apply for disability

Because of my recent ECT, I can’t remember what, if anything, has happened since my last post seven weeks ago. I do remember having to fill out another SSDI Evaluation, which I never did. Then I was supposed to see one of their doctors again, though that could have been for SSI. It just so happened that I was having inpatient ECT at the time, so they decided that I didn’t need to see their doctor after all. Go figure.

I found out yesterday that I’ve been approved for SSDI! I applied in frickin’ December! Nor did I have to see their doctors. Guess I’m pretty disabled, eh?

My monthly payment will be about $1k, which will cover the rent with some change left over. I’ll get a year of backpay, which amounts to five figures. They’re going to direct deposit it when they deposit my first check; they pay out on the third Wednesday of each month and are a month behind. So my March check will be deposited in April.

I talked to my adjudicator in Springfield, and she said I can toss that SSDI Evaluation! Sweet.

The local SSA office wanted me to come in so they could process my SSI claim, which I don’t qualify for because Brian makes way too much at his new job. Still, they wanted to make sure that they didn’t owe me any money so I stopped by yesterday with the paperwork. I didn’t even have to take a number; the guard took my documents to the…counselor? But when I had questions he couldn’t answer, she was nice enough to see me at her window and explain everything.

This is such a relief! And of course I’m going on a shopping spree! We’ll finally be able to get wedding rings. The ones I want are super expensive, but we never had a wedding, so we deserve it! I only wish we could get them in time for our anniversary, but better late than never!

The SSA sent forms to both Brian and me to fill out. WTF? Luckily, my case manager mostly filled out mine for me and had me do the rest. It wasn’t as bad as I thought, and then he faxed them where they needed to go, so they’d get there faster.

Still waiting…

Listen to the audiopost here.

Which is probably good. My case manager got me an appointment for next Wednesday, so we’ll be going down to the SSA office then.

While meeting with my case manager today, he was on hold for an hour with the SSA office trying to get me an appointment. He gave up, and we decided to crash the place the week after next, even if it means having to sit there for four hours waiting to be seen. I just want to get this shit going.

I finally managed to make myself call my past employers to track down my employment history for the past 15, that’s right, 15 years in order to complete the SSDI form. This isn’t easy when the longest job you’ve ever had was for three years, but also because when I was last able to work, I was an adjunct professor, which meant that I had to teach at whatever school had openings available.

Met with my case manager yesterday, but he said he didn’t want to call the SSA office for an appointment yet because it was the end/first of the month and they’d be too busy. Anyway, he said he’ll be meeting with one of the workers next week or so and will try to sneak in an appointment for me.

the SSA wants a list of all of the hospitalizations related to the disability. yeah, like i could keep up with all of that.

i have the approximate dates of both my inpatient and outpatient hospitalizations from the past three years, but my CM had an even better solution. he had some paperwork that he simply addressed to the records departments of the various hospitals to which i’ve been admitted requesting the dates, and all i had to do was sign each sheet. very nice.

now i have to try to figure out all of the jobs i’ve held in the past 15 years. that, i think, will prove to be a lot tougher, especially since i had all kinds of different jobs at DePaul while i was still there for undergrad. but at least this process is finally happening!

now that i have a case manager (CM) at the Social Services Agency, he is helping me apply for SSDI. i know that i should have began this process three years ago when i first became disabled because we are in dire financial straits right now, and it’s not like i can go out and get a job.

currently, i’m compiling the items and documents that i will need that are on this checklist my CM gave me. when i meet with him next week, i promised to have written down all of the doctors, therapists, hospitals, etc. that i’ve seen/been in.

i called her at her office. she said she’d look in the bank to see if my birth certificate is there. she also said that she will help me fill out all of the required paperwork.

part me wants to say, “yes! woohoo!!!” but then there’s another part of me that knows how my mom is. nothing’s ever “free” with her. she’s like the Godfather, seriously: “Someday – and that day may never come – I’ll call upon you to do a service for me. But until that day, accept this … gift …” (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0068646/quotes – accessed 11/30/05)

so i guess i’ll accept it and see what happens.

already. one of the pieces of paper the SSA wants you to supply is an original birth certificate or at least an official copy from the office. if i were born in Cook County, this would not be a problem.

unfortunately, i was born in Quezon City, Philippines, and according to my dad, it isn’t so easy to obtain government documents from there. wonderful. further, he insists that my mom has a copy in a safety deposit box and that i should call her for it. for some reason, i don’t believe she has this because she may have given it to me in the past and-duh-i lost it. second, i haven’t spoken to her in nearly 2 years, and i’m just not ready to.

on the other hand, i’m tired of brooding and brooding about the things that need to be done. it’s time to take some action if this ball is ever going to get rolling.

well, i just tried her on her cell phone and got no answer. my sister said that she gets poor reception in her unit and she doesn’t have a land line set up yet. we agreed that i should just call her at work tomorrow, so that’s what i’ll do.