I finally gave in and sent in my initial application for disability retirement (still working). Yesterday I got the paperwork back from my neurologist (the one with whom I have "communication issues")

Along with a few awkward grammatical issues (once I was referred to as "he"), there are errors in his office notes (I don't know whether he doesn't LISTEN or doesn't UNDERSTAND) but I don't think I'm going to pursue it. I don't even know if the fault lies with the doctor or the office staff.

I'm waiting for the stuff from my PCP, and hoping that everything will be lucid and specific enough to get me out. I'm afraid that if I take the stuff back to the neuro and point out mistakes, I might NEVER get my application in. And there is, of course, a time frame/deadline.

By the time I get through this process, I'll probably have what they used to call a nervous breakdown. I have a phone appointment with a retirement counselor on Thursday. Hopefully I'll have the stuff from my other doctor and I can ask all my questions then.

I'm really gonna need all y'all's support.

You've certainly got mine! I just wish there was more that I could do than just send you hugs, but please know that I'll be thinking of you, and that I wish you all the best.

You've got my support! Take a deep breath and know that you will get through the paperwork jungle just fine!

Niko

I'm here, B2Y!! It's a stressful process but you'll be fine. Just take it one step at the time and don't fret too much over it. Here's a !!

Hope everything works out

Best of luck and warm wishes to you, Blessings!

Sending along lots of these...

knowing the postal system they will hold that error of HE, against you, I think I would take it in and politely ask if they could correct a few errors that you have circled and corrected, and explain its the postal system and they are so literal and such a pain, good luck in what ever you choose, wish it would just fall in place for you

Best of luck to you BTY.

You know, it's worth going through all this just to see how many people care! Thank you all!!

I looked at forms and instructions yesterday until everything started to run together, but this morning I'm going to work on it a while before church. It's pretty overwhelming, both the paperwork itself and what it all means.

My phone appointment is at 4:00 in the afternoon, and that concerns me...not my proudest time of day. I'm getting all of my questions typed out, and if the specialist is as nice as the scheduler was, I'm golden. If he/she talks too fast or is intimidating (in my mind) I'm toast.

It's pretty weird. My biggest problem with the application process is the biggest reason I'm applying in the FIRST place:

I'm afraid the cog fog is going to wash over me and I'll put my middle name in the social security number slot, or write the wrong year of my birth or something. And you know how that works--you can proofread something umpteen times, and you still see what you THOUGHT it said the first time!

Or else everything the counselor says will sound like gobbledygook, or I'll start speaking gibberish myself. Stress is not my best friend.