2 months and i sent them pictures of my knodules, leasions, blood work etc....but the most important paper is the one from the doctor stating what your illness is and that he considers you totally disabled. that one letter from your doc is extremely important. my income is cut in half but i can now spend more time with my kids while my body just continues to fail me. Just don't give up on the disability. FINGERS CROSSED for all who apply.

 

[pearless]

Finally after over a year I received my back pay. My lawyer sent a letter to the governor and 2 weeks after that I received the lump sum payment. Thank goodness I had a lawyer. I would have given up years before. It sure does help now though esp with my kids and all the bills.

thanks everyone for your support. For anyone else Dont Give Up!

 

[Katharine]

Oh that's great news Pearl

It's awful that it takes so long though - I mean, people applying for it need it so much and what are they supposed to do in the meantime!?

Anyways, you've got it now :woohoo:

Katharine