Had disability hearing last week....

[roundsgirl]

Hey gang,
I hope this finds all doing well. I had my disability hearing last week and I was wondering how many of you had to go on disability after OHS? Mine is due to the valve failing; as I've posted here before. I had letters from my cardio. surgeon and family doctor; all stating I am totally and permantely disabled, my lawyer said he felt 95% sure we won...but I've been fighting for this for a while, so I'm a little scared to get my hopes up. I've been upset about having to fight this fight in the first place, I mean if your heart is not working nothing else is going to either; sometimes I think they try to wait you out to see if you'll die before they decide your case. It just baffles me, what you have to go through to get the help you need.

Anyone else have any experienced with this?

Hope everyone had a great Easter.

 

[COLLEEN S]

I tried for disability for years on the basis of numerous diagnoses with physicians backing me up. I had an attorney. I did this dance for 7 years and still got denied. They said since I was 40, 41, 42, 43, 44 etc...throughout the years...that I am a person of "younger age" and used that as my denial explanation.

 

[roundsgirl]

Oh no don't tell me that. I'm 41, I also have other issues besides my heart, it is all documented, I'm just praying for a good out come. I don't see how or why they could hold our age against us, it's not as if we asked to have these problems at this age or any age for that fact.

Thanks for taking the time to respond.

 

[roundsgirl]

By the way Colleen how are you doing now?

 

[COLLEEN S]

Im good, considering. I've had OHS twice, aortic aneurysm repair, valve st.judes put in, Fibro, Osteo arthritis in my back in 3 places, plantar fasciitis, migraines, skin concerns (rashes), etc. But I'm here and don't plan on leavin!

 

[roundsgirl]

Good Colleen, I'm glad to hear you are hanging in there and doing alright. I know what you mean about having all those "conditions". I also suffer from migraines, I've got 2 cysts in brain. I also suffer with spinal problems, degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis, facet joint hypertrophy, bulging disk laying on nerve root etc. I have other issues also, I guess we'll wait and see how things go.......

So was the 2nd OHS harder than the first? Right now they are telling me I'm 1/2 a centimeter from being critical with the stenosis and the valve opening area. I'm 1 year and 4 months out from my first surgery.

Once again thanks for your time.

 

[Ross]

I do hope you listed everything that is wrong with you for your attorney to present. It took me nearly 4 years to get approved and to top it all off, it wasn't for my heart or lungs, but my hip! Since then, I've deteriorated to the point that on the last round of recertification, they sent me a notice saying they won't be bothering me again about my condition. I look for that to change now that Obama is increasing efforts to save money in the SSA department. I bet they review everyone again and get rid of some dead weights.

 

[zipper2]

Hey gang,
I hope this finds all doing well. I had my disability hearing last week and I was wondering how many of you had to go on disability after OHS? Mine is due to the valve failing; as I've posted here before. I had letters from my cardio. surgeon and family doctor; all stating I am totally and permantely disabled, my lawyer said he felt 95% sure we won...but I've been fighting for this for a while, so I'm a little scared to get my hopes up. I've been upset about having to fight this fight in the first place, I mean if your heart is not working nothing else is going to either; sometimes I think they try to wait you out to see if you'll die before they decide your case. It just baffles me, what you have to go through to get the help you need.

Anyone else have any experienced with this?

Hope everyone had a great Easter.

Lisa,Oh man do they wanna know which hand is used each bathroom trip
we take
After my check -up in Edmonton with cardio just recently,i cannot return to
any job status and i also applied prior to my surgery in January22nd but they appealed that surgery cus it was Feb and said my future is unforseen and too late to decide,will everything changed at my check-up,the aortic is now leaking and no more surgery's i've gone through enough,i agree with Dr.so he told me to appeal and they'd let them see the future with other problems
accumulating and stress of not returning to work,i took my resignation and key flabs in and they won't accept my resighning....what do i do???they ripped up my resig.and i still have my door keys,but i don't wanna fight like you have had to,and sometimes i get down and just wanna go to work.
I have appealed the surgery medical for reasons now and my cardio has told me if i return to work,then look for another cardio because he says return to any job will end result in my death and no sence wasting his time or mine.

