Okay - so back in June I applied for SSDI locally at the SSDI Office. Provided everything I needed and than some. Even was accompanied by my boss the President of my airline. Yup he is that kind of guy. Really into the well being of his employees. He was there to help them better understand how I can no longer do my job as I use to. However, to be safe I introduced him as a friend and co-worker. It still went great.

In the meantime everything got worse wnd worse. Than they call me and ask me abruptly if I have anxiety issues becuase I take Lexapro. I say NO. I take it because it helps me for my pain. Than they hang up.

A couple of months goes by and everything is getting worse and worse than the phone rings and it is them again this time they ask if I need a shrink. Normally Yes (Helllooooo) but I tell them I am closely monitored by my doctor and if she feels I need to go or if I ask to go to a shrink I will. They hang up.

In the meantime everything gets worse and worse. Than finally the big day comes and I get my letter in the mail. Dear blah blah. We are sorry to inform you that even though you are stricken with RSD and am in pain 24/7 and your life sucks just as bad and you can't even wipe your own buttocks anymore we must TURN YOU DOWN because - ready for this? I can still climb a ladder and they feel I can still hop and skip which are not evident of items that would prevent me from doing my job.

Well there! Know what I think. Time to get a attorney. So off I go and I find a great lady here on the Cape in Massachusetts. She shakes her head in disbelief and says Mark I am sorry but you gotta do the Game of Twista. In other words you gotta do it all over again. "Soup To Nuts". Talk about frustration. And she tells me she cannot guarantee me that SSDI won't shoot me down again. What do we have to be these days? Dismembered? Dead? She did say that she has gotten many WOMEN approved with RSD but that it is very very hard to get MEN approved.

So It's off to Sweden for a "Sex Change" first. and than I'll be back for another round of SSDI. You ladies will have to help me come up with a new name. Also where can a gal like me find shoes in a size 15??? Hmmm???

LOL Chin Up!! Love ya all

Mark

well...by your picture it looks like you have the blonde hair already.

i bet we can find some white vinyl boots in a size 15 and a matching bra on ebay.

so after all this they didn't leave you with a set of hoops to jump through?

sheesh....you are one tough choccy chip cookie mark. hang in there.

oh..since you can climb a ladder, you wanna come sit up in my tree with me? i throw "stuff" at ssdi employees.

Hey Mark.

I shouldn't laugh but your post had me in stitches - you could write comedy scripts with that speaking programme, no sweat!

So well, you could drag out the grass skirt and coconut bra, then stop off at a clown shop for the shoes. Oh, and you can pick up a big curly wig there, too - pink? or orange?. Just watch out they don't look up that skirt while you're climbing ladders, might give the game away

But...I'm stunned. Hopping, skipping, ladders, how do they know? did you have to do that in front of them??? Curious is right, jumping through hoops...it's, it's, it's....incredible!!!

Know what? Shades of the Topomax adventure rear in front of me. Maybe we can all send you to Sweden, go get that big shiny car of yours, we can start you off on the journey. Maybe we can come with you...Can you get there by Hong Kong - I think you can...if you go from the West Coast, pick up Debbie and the others...then you'd pass through Hawaiiiiii too..anyone for Sweden?? methinks a plan is hatching ..... Yes! Are we off???

take care, all the best.

So, mark...did they say what kind of jobs are available for someone who is able to skip and jump while on top of a ladder wearing a skirt and size 15 shoes?? At least dirty old men won't be able to see past those shoes to see what's UNDER that skirt

I'm sorry. But it does seem to be par for the course. It appears almost everyone gets turned down the first time. Dont give up though.

Hugs
LisaM

Hello Marketta: Do you like that new moniker? I am sorry to hear that you were turned down. Wouldn't it be great if there was a machine that could connect us to others so that they could feel our pain? I'll bet most people would jump up and run away screaming if they were somehow wired to our nervous system.

