The Race to Recovery

[LADavid]

Thanks Jan and Kay
Once I get past my battles with our less than understanding government, my first project is going to be getting what I've written published and more writing.  I look forward to it.

David

[Sue]

Oh LA David, Universal Studios is burning up! Oh the humanity!   What a sad loss.  Never been there, mind you, but...still.  Too bad, so sad.

Sue in Vancouver, USA

[leapyrtwins]

Best of luck with the publishing plans, David.

Please keep us updated   

Jan

[Jim Scott]

David:

The Social Security Disability bureaucracy is a bit of a nightmare to navigate but I understand it has been improved.  We'll see.

My wife battled for SS Disability - and won - in 1997.  It took a few years, voluminous medical reports and numerous attempts.  Finally, an attorney specializing in SSDI was engaged and, although it took awhile, she prevailed.  I trust that you will, too.

It's unfortunate that your acting career has to be put on hiatus but I hope your writing career can be re-started, soon.

Meanwhile, continue with your positive attitude, keep doing what you're doing and know that this will pass. 

Jim

[er]

Hello David,

I think we all would rather be working but when some of our health issues get involve we have to do slow down. I signed up 2 years after my surgery, but because of those same health issues I couldn’t over come I went ahead on sign on , 90 days later I was excepted. Oh, and I did my paper work online. When I took my paperwork in to SSO they gave me my interview then. I guess it must have been a slow day or because it was a small town.

Good Luck with the Social Security Administration
eve

[LADavid]

Thank you all for the encouragement.  I'll take whatever advice I can get on SSDI.  Eve, I did the same as you.  I took the questionaire on-line, made an appointment, and met with a representative all with in a week.  Your 90 day success sounds promising.  And Jim, I do hope they have improved the system.  How long did it ake for your wife's approval?  Also, I noticed that in looking back at some old threads, Don indicated that he had written to his Congresswoman and with her involvement, was approved in 6 weeks.  Has anyone else done that?  I have till December when my State Disability runs out and my SAG insurance expires (you have to work to keep it).  I'm going to pursue writing and other things I can do from a computer -- but I'd like to know the Sword of Damocles is no longer hanging over my head.

Thanks again
David

[Debbi]

David -

I am keeping fingers - and toes - crossed that your case moves through the system quickly.  And, hopefully some of these experiences will come in handy as you pursue writing. I happen to think you are a very gifted writer and would love to read more by you.

Debbi - awaiting David's best seller...

[LADavid]

Thanks, Debbi.  Right now I have a plateful of stuff that I want to make vanish.  I'm giving it about three weeks to go away and then I'm going to get serious about writing.

Hope you're doing well.

David

[Jim Scott]

David;

It took my wife about two years to be approved for Social Security Disability benefits.

Fortunately, she had disability insurance through her employer that paid 70% of her former salary.  The SS attorney she engaged (they work on contingency) suggested she file claiming 'depression'.  She certainly was depressed by that time - over the runaround she was getting from SS.  Once she filed for benefits claiming depression, she was approved in a few months.  She has to see a psychiatrist every two years or so (at the government's expense) and he just asks her if she still feels depressed.  She does.  End of examination.  It's a screwy system. 

I wish you great success as you prepare to charge the SS barricades. 

Jim

[Jeanlea]

David, hope the SSD is moving along for you.  How is your training going for running?
Today I ran a 50 mile relay with three other people.  Actually four because even our driver did a bit of running for us.  We were slow, but we all finished.  The first lap I did was in the light rain, next lap cloudy, and the last lap was sunny and humid.  Of course that was the longest at 5 miles.  We started at 8:00 and finished at 4:45.  My son was on another team in the race.  He finished at 2:15!  It was called the Hope Memorial Relay in honor a wonderful woman who died from a rare form of cancer just a few weeks shy of her 50th wedding anniversary.  Her family does this in her honor.  All the money raised is given to the cancer funds.  We live in a small town so there were only about 15 teams.  I hope it continues to grow each year.  This was only the second year.  It feels so good to be able to help others. 

Jean

[lori67]

Congratulation Jean!

It doesn't matter how long it took you to finish, the fact that you were out there in the first place to do something nice for someone else means a lot.  And I can assure you, had I been there, you would have finished a LONG time before I did...  I'd probably just be crawling across the finish line about now.

Lori

[Brendalu]

David,
After two years of trying and two turn downs I received my SSDI.  I had to prove that I would never be able to work in the fields I knew ever again.
What ever you do, don't tell them you want to pursue a writing career.  The SSA doesn't care if you can get a job or get paid for what you can do, it is the ability to do it.  There is a formula and I think it is listed in the SSD booklet on how they determine your eligibility.  Your disablement has to end in death (darn we all die, sometime) or you get to age 62 and get your SS that you paid into for a hundred years!  Felt like a hundred years.  You also aren't eligible for six months after you first become disabled.  I quit work in August 2004.  I didn't quite understand why I couldn't do my job.  I was a make up artist.  My hands shook, I was dizzy and no balance.  I wan't diagnosed until May 2005 and had my surgery 7/28/2005.  The lump sum I received went back to August of 2004 for my initial disability date.  I was amazed. So the check I received was for thirty -five months.  I filed shortly after my surgery and the first turn down was because I had not been deemed disabled for six months when I applied.  I had put that I felt my disability started on the day of my surgery.  My attorney changed that scenario to the previous August and the SSDB agreed!  I was one of the lucky ones.  I didn't have a hearing and I filled everything out online.
I hope this info helps.  Everyone is different.
Brenda

[er]

David,
Brendalu is correct , The SSA doesn't care if you can get a job or get paid for what you can do, it is the ability to do it.
eve

[LADavid]

Thank you all for your input.  Very sage advice.  I didn't know about mentioning writing.  So far I haven't.  I did fill out a very lengthy form and submitted one to my surgeon to complete.  So now it's time to wait.

And Jean, congratulations on the running.  That is a huge accomplishment.  I'm still training with my daughter.  I discovered that I was too disoriented and off-balance to run on my own.  But with her next to me to watch out for me, I feel more comfortable.  We did five miles last Saturday.  We're increasing mileage every week.  We have until October 12, so I think we'll be in good shape and we're using the Jeff Galloway training program that I used to run the Marathon.

David