[chaos]

Hi all. I'm wondering if one can buy disability insurance after their diagnosis has been made? I'm currently in kind of a limbo, I have neuropathy, but not an official diagnosis for why it's happening. I suspect it may be hereditary, and if it is what I think it may be, I will be unable to work at all as my hands won't work well and could curl up. So I'm not worried about being approved, but I am worried about what will happen once I get on SSDI. Does anybody have a suggestion for getting disability insurance now? How much does it cost and what does one have to do to get it?

I live in Northern California, and really wouldn't want to leave as my friends and family are here. I also have a 10 year old daughter who needs to be supported, a husband who could never earn even half what I earn, and so I'm the breadwinner in the house and make a good wage. I don't want to live in the ghetto or out in the sticks. I need to be able to have a support system. I also vowed never to live in an apt again. I find it amazing how little they'll pay and how they expect one to live off of it. What I assume they'd pay wouldn't even cover my rent. It sucks to have such a high cost of living, but it's worth it to be in this area, at least while I'm working. I was hoping to buy a house soon with some settlement money, but how am I supposed to pay a mortgage on $500K if all I'm getting is SSDI?

I have no idea how long I have until I become permanently disabled or if I'll get better. Lots of tests are needed to find out for sure, but I figure it's best to plan now just in case I need these things later.