Pain is the most debilitating of symptoms. It is what sends someone to the dentist ASAP when they get a toothache. Pain stops us in our tracks. Also, I cannot understand why someone young has such a hard time getting SSDI. Do you hurt more when you are older? Can a younger person with the exact same symptoms and disabilities just "suck it up" and keep on working. I think not.

I am 60 and can barely manage by myself. If I was 30 I still would bareley be able to manage by myself. I think our society paints all of us with the same brush - one size fits all. Youth = health and vitality. Male= strength and stoicism. A young man who cannot lift a carton of milk? Not possible -must be a malingerer.

It is good that you have an attorney. The next time you have a hearing, don't hold back. Let them know how much RSD has impacted your life and that you have difficulty just taking care of yourself let alone working. Tell them that you sometimes sob, feel depressed, useless, cannot sleep, etc. Be like you really feel when you are alone at home. Maybe then someone will get the real picture.

Sorry to ramble here. Lil

Hi Mark....haven't posted much but I had to jump on this one. I was also denied benefits basically for the same reasons. Also because I have a couple of degrees didn't help my case because I could easily be employed sitting for a couple of hours and walking short distances or so they said. I didn't hire an attorney rather my car insurance company had hired a vocation rehab. specialist as my spoke person, basically I was forced into applying for benefits. I to was denied the the first time around however I appealed my case and won my first appeal.

At first I didn't want the benefits I thought I would return back to work. But after 3 years and with my benefits ending with my car insurance which paid me 85% of my lost wages for 3 years social security was looking pretty good. My appeals was in the process however the person who was hired to be my spoke person, well lets just say they really didn't do all that much. Remember this person was a rehab specialist and not an attorney. I don't remember who posted a link to a site that gave you social security secrets and how to win your benefits but I followed that site's suggestions and low and behold I won my first appeal.

The most important part is not only that you have RSD and all the other medical issues going on but you have to say your depressed. If your taking an anti depressant medication, appear depressed to your doctor and if he/she is documenting that they see depression then you should not have a problem with that area. Also, didn't you see someone for depression a while back?
I don't know about you but even still my medication makes me so tired I still require a nap during the day. My memory is for crap and don't even ask me a question the first hour after my morning does of methadone . I don't know how your sleeping patterns are at night but I only sleep 2-3 hours a night. This all has to be documented.

There is a form and I believe it is called a Residual functional capacity that you can get from social security. Of course this is a form that is considered a secret I believe. I got my form from the vocation rehab specialist after reading about it on the site about social security secrets. Its a real bit** that we have to do our own home work to win our own money isn't it? or even better pay someone to win the money for us.

The name of the link is called www.disabilitysecrets.com. I hope the site will help you, it helped me out. I did my homework and then told my voc rehab. specialist what we needed to do to win and we did. By the way I didn't have to pay him to go with me my auto insurance did. Social security will hold back 5 or 6 months from the date you applied just an FYI. If I can answer any other questions for you or help in anyway please do not hesitate to ask me okay? Jewells

I'm english so we don't quite have the same issues - I mean getting DLA (disability living allowance) seems to be quite a lottery but nothing like the SSDI (finally they put me up to full care and full mobility - at last! seeing as I can't walk/ move my legs, can't use arms/ hands and need care for evreything.. from getting on the toilet, to dressing, transfering, being fed etc... I reckon I just about qualify..)

Also... one of my american friends who suffered an accident and became a ventilator dependent quadraplegic after breaking his neck was still messed around by SSDI - they said that he could be at a call centre if he had a headset - his reply was that erm// he was on a ventilator and did they REALLY want him sounding like darth vader? also the fact he'd need to come to work with a nurse!! just proves how totally inept the whole SSDI thing is. But stick with it! common sense will hopefully prevaile

I have just had my incapacity benefit turned down as I am a full time student - therefore they believe I could work if I chose too... erm... yeh... the fact that I can only use a computer with dragon and i'm taking a degree so that I actually have a chance to get a job and work at something that isn't totally menial (that I can fit in around pain/ enforced rests etc) and that I enjoy... GRRR.

they are so silly!

anyway keep fighting!!
love
Rosie xxxxx