SBGuy - totally understand - vent! Erisa laws are completely not fair - that they can withold our payments for years and make us sue, then when we are repaid nothing but missed monthly payments if we win is absurd....

And, all you are going thru and as Fanfair says - besides being completely being unfair - is incredibly stressful, draining, and just contributes to our illness... I have a yearly review - and it gets worse every time - more tricks - more abuse - more harrassment to the docs so they dont want to cooperate... I cant even think about adequate medical care and treatments because I'm so busy fighting these paperwork battles.... (the last review in fact cost me two doctors).... we have no choice but to fight back - or literally become homeless.... (and yes, when I think of all the taxes I paid that were eagerly taken, LTD bought in good faith, and now the complete lack of support from any arenas it is so infuriating...)

Just know you are not alone - and that while there isnt other financial support out there yet that I've found except SSDI, which is minimal - there are people who understand and care - so keep posting....

Hang in there.....

I have read a significant number of abstracts that refer to neuropathy preceeding a diagnosis of diabetes by years. Given you have pernicious anemia too, you seem to fall into a group of autoimmune disease and the neuropathy is likely an outcome of that.

I am sorry regarding your difficulty with LTD but honestly, I do not see a great deal of change in favor of claimants occuring in the near future. The system is not fair. That said, file your appeals as if you don't you lose any rights.

Disability is unfortunately now intertwined with what used to be a charitable endeavor-health care. Health care was run by charitable organizations.....it is now-a 'not for profit' that generates huge profits and some how writes off the huge salaries for top CEOs and investors---I don't know how all this corruption got started, but I saw a change in the Reagan years with HMO's.

I used to work for counties as a nurse-how many counties have nurses anymore, that go out to homes and provide care? Sure you might get a call from a county nurse if you have an STD or your kid is not in compliance with immunizations, but in general, we have no public health care system. We have no charitable health care providers. Doc in general work for insurance companies, or an umbrella company that owns both the insurer and the provider. Docs are paid to keep costs down and for 'production'. I know one doc who was 'fired' for not seeing enough patients in a day.

It seems insane we don't have universal health care, and a disability program (SSDI is almost shot too). Not to be too political, but, the current administration has borrowed away the social security funds to fund the war, and tax breaks for the rich.

The general public is not in the mood for give aways either, as few of us have not been hit by the current 'depression' (no it is not a recession). People's homes are not even worth what they bought them for....but, hey, we have corporate profits thru the roof, a war which has cost trillions, no jobs left even if you want to work.

I would be inclined if I had any money at all, to move to a small, civilized European country with social programs....(Most of them are in cold climates-then again, I am used to that).

I wish you the best but the fight is very tough on a person physically and emotionally.

I would not consider paying a lawyer by the hour, only by contingency based on your outcome. Paying an attorney by the hour is like burning your money. Your attorney has to be vested in the outcome for you to have a chance at winning.

If your current attorney is not in the fight, interview at least 5 attorneys and see what they have to say. Don't sign a contract with any one until you explore your options.

I think we should all move to France.

From what i've been reading, no one seems to care about anybody. Doctors work for insurance companies. I read that they are going to change the way we can purchase supplements. I mean, can they really do this??

I wish I had the money. I'd be in France tomorrow.

I saw Sicko.

France is the Bomb!!!

I imagine there are pros and cons to socialized medicine, but to be honest when people can't get even basic care, then we need some kind of univsersal health care system.

Disability insurance is going the way of health care too....

Try getting life insurance if you are in the least bit sick! Plus if you lose your job you lose your health and life insurance....People on LTD get fired, and by the time things get thru the legal system, if they get thru the legal system....they have lost a lot of financial ground, if not all of it. Not to mention the emotional pain of the 'fight' and how it contributes to the person's physical illness. All our health care benefits are 'job based' or entitlement programs for which the middle class bears more and more of the burden to pay for.

Unfortunately most of the world is 'third world' and has no access or very limited access....are we becoming more third world by the day or am I just imagining it? It is kind of like the proverbial 'boiling the frog in the pot'. We are all just getting used to paying more for less....and less...and less. Technology is great, but what if you have no insurance? What if medicare goes broke? What if social security goes broke? Medicare and social security have only been around for a short period in time....and we all feel like they are established institutions.

I have adequate health care and income, so I am not complaining about my own situation....yet....but even the middle class can hold on for only so long.

Yeah, I know I sound like gloom and doom, but many don't see the situation as a problem until it hits home.

All you can do is fight the fight with all you have and hope for the best. Choose docs and lawyers with care.....you know the curse...."May your life be full of doctors and lawyers."