Won Social Security!

    • Anonymous
      July 3, 2011 at 1:23 pm

      Dear GBS Family,

      I finally get to report something good – that I was awarded social security. I go to their offices Wednesday and will find out the details as trying to read their legal papers is impossible. I did astatement that said “considering the claimants age, education, work experience, and residual functional capacity, there are no jobs that exist in significant numbers in the national economy that the claimant can perform.” I already was doing sedentary work.

      I filed and appealed on my own on the internet. Then I hired a lawyer which did definetly help. I called her a couple of weeks ago and told her I was getting worse from the stress and trying to work part time, and I was about to be homeless which was true at the time. So she wrote a letter to SS requesting expedition of my case and I got the letters Friday and Saturday.

      This all seems so surreal at the moment because my only brother has been fighting for his life the past two weeks starting with an aorta dissection – something most people die from before they get to the hospital. Since the situation with my brother came up, I didn’t have to move (to where and how I had no idea what to do).

      Please pray for my brother, Mike or Mikey as I call him. One big complication has been that we did not know he was an alcoholic and went through dt’s real bad.

      And now that I am in a more positive state of mind with my own health, I will be checking this forum much more often to help others. You all have been there for me for many years and I thank you so very much!

      God Bless us all and America!!!

    • Anonymous
      July 3, 2011 at 5:57 pm

      Congratulations, that is wonderful news, and on a holiday weekend to boot. It must be a load off your mind that you will have those benefits coming no matter what else happens. We all know how stress affects us, and with this one big stressor resolved, I’ll bet you will feel a lot better. I’ll say a prayer for your brother. Enjoy this victory.:D

    • Anonymous
      July 3, 2011 at 6:41 pm

      Every time one of us gets some rights or compensation for the damage done to us, I raise my glass of Welch’s… and then drop it if I’m not really careful.

    • Anonymous
      July 4, 2011 at 12:41 am

      Congratulations Crissy!! That is so great. I have been on here a number of years, ( 7 actually). and i have read a lot of your posts, and saw the pain and frustration you have been thru. I really didnt think you would get anything from SS, but now look………………I am soooo happy for you. You can smile again. and it is a very pretty smile from your picture. :):)
      Anyway, oh yes, we will have your brother in our prayers for sure. Good Grief that sounds like an awful affliction………..dissected aorta……….omg!!!

      Again, so happy to hear that news on SS benefits………hurrayyy!!

      Per

    • Anonymous
      July 4, 2011 at 4:39 am

      Chrissy – I couldn’t be more thrilled for you ๐Ÿ˜€ You were a persistent sufferer! I have always admired you as you “hung in there”! I hope that life can settle down now and that you will be able to take time to enjoy what is important to you! I’ll remember you and your brother in my prayer thoughts. with big cyber hugs of congrats to you ๐Ÿ™‚ Judi

    • July 4, 2011 at 6:35 am

      right on Chrissy, this rocks!

    • Anonymous
      July 4, 2011 at 12:40 pm

      Congratulations – I’m glad to see the system actually works even if takes forever for those who really need it.

    • Anonymous
      July 4, 2011 at 5:33 pm

      That big wind you just felt was me exhaling! (gulp, deep breath):D
      With this matter at long last put to rest, you have another battle to win helping your brother. I am praying for you both.

    • Anonymous
      July 5, 2011 at 1:06 am

      What good news about the SS! Sorry to hear about Mikey and the aortic dissection. I have a friend whose two sons both had aortic dissections and lived. I understand there is often a genetic component–might be worth discussing with your doctor. My friend’s second son had testing done and they found it due to the first one having one unexpectedly. Prayers being said for Mikey.
      Laurel

    • Anonymous
      July 5, 2011 at 8:28 am

      Chrissy,
      Finally! That’s great.
      You never gave up.
      Prayers for your brother.
      Shirley

    • Anonymous
      July 6, 2011 at 2:43 pm

      Thank you for for my congrats!

      And most importantly thank you for your prayers for my brother Mikey. They put in a pace maker yesterday but cannot tell what kind of condition is heart is in because of the danger of another tear in the aorta. And now it seems he is often in another reality – we are hoping this is just side effects of all the different meds he has had the past two weeks. He’s not out of the woods yet…

      I’m off now to the social security office to figure out how much back pay I get and when. I’ve got questions about Medicare, etc. So if any of you have been through this before, could you please share some knowledge?

      I don’t know about the rest of the country, but here in Oklahoma we are going through many days of +100 degrees. Alma – thanks for the wind but it was hot *LOL*

    • July 6, 2011 at 7:29 pm

      I hope your brother will be alright Chrissy.

