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Jay, Joan, et al.. The Social Security Administration wouldn't RECOGNIZE the "real situation" if they tripped over it! <HUMPH!> Barb Mallut <speaking from YEARS of experience) <groan> [log in to unmask] -----Original Message----- From: Jay A. Henkelman <[log in to unmask]> To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]> Date: Saturday, February 06, 1999 6:00 AM Subject: Re: Social Security Review >Hi Joan, > >The process that you have described is the "norm" for all SSDI recipients. >For PWP that are experiencing intermediate to advanced symtoms and/or >complications that are debilitating and thus "disabling" as per SS >guidelines, whether it be an "on or off" situation, I strongly suggest the >following: If SS requests that you see one of "their physicians" for an >evaluation to determine continuing SSDI eligibility, and you have the common >"on and off" scenario or worse, whatever you do, DON'T dance in for your >appointment "ON"!!! Be honest, show the real picture!!! > >Jay Henkelman >49/39/30 > >-----Original Message----- >From: Stan or Joan Snyder <[log in to unmask]> >To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]> >Date: Friday, February 05, 1999 11:00 PM >Subject: Social Security Review > > >>Hello to all: On new year eve, I received notice that, despite my long & >>desperate battle to finally receive SS disability just 4 years ago, my >>claim was up for review. Since then, I have been on that emotional >>roller coaster that can only be called terrifying; me against a huge >>governmental agency. The first thing that I did was to call the case >>worker assigned to my case. She assured me that this was just procedure >>& that all cases were going to be reviewed. With somewhat a bit more >>confidence, I asked my sister fill in the papers for me as she is the >>head of employee benefits at a large accounting firm & had my husband >>deliver them to the local office. At the scheduled time, my local >>caseworker called me to tell me that everything was in order. She said >>that she had never seen a form so fully documented and filled in quite >>so well.She also said that she could see no reason for me to worry-it >>was obvious that SS Disability was designed for someone like me. She >>would send my forms to the state where they would be reviewed & that a >>decision would be made in 6 months time & she was sure that this was >>just a formality & that I need not worry. Feeling somewhat at ease, I >>kinda put it on the back burner & got on with my life. Then on Jan. 27, >>came a big brown envelope from the Dept. of Human >>Services: Office of Rehab Services, Disability Determinations and I >>thought WOW, we filled in those forms so well that they were able to >>make a quick judgment. WRONG! inside was another stack of forms with a >>cover letter stating that they were deciding my disability claim & >>needed to know how my condition makes it difficult for me to carry out >>day-to-day activities. All this, now, when just several years ago, I was >>forced to hire a lawyer & ultimately had to go before a judge who said >>that my case should have never gotten that far! Anyhow, this set of >>questions seems to me to contain some "weird-er" questions than usual. >>Some of them are: (under general information) Do you have trouble >>concentrating or thinking? If so, give examples. & Do you hear >>voices/see people who are not around? If so, do they interfere w/ your >>activities? If so, describe. (under a section called Getting along w/ >>People) Do you enjoy people and like to be with others? Do you feel >>afraid of people? >>Now, I feel as if I'm walking through quicksand-I have answered these >>questions to the best of my ability but I'm afraid of the consequences: >>if I enjoy people & like to be with others am I a social butterfly >>looking for someone to pay my way or am I just a PWP with lots of >>friends who come over to bring dinner for my family, take me out for >>awhile (I have practically given up all driving!) & must sit & listen to >>my horribly slow & soft voice & remember how much fun I used to be? Can >>I tell them that I don't fear people but am becoming more & more >>paranoid that "Big Brother" is watching? Can I make them understand how >>I woke up 1 am to be able to type this & won't be able to sleep again >>until the pills kick in to make it quit hurting enough so that I can >>finally quit shaking? Can they read this on the www and say that I'm >>functional enough to write this, so I should be able to hold down a >>full-time job without knowing how long it has taken me to get this out. >>I realize that there are abuses in the system that they are trying to >>fix, but I have to tell you-this is one rollercoaster ride that I wish >>would finally end! >>-- >>Joan E. Snyder (47-8-10) <[log in to unmask]> >>"In the depths of winter I finally learned there >>was in me an invincible summer" Albert Camus >>http://www.newcountry.nu/pd/members/snyder/page1.htm >