Hi Allen,

I do see a lot of people that I feel shouldn't be on disability around here. I do believe that we get mixed in with those sometimes and they can't distingish between the ones that are and the ones that aren't especially when some of us look so normal.

With me, I got beat out of my SS and ended up on SSI because of a lazy lawyer and I was so mentally distraught, I couldn't do what I needed to do to help myself.

My Dr. filled out my paperwork constantly and would have went to court with me if he'd had to but I honestly believe my lawyer was assing around on the golf course and just didn't care to go to court for people until he felt like it. I think it's important to find out what kind of lawyer you are getting. I didn't. I have seen so many people that won't go to him and he is actually known for being a good SS lawyer.

I like you would rather be able to work then sat here and do nothing. I haven't worked since 91. Even though I was sick in 87 I hung on until I got Susan through school. Bill was disabled already so I had to make sure that she got through school and had what she needed.

They put me down on my paperwork as obese. At the time we didn't know also that I was full of tumors. My Dr. is always giving me praise on how I got my weight down and kept it down. I always tell him it's because they took all of those tumors out of me that I lost the weight. LOL

I do look normal though to people. I do have cuts on my neck and they know by those that I have some medical problems but I have still had people ask me why I don't go to work since Bill passed. I actually tried going back to work 3 times before I got my disability and had to have surgery everytime. The 4th time I tried volenteer work and had to have surgery so my PCP finally said no more. I hate it because I can't work.

I see people though that actually do work while on disability and I know of 2 that just got caught at it last year and lost there disability. I see people going on trips everytime you turn around and out running around 18 hours a day. I do wonder about some people and how they get the disability.

It makes me angry that we are put into that catagory with them and I do understand why we are sometimes because some of us are normal looking.

It also makes me mad that we have Drs. out there that think even though we are so messed up that we might be able to hold down some kind of job. I haven't ran into that but I know a lot of people do.

I do get papers in the mail every year that I have to fill out to keep my disability but they pretty much leave me alone anymore because of all of my diagnoses.

It also made me mad that the depression was the only thing that they went by to give me my disability but I have heard that from so many around here, I think it's the most important thing to list on your SS paperwork and make sure you have the documents to back it up.

When you get your SS paperwork started, make sure you ask for copies of all of the paperwork from them, try to keep up with them and what is going on at all times, make sure you have a good lawyer if you get one. It's imperative that you stay on top of how it is going because they lose paperwork, send it to the wrong places and seem to misplace your case often. I see that a lot.

I was sent to a Psychatrist one day and turned down the next day by letter. I called and asked them how I got turned down one day after they sent me to a Psychatrist and she couldn't find where I had even been sent to one. It evidently came out of another state or office.

Do try for it though and don't give up.

Ada