Kay, somehow I don't think your life would be boring. lol

Hey all, well I did nothing today.....absolutely nothing oh wait I went out into the yard once! Oh and I did talk to my disability attorney, apparently I can only keep appealing if I work 15 hours or less and or I can refile here in this state but I cannot use any of my past submitted medical info only that info from the date of my hearing until now....which I have none of because I haven't been to a doctor since then! She told me the standard wait for a decision on the ALJ appeal is at least two years....sigh......I first filed in Feb of 2005. I am happy for anyone who gets their disability approved but it seriously chaps my butt that I have waited this long to no avail and I have tons TONS of supportive medical evidence, letters from 4 different doctors and my congressman!

Ok rant over, I'm just stressed at facing getting a full time job when I know it is going to be to the detriment of my health! I finally got to where I can walk halfway decent with the Tysabri wich I haven't had in 3 months GRRRRR.Oh and because of my child support/alimony I do not qualify for any of my state funded healthcare Double GRRRRR! LOL

The job interview I have tomorrow is working for a psychiatrist LOL maybe he can de-stress me!

Renee, I wish I had the answers for you. It burns my **** that your mom can't be civil enough to let you stay where you are until your approved. I know there are no guarantees but still, it seems like you will be approved eventually. I am just as stumped as you are to why they approve one but not another. I think it's like random drug testing, some get tested, some don't and you never know who it's going to be. Ugh

NaeNae, I was in a similar spot, and remember it painfully well.

it's like the Catch-22 of MS.

the agonizing wait for the disability approval, and the "child support income" problem meant that for nearly ten years, I had to pay for my medical out of my own pocket, because I didn't qualify, but at least my kids had coverage.

one thing I WAS able to do was get TEMPORARY MediCal (California's Medicaid) JUST for the MRI needed to prove the diagnosis.

it was only a one-shot deal, and then, no health insurance again, until I got MediCare, lemme think, two years after the SSDI approval.

and for a short time in there, my STATE disability insurance kicked in, which helped for about a year.

during the "starving times" we lived on the child support solely, because I literally could not work, could not drive, right arm hanging down like a stroke victim, half-blind, incontinent, exhausted, etc. blah blah blah.

so I learned a lot of tricks to make ends meet.

swallowed my pride and went to the food banks.

got rides to the Central Valley, and bought food and fruit in bulk.

and yeah, we ate a lot of beans and rice and ramen soup...

joined co-ops to stretch the food dollar further.

got LIHEAP to help pay for a tank of propane to heat the house.

they would only do ONE tank a year though, alas... and *shiver*

babysat for friends to get a few extra dollars, and made handmade cards for a friend to sell at her flea market booth.

sold some furniture, and the kids' outgrown stuff at the flea market as well.

finally moved to a cramped 2-bdrm apt. (with 3 kids, ouch!)

and helped friends do inventory at their store, under the table...

yeah, it was rough, but you're smart and stubborn just like I am, and a MOTHER LION for your kids, so you will find a way to get through.

but if you DO take a real job, with a payroll and deductions, it'll totally screw up the disability application, because then they'll say "See, you ARE able to work!"

it can be a LONG drop, falling out of the middle class into poverty, and a hard row to hoe, but we made it, and my kids turned out okay.

skips off singing:

I'll NEVER be a bird in a gilded cage...



She's only a bird in a gilded cage,
A beautiful sight to see.
You may think she's happy and free from care,
She's not, though she seems to be.
'Tis sad when you think of her wasted life
For youth cannot mate with age;
And her beauty was sold for an old man's gold,
She's a bird in a gilded cage.

Seriously LOL can you bottle whatever you are drinking out there in the jungle and send me some?

I kind of want some of that too, Kay! Are you drinking that "Jungle" punch again? You know what I mean. LOL

Renee - That really sucketh! I have heard that a lot depends on what state you are in and who is on that particular state's review board.

Additionally, age is a factor for some reason. He!!, if you're 30 and can't walk, can't see, sleep 20 hours a day, lose your cognitive functions as well as other many other functions (when I did my appeal paperwork, I did mention "accidents") they still don't approve you because of your age. It makes no sense to me.

I'll keep you in my prayers.

Frank, know what you mean about some stuff just needs done, LOL.

Kay, don't forget me when you send out the bottles of jungle juice, LOL

Renee, Ugh! Sorry to hear about all the disability stuff. This government stuff is so weird sometimes. Hang in there.

~~~~~~

I also had an almost "did nothing" kind of day. I only did a few things that needed done, like dinner and a load of laundry. Been aching all day and felt like a pretzel, LOL. Did do some stretches, helped take the edge off at least.

Did do another painting today, and kitty almost helped me unmake it, LOL. She never came near my stuff before, which is in an open room which doesn't have any doors. She tried to take off with one of my brushes, tried to sniff the paint, and was making a general nusiance of herself. Can't believe we got through it without a purple or blue kitty.

JUNGLE JUICE


JUNGLE JUICE

JUNGLE JUICE

repeat ... repeat ... repeat ... and throw in a brownie!