Need assistance with filing for disability...

[Autoimmunity]

I kept calling and getting a voicemail, I finally left a message for a call back.  Then today in the mail I got a form to fill out about my former employment (I ALREADY DID THIS ONLINE!!!) UGG! and another form - FUNCTION REPORT.  OMG, hard!  what do you do all day?  Are they trying to trick you ?  I don't know, not much.  I don't sleep at all anymore, totally exhausted which I was anyway, have to take care of my dogs, I mostly rest, have tv on, sometimes go on facebook, sometimes do some chores, but hard to say, certainly not partying it up!  Hardly go out and do anything.  Mostly it is doctor appointment after doctor appointment, after dentist appointment.  Jealous yet?  haha. I've been off more than a month, my house should be clean, but no, I have not had that kind of energy and especially with my severe back pain, then the severe tooth pain, and then back to the back pain, some days luck if I can get up, take a bath, then exhausted and back to bed.

[Autoimmunity]

I kept calling and getting a voicemail, I finally left a message for a call back.  Then today in the mail I got a form to fill out about my former employment (I ALREADY DID THIS ONLINE!!!) UGG! and another form - FUNCTION REPORT.  OMG, hard!  what do you do all day?  Are they trying to trick you ?  I don't know, not much.  I don't sleep at all anymore, totally exhausted which I was anyway, have to take care of my dogs, I mostly rest, have tv on, sometimes go on facebook, sometimes do some chores, but hard to say, certainly not partying it up!  Hardly go out and do anything.  Mostly it is doctor appointment after doctor appointment, after dentist appointment.  Jealous yet?  haha. I've been off more than a month, my house should be clean, but no, I have not had that kind of energy and especially with my severe back pain, then the severe tooth pain, and then back to the back pain, some days luck if I can get up, take a bath, then exhausted and back to bed.

take each question on the function report one at a time. Answer it as fully as you can. I think on the function questionaire they sent you, you can also have someone (like friend or family member) help you with it.

I think before writing your final answers on the actual questionnaire, draft the answers first in like word doc, then look them over and make sure you didn't miss anything. Then it's easy enough to write the drafted answers on teh form. That's the only way I can accurately complete those kinds of ugggg hard questions, as the limitations I recall are the ones I am experiencing at the moment! Mostly as I am noticing them at the time.

Think of things you've become so used to being limited that you don't think about them in that way. An easy example, when my hands flare - I have great difficulty with things like operating a can opener. Things along that line and of course more obvious things specific to you, where they may seem small or not worthy of mentioning are part of how your disabilities (conditions) limit your daily functioning.

We adapt as we go. So when it comes to these questionaires a lot of things we don't think about, as we've adjusted to the limitation as part of our normal.

One question at a time...you'll get through it!! Oh and do note the return by date. SSA doesn't give a lot of time on these things.

Oh and remember, even social activities are impacted by FUNCTION - for example, my face to face social activities are limited even by multiple chemical sensitivity. Ever been to a social event or church or whatever - even dining out where there isn't at least one person doused in a whole bottle of foofoo? (perfume, cologne, body wash, hairspray, etc)

Now expand that example to work...ever been in a workplace where someone doesn't douse with foofoo? And no job is going to accommodate by asking folks not to wear scented products. Heck, add in doc office waiting rooms. Gets me migraine and asthma flare all at once!

That's a simple example specific to me. But I hope that helps you to think about your own situation and how limited your daily life really has become in your situation.

I have to tell you your example is ironic because I do suffer migraines and I cannot stand peoples perfumes.  I work in a hospital business office and there is a girl that wears a gallon of perfume!  The rule is little to no perfume because it is a hospital.  A long time ago I did complain because it totally effected me.  The boss wouldn't do anything because this girl was one of her clique.  She said she would do something about it, but then it would be my fault that everybody would suffer..like the letter of the law on every little thing.  She was such an bum about it (surprise), I just dropped it.

[Autoimmunity]

I called social security today, was told they are still waiting on records from a certain doctor.  I said I had sent in what records they had, that doctor had retired and before that went from private practice to joining a health group, so the records were very limited.  He looked and said they have those, will review and decide if I need to see a doctor or if they have enough information.  I asked how long that should take and he said a week.  I asked if I could call back and check at that point.
I am wondering how long it should take from here?  Praying I don't have to see one of their doctors.  I am also freaking out!  I am supposed to go back to work Monday, my doctor did change my fmla for me through to the end of the year, but I am freaking out they are going to fire me now.  If I could just get an answer and if it is denied I would just go back to work, as hard as that will be, but I don't want to be fired in the meantime.  It seems I am close to an answer now?
Then when I went to my rheumy I wrote down on his paperwork that I didn't feel I could go back to work, can no longer sit in a chair for 8 hours, cannot type for 8 hours a day, and his records state "patient believes she will not be able to return to work because of increased stress of her job"!  He does also note I have seropositive RA with a palindromic pattern and notes fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue.  I don't think social security has or will get these records, but I need to send them in for my short term disability
So now I am freaking out, not sleeping, I will sleep about 45 minutes, wake up in a panic worried about losing my job, I just feel like I am a mess.
Going to email H.R. tomorrow with the letter from the doctor, state he has extended my leave, but that I don't expect it to last that long (he put end of December) and maybe say I am starting on a new medication, I do not want to lose my job, I am hoping to return, just need more time?

