While working on section D of the Function Report - and trying to provide DETAILS - I sent my rough draft to a doctor friend of mine. What is in yellow highlights is what he thinks I should state. I wrote all of the text. He is just suggesting to keep what he highlighted of my text. I like his edits. It reads much better than my ramblings but does it provide enough details?

Here is my reply to my doctor friend:

Scott,

Thank you so much for your timely reply. I love the way you edited way down.

I think I should also delete references to Gabapentin. Those are really speculations and due to my limited ability to handle stress (in addition to the other related mental conditions) I would most likely still have problems in those areas.

I have read to that one can 'hang themselves' filling out the Function Report. That generally speaking, less is more. However, they say in a few areas one should be very detailed. I have a post from a SSA examiner were he stated something like, "DETAILS! Give me details. I need to really know what it is like to be you for a day."

Additionally, many wrote tell them that condition is erratic in nature and let them know about your good days and bad days. However, I can just write that ONCE as a 'big umbrella' that covers all the other areas.

So . . . I love your edits. I wonder if I still have enough detail with your edits? Again, maybe I can write a 'preface' statement about good days/bad days and the erratic nature of my condition applies to all areas listed below.

*****And below are his edits to my ramblings. Remember, all the writing is mine. He just highlighted the parts that he thought were worth keeping.

Dear D,
Here is my attempt to edit; my words are in yellow. They are interested in HOW limited you are in each area to see if you would be impaired enough to not be able to work, and WHY you are limited. You may want to add a few details, but don't go overboard. Hope this helps! Hang in there!
LIFTING:
I have problems lifting due to a poorly healed broken wrist 3 years ago. I am attaching an MRI report.
I BROKE MY LEFT WRIST 3 YEARS AGO. IT NEVER HEALED RIGHT. PLEASE SEE ATTACHED MRI. MY RIGHT HAND – ON THE THUMB, HAS BEEN SWOLLEN FOR AT LEAST 2 MONTHS NOW. I WILL MAKE AN APPOINTMENT FOR IT THIS WEEK. I HAD NOT MADE AN APPOINTMENT EARLIER HOPING THAT WITH MORE REST IT MIGHT HEAL ITSELF. DUE TO THESE INJURIES, LIFTING MORE THAN TEN POUNDS IS A PAINFUL EXPERIENCE. I EVEN HAD TO BUY AN ELECTRONIC CAN OPENER, BECAUSE OPENING A CAN MANUALLY WAS JUST TOO PAINFUL. FINALLY, WHEN GREETING SOMEONE WITH A HANDSHAKE, I TELL THEM OF MY THUMB INJURY AND THEN PROCEED TO SHAKE WITH THE ‘WRONG’ HAND.

SQUATTING:
I have difficulty squatting due to increased pain in my feet and weak calves. My doctor has advised me to avoid full squats. I cannot do more than 10 half squats without fatigue and pain.
SQUATTING IS PAINFUL TO MY FEET. THE SOLES OF MY FEET. I TAUGHT ELEMENTARY PE FOR 25 YEARS. OFTEN THE GYM FLOOR WAS UNCLEAN SINCE THEY ALSO USE THE GYM FOR LUNCH. I WANTED A CLEAN FLOOR. I WOULD DO ABOUT 30 FULL SQUATS EACH DAY. SQUIRT BOTTLE AND RAG IN HAND. SQUIRT, FULL SQUAT, RUB FLOOR WITH RAG . . . FIND ANOTHER STICKY/DIRTY SPOT – REPEAT PROCESS. 30 TIMES A DAY FOR 25 YEARS. WITH DOCUMENTED NERVE PROBLEMS IN MY FEET (PLEASE SEE ATTACHED) I HAVE BEEN ADVISED BY AT LEAST 2 DOCTORS TO NOT DO FULL SQUATS. HALF SQUATS ARE NOT AS PAINFUL ON MY FEET, HOWEVER DUE TO THE NERVE DAMAGE IN MY FEET, MY CALVES HAVE BECAME VERY WEAK. THEREFORE, I CANNOT DO MANY (10 MAX) HALF SQUATS.

STANDING:
I cannot stand for more than 30 minutes without severe foot pain from my neuropathy.

