I don't think it would hurt to see what your options are. There may be benefits available in California that are different than the typical SSI. As for the federal SSDI program, the denial rate in some states is as high as 80 percent for the initial application, and the wait to get a hearing with a judge can be as long as three years depending on where you live.

You would think because SSDI is so hard to get, you wouldn't want to get involved, but actually, the opposite is true. If you believe you will still be disabled a year from now, apply now, because benefits begin five months after the date of onset of your disability (for most people, that's the date when they became unable to work full time). By the time you go through the entire process, you may experience a gap where you have no income at all (unless the state comes through for you), and you want to keep that gap as small as possible.

Doctors are usually very reluctant to support disability unless you are actively dying of something or they are certain you have a condition which will never improve. Problem is, without proper documentation from an appropriate treating specialist, the feds will go by the opinion of a doctor THEY choose, who usually concludes you can work no matter how sick you are. I lucked out and "sped" through the system in only nine months, but I had seven years' worth of medical records, two reputable rheumatologists supporting my case for disability, and a lawyer.

Hope something in here helped.

fanfaire