Hi,
I have a rare spinal cord disorder -- HSP, or Heriditary Spastic Parapalegia. I applied for SSDI in 2003 and was approved in 90 days. When I presented my application to the local SSDI office the gentleman that took my application said it was the best he had seen. On the ten page report, the first page asks the two most important questions - Describe what you have and then why it affects your ability to not work. They give you two lines to list this information. It is imperative to put "See Attached Narrative" and list what is wrong in very detailed, very descriptive, dialog -- how very bad this disorder or disease is affecting your life. Describe your WORST day. Talk about everything, don't hold back. Get gross if you are having problems with incontinence, talk about those lovely embarrassing things like peeing yourself. Talk about the pain. Talk about the emotional side of it. Even the stuff that only happens "once in a great while", like weird sensations or things your muscles do. Describe ALL OF IT. Overwhelm them with information - make them feel like they have it too. I stressed the parts about being unable to stand to cook or dress myself because I am really fatigued. How difficult it is to sit in a chair, get in and out of bed, or a car, to take a bath. Make it sound as terrible as you can -- but as intelligently as you can. I did not have to see one of their doctors. I did not have to go to any hearings. I had very good doctor information and that is also a key. I look at others who have probably worse problems than I who get refused and I can attribute that to not filling their forms out with details, details details.
Hopefully this can help those of you who may be filing in the furture.
Hope26