DUE TO THE NERVE DAMAGE IN MY FEET, I CAN RARELY STAND FOR MORE THAN 30 MINUTES WITHOUT MY FEET BECOMING PAINFUL (COLD, NUMBNESS, HEAVINESS, TINGLING, BURNING ETC). I TEND TO HAVE A CYCLE OF LIKE 30 MINUTES UP ON MY FEET, THEN 30 MINUTES LAYING ON MY BED. UNFORTUNATELY, SITTING DOES NOT BRING ME ANY RELIEF. IT USUALLY MAKES THINGS IN MY FEET AND ANKLES WORSE. SOMETHING TO DO WITH MY LEGS BEING AT A RIGHT ANGLE WHEN I SIT, BUT LAYING ON MY BED – THEY ARE PARALLEL TO THE GROUND. OFTEN TIMES (5 TIMES PER WEEK) I HAVE TO LAY ON MY BED, WITH MY FEET ElEVATED UNTIL I CAN GET SOME RELIEF. IT TENDS TO BE LIKE A ONE TO ONE RATIO. IF I HAPPENED TO STAND FOR AN HOUR, THEN I USUALLY MUST LAY ON MY BED FOR AN HOUR. REPEAT CYCLE THROUGHOUT THE DAY. SOMETIMES WHILE STILL STANDING, I'LL DO MY ‘SORE FEET’ DANCE. I ALTERNATE PICKING UP MY RIGHT FOOT, THEN MY LEFT. REPEAT UNTIL I CAN GET TO MY BED.

REACHING:
I lose my balance when reaching because of poor position sense in my feet due to my neuropathy. I have to hold on to something or lean against a wall to reach safely.
OFTEN TIMES (2-3 TIMES PER DAY) WHEN I REACH FOR AN OBJECT I LOSE MY BALANCE DUE TO THE NERVE DAMAGE IN MY FEET. MY FEET ARE CLUMSY BECAUSE OF THE NERVE DAMAGE. A LOSS OF PROPRIOCEPTION. 2 OR 3 TIMES PER WEEK, THE ONLY THING SAVING ME FROM FALLING DOWN COMPLETELY ON THE FLOOR, ARE THE WALLS THAT I SOMETIMES ‘BOUNCE’ OFF OF.

WALKING:
I have limited walkng because of my neuropathy. My doctor has told me to limit walking (see attached report). Walking causes worsening foot pain and fatigue. I cannot walk more than __ minutes at a time.

A YEAR AGO I WOULD WALK FOR 30 MINUTES ABOUT 3 TIMES A WEEK. HOWEVER, SINCE THE NERVE DAMAGE HAS PROGRESSED – I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY MY DOCTOR (PLEASE SEE ATTACHED) TO NOT USE WALKING AS A FORM OF PHYSICAL THERAPY. A FEW MONTHS AGO, I TOLD MYSELF, ‘LETS GO FOR A 30 MINUTE WALK AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS.’ WHAT HAPPENED WAS THAT NIGHT, I COULD NOT GET TO SLEEP, EVEN WITH THE SEDATING PRESCRIPTION MEDICINE I TAKE PRIOR TO BEDTIME, UNTIL 3AM. A FEW MONTHS AGO, I TRIED A 10 MINUTE WALK. AT THE 4 MINUTE MARK, I HAD TO TURN AROUND BECAUSE MY FEET WERE HAVING THE SYMPTOMS DESCRIBED ABOVE. HAVING BEEN A PE TEACHER FOR 25 YEARS I HAVE A HABIT OF KEEPING TRACK OF FREQUENCY, INTENSITY, TIME AND TYPE. F.I.T.T. I USED TO TEACH THAT TO MY STUDENTS. I APPLY THAT TO MYSELF OFTEN OUT OF HABIT.

SITTING:
I cannot sit in the same place for more than 20 minutes because of neuropathy pain.
IS ABOUT THE SAME AS STANDING, WHICH IS DESCRIBED ABOVE. OFTEN TIMES (DAILY) I WILL USE A COUNT-DOWN TIMER. IT IS USUALLY SET FOR 20 MINUTES. WHEN THE TIME IS UP, I GET UP AND WALK AROUND AND CLEAN/ORGANIZE MY APARTMENT OR LAY ON MY BED – DEPENDING ON WHAT MY FEET SYMPTOMS DICTATE I NEED TO DO.

KNEELING: Kneeling is limited because of knee damage from long term work as a gym teacher (need to document knee damage if possible).
AFTER 25 YEARS OF TEACHING KIDS HOW TO JUMP ROPE ON A HARD TILE FLOOR, MY KNEES ARE ABOUT SHOT. I ONLY KNEEL IF I ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO. I THANKFULLY THAT ONLY HAPPENS A FEW TIMES A YEAR. INSTEAD OF KNEELING, I WILL BEND AT THE WAIST. KNEELING HURTS MY KNEES.

TALKING
I have difficulty with concentration and attention. This may be a side effect of my high dose gabapentin which is used to control neuropathic pain.:
MY COGNITION HAS BEEN OFF FOR SEVERAL MONTHS NOW. OFTEN TIMES I FEEL A BIT ‘LOST IN THE CLOUDS’. I WILL TALK WITH MY DOCTOR THIS WEEK ABOUT IT. MAYBE IT IS A SIDE-EFFECT OF THE HIGH DOSE OF GABAPENTIN (600 MG -4 TIMES A DAY) THAT I AM ON. I WILL BE TALKING TO SOMEBODY AND COMPLETELY LOSE MY TRAIN OF THOUGHT. THIS HAPPENS EVERY DAY THAT I HAVE AN EXTENDED CONVERSATION (5 – 10 MINUTES) WITH SOMEONE. ABOUT ONCE A WEEK, I HAVE VERBALLY APOLOGIZED TO WHOEVER I WAS TALKING WITH AND TELL THEM SOMETHING LIKE THIS, “I SO SORRY. I AM HAVING SOME COGNITIVE DIFFICULTIES RIGHT NOW. I HOPE I AM MAKING SENSE. PLEASE BARE WITH ME.”