I don't know, any thoughts to ease my panic.  Then I am thinking just go back, but I would hate if I was going to be approved for disability and lost it as I went back.  Also, wouldn't get in to see the doctor to get a release between now and Monday anyway.

Sorry for my rant, no sleep and can't make a rational decision.

[Doxie]

You are getting close!  Don't give up on it yet!

 Now about that doctor, does he still have your records? Did you give his current place of employment to the SSA? If so, they sent him a request, and you can call the doctor/the records department and tell them to fax them in right away. When you call them directly they are usually really good about getting them in. Regardless, wait the week and call SSA again, and see what the status is. Keep on them!

I hope you don't have to see another doctor. Do you have a lot of other doctor records?

The good news . . . The longest part . . . Is about over!  It usually takes a long time because they have to wait for all your records. They have to wait for all the doctors to get back to them.  Once they get all the information in, they have to move on it fast. In fact, once they have everything in, they are under pressure to get things rolling quickly. They like to make decisions fast.  So unless they want you to see a doctor, you could have a decision in a few weeks.

You are so close!  Don't ruin all of your hard work and chances by going back to work and suffering!

How did you do on the other paperwork they had you fill out?  That is really important. They will look at that, especially with Sjogrens.  So don't worry about what your doc said in his notes.  They look at the whole picture.

Hang in their and keep us up to date.  It is just around the corner!

[Autoimmunity]

You are getting close!  Don't give up on it yet!

 Now about that doctor, does he still have your records? Did you give his current place of employment to the SSA? If so, they sent him a request, and you can call the doctor/the records department and tell them to fax them in right away. When you call them directly they are usually really good about getting them in. Regardless, wait the week and call SSA again, and see what the status is. Keep on them!

I hope you don't have to see another doctor. Do you have a lot of other doctor records?

The good news . . . The longest part . . . Is about over!  It usually takes a long time because they have to wait for all your records. They have to wait for all the doctors to get back to them.  Once they get all the information in, they have to move on it fast. In fact, once they have everything in, they are under pressure to get things rolling quickly. They like to make decisions fast.  So unless they want you to see a doctor, you could have a decision in a few weeks.

You are so close!  Don't ruin all of your hard work and chances by going back to work and suffering!

How did you do on the other paperwork they had you fill out?  That is really important. They will look at that, especially with Sjogrens.  So don't worry about what your doc said in his notes.  They look at the whole picture.

Hang in their and keep us up to date.  It is just around the corner!

The medical records they said they were waiting on where from my primary care doctor who retired in December.  I have a bunch of records from my rheumatologist who I see every 1-3 months, records from the neurologist (although everything turned out fine, but the mri he did shows my neck is a mess), got records from my old endocrinologist who diagnosed me with narcolepsy (and thus severe fatigue), so there should be quite a bit of records there.
It's just so stressful!  It's a job that I hate (but it pays very well), and before I left I didn't even care if they fired me, now I am freaking out about losing my job, losing my house (applied for a moretoreum, they told me would take 30 days, has been 45-ish and they are saying 3 more weeks!  They call me and send me threatening letters, I call them back and there is nothing to say as I filled out paperwork, but they want the payments in the meantime.  LITERALLY HAVING A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN! 
I will just notify my work that my leave has been extended and I hope to be back soon and will say something like I hope they hold my job for me.  I don't want to give up on disability yet.  How do people stay sane? 

[slccom]

"My doctor has extended my leave until the end of the year, but I am looking forward to getting back to work long before that. I am trying a new medication and the doctor and I are optimistic. In the meantime, are there any questions that the person doing my job needs to have answered? If so, please feel free to give me a call."  This distracts the employer into thinking about what information they need from you, rather than the fact that your leave has been extended.

If they ask about the new treatment, say "It is so new it is called by some combination of letters and numbers that I can never remember."

Practice saying this or some script, over and over, until it sounds like you believe it. Try really hard to sound optimistic.

Let me know how this goes!

Hugs, Sharon

[grammad97]

I filed online in 2009. I looked up Dr names addresses online in yellow/white pages. There is a release on the form online for all records. Social security gets them for you. I did not have to do it. Best of luck.