Question about Disability

[jagermiester]

I'm not sure if this is the place to put this or not, but here goes. When my kidneys failed a year and a half ago, I filed for SSI and received it for several months.  However, after my kidney's started to improve they said I didn't need it any more and stopped it.  Despite the fact I still was doing labs every 2 weeks and seeing the doctor every month and had run out of FMLA and still wasn't able to go back to work so I had to quite. So, I got a lawyer and appealed. 

Well, this Thursday I see my lawyer for a "pre-hearing" meeting and on the 15th I have my disability hearing.  I have read and read about disability and have seen that if someone starts dialysis they automatically are approved for disability.  I have seen some get on disability before dialysis, but not much is said about it.

My question is this:  Do I stand a chance even though I'm not on dialysis yet? Is there some advise on what I should say or do during this hearing that would help or not help?  Just would like some guidance on this. 

Thanks for listening.  Really, really tired and exhausted and not looking forward to this hearing.

[jbeany]

I got disability before dialysis.  I was put under the category of "Renal insufficiency."  I was having a lot of other medical problems that made any kind of productive work impossible, like constant dizzy spells and uncontrolled vomiting and anemia.

Don't be shocked they turned you down the first time.  They do that to quadriplegics, too.

Do you have a letter from any doctor stating that you need disability?  I had one from my internal med doc that INSISTED I needed the aid, which pretty much sealed the deal for me.

Whatever you do - tell the truth.  You get caught lying about anything - you are booted from the hearing ASAP.  The couple in front of me couldn't keep their story straight about how much the wife was capable of doing, and they tossed her.  They asked her if she could still do the household chores and shop.  She said no.  They called in her hubby a few minutes later - he told the truth without realizing she had lied.  Oooooh, you could hear the judge yelling at them both from the hallway.

When they asked me if I could still clean house and shop, I said yes.  I also clarified that it took me all day just to dust the house, and that I usually couldn't get out of bed the day after and needed big doses of painkillers by nightfall from the energy I had used up.  Same if I went shopping.  I could go do it - as long as I didn't plan to do anything but hibernate the next day.  I got a rubber stamp approval in 5 minutes and they didn't even bother to talk to my hubby.

[jagermiester]

@jbeany - thank you!  After my kidney's failed the first time and my SSI was taken away, I went back to work for the company I had worked for only for part time, 20 hrs a week.  My boss wanted something from my doctor saying it was ok to go back to work and he gave me a note saying it was ok to go back to work "part time".  I have never been given the ok to go back to work "full time".  You have given me something to think about.  I have another appt with my doctor on the 10th before the hearing.  I will see if he could give me a letter about not being able to work. 

I too have other issues like severe depression and panic attacks at times.  There are days I could work, but the depression sets in and I don't get out of bed or even try to go out my door.  So, between the kidneys and the depression, it makes it real hard to work.  When I filed for my disability a while back when my kidney's first failed, the guy at the social security office who was helping me fill out my paperwork went ahead and put down my depression since I do have records of diagnosis and said it would be good in the long run if I had this also documented. 

I'm like you, there are days I can go to work and there are days I can't.  I also clean house like you do.  I would do some dishes, go sit down for a while and rest and then go back to do some more.  Takes me an hour or two just to do dishes. 

I will be honest at my hearing before the judge.   Thanks for the advise.

[jagermiester]

P.S. - I did have to quite work last week.  My daughter is having some problems and my grandson is living with me for a while and I could not work AND  take care of a 5 year old. I am just too tired to do both, so the grandson won out.

[jbeany]

 
Good luck with all of it!