      Dont let the bastards drag you down and get everything and more

      best to you

    • Anonymous
      July 7, 2011 at 12:19 pm

      Yesterday was rather anti-climatic as it was only for SSI which will pay me until I get the disability payment and back pay. And it looks like I will be getting SSI back pay which the lawyer gets a part of also. I was told I will be getting letters in the mail. More waiting but nothing like I’ve been going through.

      After getting out in this heat and get to the SS office, I am pooped today and get to rest like I am supposed to be doing! Finally…

      We all gotta keep the faith!

    • Anonymous
      July 7, 2011 at 5:05 pm

      Chrissy,
      Your good news with SSI was a breath of fresh air. I see so many healthy, young people who are milking the system while deserving people struggle to get some benefits. It was discouraging. But nice people do win sometimes. Thanks for giving me faith in the system. Sometimes it is the state that you live in that determines how easy it is to get SSI. Florida was really difficult for a friend until he got a lawyer; yet Pennsylvania was a piece of cake for a former student of mine. She has fibromyalgia and got it as soon as she signed up. She does not realize how difficult it can be. He had a massive heart attack and she was 20 years younger with some pain. So I am happy that you were able to get it.

    • Anonymous
      August 13, 2011 at 2:53 pm

      Woo Hoo!!! Just got a nice back pay lump sum from SSDI ๐Ÿ˜€ And got my United Healthcare membership card. With this insurance I get a free membership at the YMCA which has a pool. So much stress falling off my shoulders – the only I could do when I saw the $ in my bank was to vacuum the house. I’m sore as heck, but had to do something constructive with this brief surge of energy.

      I’m a happy camper today! And my brother is coming along fairly well. He ended up moving in with me so we are splitting the rent/bills. Not sure if he wants to keep living here (or I will move out myself) but so far we get along great – he’s the oldest and I’m the youngest.

      Thank You God for all these blessings in my life today!

    • August 13, 2011 at 8:56 pm

      Hey Chrissy that’s sweet!

    • Anonymous
      August 14, 2011 at 12:33 pm

      You first wrote that you got SSI. Then you wrote you got SSDI. Were you awarded both?

      [I][COLOR=”Green”]Supplemental Security Income Home Page

      What is Supplemental Security Income?

      Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a Federal income supplement program funded by general tax revenues (not Social Security taxes):

      It is designed to help aged, blind, and disabled people, who have little or no income; and

      It provides cash to meet basic needs for food, clothing, and shelter.[/COLOR][/I]

      and/or this? (SSDI)-

      [I][COLOR=”Red”]How You Qualify for Social Security Disability Benefits

      To qualify for benefits, you must first have worked in jobs covered by Social Security. Then you must have a medical condition that meets Social Security’s definition of disability. In general, we pay monthly cash benefits to people who are unable to work for a year or more because of a disability. [/COLOR][/I]

      If you receive SSDI, then Medicare will follow and you must determine which is the ‘Primary Coverage’, Medicare or United Healthcare. Yes, it matters and it’s a big deal.

    • Anonymous
      August 24, 2011 at 1:51 pm

      Sorry for the delay in my responding yuehan. It is all confusing but I was approved for SSI and SSDI. I received some monies from SSI then a larger sum from SSDI and since my disability date was Oct. 2008, I automatically got Medicare. I signed up with AARP’s United Healthcare with that being effective August 1st. I also appear to have qualified for Medicare’s help with prescription program since my income is low so my drugs should only cost about $1.

      I just got today a monthly payment for June and July minus the Medicare cost for 2 months. Then I will get my regular monthly payment on the 3rd of September minus United Healthcare premium.

      I met with a rep for United Healthcare and she has checked to make sure I am in the program correctly. I have always taken care of my benefits from employers so I felt I knew what was going on, but Medicare stuff is very confusing. Thank you for your concern!!!

      Off to the YMCA for a “splash/arthritis” class today with senior people. I know I will be the youngest there (I’m 53) but some of them can probably do much better than me! Even got my water shoes as I’m sure walking in the pool will feel like broken glass. I’m so looking forward to hitting the water ๐Ÿ˜€

    • Anonymous
      August 24, 2011 at 3:27 pm

      Chrissy,

      I’m so happy for you! It was a long hard road, but you stayed on it….broken glass and all. ๐Ÿ˜€ I’m glad your brother is doing better and it’s good that you have each other. Trust me, it’s a blessing.

      Take care and stay strong!

    • Anonymous
      August 31, 2011 at 1:16 am

      I will keep you both in my prayers. There just has to be better days ahead for you.
      Sorry for late responce to you, and all my other good friends here, but have not been on here much this year.

      God bless,
      Drummer
      GBS 1988