STAIR CLIMBING:
This is difficult due to neuropathy and I stumble even when using a handrail. I need to limit this to prevent falls.
DUE TO CLUMSINESS CAUSED BY NERVE DAMAGE IN MY FEET, I ALWAYS USE A HANDRAIL WHEN ONE IS AVAILABLE. EVEN WITH USING A HANDRAIL – I STUMBLE A BIT GOING UP – AND A STUMBLE A BIT GOING DOWN. AGAIN, THIS IS A PERCEPTION PROBLEM. WHEN I WAS AT THE STATE WRESTLING TOURNAMENT THIS YEAR – I WAS SADDENED BY HOW CLUMSY MY FEET WERE AS I NAVIGATED ALL THOSE STAIRS. IN THE RAILINGS WERE NOT THERE, I WOULD HAVE FALLEN DOWN. A FRIEND AND I GO EVERY YEAR TO WATCH THE STATE WRESTLING TOURNAMENT. THIS YEAR WAS NOT MUCH FUN FOR ME BECAUSE OF THE SITTING, STANDING, WALKING AND USING STAIRS. ALL OF THOSE THINGS MADE IT A PAINFUL AND FRUSTRATING EVENT FOR ME.

MEMORY:
I have short term memory problems, possibly due to my gabapentin which is used for pain control.
AS NOTED ABOVE ON THE TOPIC OF ‘TALKING’ – I FREQUENTLY I PROBLEMS HAVING AN ENJOYABLE CONVERSATION BECAUSE OF MY SHORT-TERM MEMORY PROBLEMS. I HAVE PROBLEMS FOLLOWING DIRECTIONS BECAUSE OF THIS. I AM LOSING THINGS EVERY DAY BECAUSE OF THIS (KEYS, EYEGLASSES, IMPORTANT PAPERS, ETC). I WONDER IF THIS IS A GABAPENTIN SIDE EFFECT AS MENTIONED ABOVE IN THE ‘TALKING’ SECTION. I WILL TALK WITH MY DOCTOR ABOUT THIS. AGAIN, THIS IS THAT FOGGY COGNITION THING AGAIN AS MENTIONED ABOVE IN THE ‘TALKING’ SECTION.

COMPLETING TASKS:
I have diagnosed A.D.D. This results in distactability, trouble concentrating, and difficulty completing daily tasks. My neuropathy pain and gabapentin contribute to making this worse.
I HAVE A.D.D.. IT IS IN MY MEDICAL RECORDS. WITH THIS CONDITION, I GET EASILY DISTRACTED AND HAVE A HARD TIME STAYING FOCUSED LONG ENOUGH TO COMPLETE A TASK. THIS IS AN AREA WHERE I AGAIN OFTEN (2-3 TIMES DAILY) WILL USE A COUNT-DOWN KITCHEN TIMER TO HELP ME STAY AT A TASK. THE TIMER (AS MENTIONED ABOVE IN ‘TALKING’) IS USUALLY SET FOR 20 MINUTES. I TELL MYSELF, ‘YOU ARE NOT GOING ANY WHERE OR DOING ANYTHING BUT THE TASK AT HAND UNTIL THAT TIMER GOES OFF.’ THESE 20 MINUTE INCREMENTS HAVE BEEN HELPFUL IN HELPING ME GET TASKS DONE. HOWEVER, DUE TO THE CYCLING/PACING THAT I MUST DO TO MANAGE FOOT PAIN, IT SEEMS LIKE I NEVER GET CAUGHT UP ON MY HOUSEHOLD AND PERSONAL CHORES. PAPER IS ALL OVER THE PLACE. THERE ARE USUALLY DISHES TO DO AND LANDRY TO PUT AWAY. I HAVE THREE TIMERS THAT ARE EXACTLY ALIKE IN MY LITTLE 600 SQUARE FOOT APARTMENT. WHY THREE? BECAUSE DAILY I HAVE A HARD TIME LOCATING ONE WHEN I WANT TO USE IT. WHEN THAT HAPPENS, THANKFULLY I HAVE A BACKUP PLAN. THERE IS AN AWESOME WEBSITE THAT HAS A COUNT-DOWN TIMER FUNCTION. IT IS BOOKMARKED IN MY FAVORITES BAR OF MY BROWSER FOR QUICK AND READY ACCESS WHEN I CAN NOT FIND ONE OF MY THREE KITCHEN COUNT-DOWN TIMERS. A