talking about...listen to them closely and do not chicken out.
If nothing else the disability benefits will pay for your insurance?
Given all that's going on healthwise-it's imperative that you keep CONSTANT continued medical coverage. It'll be a shocker when you see the costs but, otherwise you could find yourself subject to lots of 'pre-existing condition' exclusions should you have any break in coverage. Such as waiting 1-2 years before any treatment of X or Y. It's a budget buster but worth it in the long run.
As for COBRA You have to receive a letter offering it to you thru your former employer's group plan - the letter has to be sent to you within a certain # of days after your 'termination' date. Then you MUST respond to it and enroll in their plan within another X number of days after getting that letter [It has to be sent registererd/return receipt and all]. You have to make payments not only on time but better than exactly on time...a day late and you can be disenrolled.
After that 18 months is up, The insurance plan you are in MUST offer you some type of coverage as an individual [the offerings are usually less coverage for more $-as long as you pay, you are covered. If for no other reason, continuing health coverage will get you the plans' group fee discounts tho your co-pays and deductibles will be hier.
If I found myself in your situation, I would go get an outside 2nd opinion ASAP and pay out of pocket so you get the diagnosis you NEED and the treatments you need! Kaiser GP's are notorious for 'postponing' referrals and/or missing real key diagnoses...Just be sure you get the very BEST top neuro in the area and watch the GP sputter when he sees your diagnoses 'in hand'!

So...go, get busy! It's mostly phone, letters, and paperwork herding.
OK - some good hugs to boot! - j

I agree with everything that DAhlek said above. When i was going through the process i had to pay for letters from the doctors i was already going to. Getting a second opinion and getting a letter from them is a good idea. What they write as far as how your disability prevents you from working has great weight with SS. For a doctor to write she cant work because of PN means nothing, they have to describe how weakness, balance, fatigue, pain, etc. prevent you from working. I may be wrong but to me it sounds like this doctor is not going to ever cooperate with you on disability. Some of them dont want to get involved. The longer you wait the less your benefits maybe because the period of no wages may be averaged in with your other years, depending on what your disability date is determined to be.