I am in no way,shape or form going to argue for months or years and reappeal their garbage reasons i have no energy for all this,and i will return to work if i need to,cus this just depresses me to no end and have always worked my whole life. Can i do it? i don't know but if they give this runaround
and wait till i die so they don't have to pay me,i don't want their funds.
I think too i'm just sooooo angry and haven't accepted this all in a positive way yet.
So yes i have applied but i don't have any strenght to argue and sit and do paperwork at their convienience for till i die,so to speak.
Don't forget i'm in Canada it doesnot get any easier here either,i don't think it does,never had to deal with all these issues before.
I do wish you all the best outcome in your battle and sending prayers and best wishes your way with all of this lisa
I honestly don't understand the in's and outs of it here,so i don't know how things will work out for me.I figure i should work if i still have time to
I hate listening to Doctors.....but whatever i will follow orders,till i've had enough and see it's going sour and too many appeals....i'm not a patient person to play their games for too long.Unless my cardio wants to pay me to sit home,if not i guess i gotta trade him in like he said.
Honestly lisa it's so depressing for me,i don't care about the cpp i just wanna work and being told you cannot (HURTS) me alot.Thats the part that i don't wanna accept........But what does one do,even if they do appeal again i'm not into what you are going through,but i still can't work.I need to accept it first to go on with my life.HOBBIES,HOBBIES

zipper2 (DEB)

 

[Ross]

I won't be getting disability as I am able to return to work, but I found it odd that I received a letter on saturday from my insurance company that as of the 16th of this month they were cutting off my short term disability payments. I am going back to work anyways but what the heck is that all about? 6 weeks & they decide that unless they received a fully detailed report from the surgeon I was kicked off?

Because the NORMAL return period is no more then 6 weeks. Actually, it's all about $$$$.

 

[Ross]

Lisa,Oh man do they wanna know which hand is used each bathroom trip
we take
After my check -up in Edmonton with cardio just recently,i cannot return to
any job status and i also applied prior to my surgery in January22nd but they appealed that surgery cus it was Feb and said my future is unforseen and too late to decide,will everything changed at my check-up,the aortic is now leaking and no more surgery's i've gone through enough,i agree with Dr.so he told me to appeal and they'd let them see the future with other problems
accumulating and stress of not returning to work,i took my resignation and key flabs in and they won't accept my resighning....what do i do???they ripped up my resig.and i still have my door keys,but i don't wanna fight like you have had to,and sometimes i get down and just wanna go to work.
I have appealed the surgery medical for reasons now and my cardio has told me if i return to work,then look for another cardio because he says return to any job will end result in my death and no sence wasting his time or mine.

I am in no way,shape or form going to argue for months or years and reappeal their garbage reasons i have no energy for all this,and i will return to work if i need to,cus this just depresses me to no end and have always worked my whole life. Can i do it? i don't know but if they give this runaround
and wait till i die so they don't have to pay me,i don't want their funds.
I think too i'm just sooooo angry and haven't accepted this all in a positive way yet.
So yes i have applied but i don't have any strenght to argue and sit and do paperwork at their convienience for till i die,so to speak.
Don't forget i'm in Canada it doesnot get any easier here either,i don't think it does,never had to deal with all these issues before.
I do wish you all the best outcome in your battle and sending prayers and best wishes your way with all of this lisa
I honestly don't understand the in's and outs of it here,so i don't know how things will work out for me.I figure i should work if i still have time to
I hate listening to Doctors.....but whatever i will follow orders,till i've had enough and see it's going sour and too many appeals....i'm not a patient person to play their games for too long.Unless my cardio wants to pay me to sit home,if not i guess i gotta trade him in like he said.
Honestly lisa it's so depressing for me,i don't care about the cpp i just wanna work and being told you cannot (HURTS) me alot.Thats the part that i don't wanna accept........But what does one do,even if they do appeal again i'm not into what you are going through,but i still can't work.I need to accept it first to go on with my life.HOBBIES,HOBBIES

zipper2 (DEB)

Deb, don't you folks up there have an advocacy program? If so, appoint someone to act on your behalf.

 

[zipper2]

Deb, don't you folks up there have an advocacy program? If so, appoint someone to act on your behalf.

yep but i'll see first if they appeal me and then go with
another route.im not sure of the in's and outs of all this
crap,i applied when my ei ran out before surgery like just
to help and course they answered me in Feb. when surgery
was over,and now i appealed do to my issues at check-up
didn't even apply for disability in Sept just for them to take
over to help and it was such bs on their part.
My doc can be my advocacy
I hate this crap,and this is why

zipper2 (DEB)

 

[Bina]

Deb, maybe you are unionized or have a human resources rep at work to help you?

 

[BigOwl]

Sometimes the HR department at your job can make a huge difference, so be sure to stay in touch with them.

So far, I haven't had much trouble, except for delays caused by my cardio's insistence that all information transfers be in writing. But I've been paying through the nose for short-term disability insurance over the last 14 years (since a CABG), and only took off three weeks then. I'll take longer this time, but they're going to review my status in about a month. After that I can return to work part time, and work some of that from home. I won't even have to return to teaching until July, although my bosses have said they have plenty for me to do when I'm ready. To those of you who aren't so lucky you have my sympathy and good wishes for success.

 

[escargome]

I won't be getting disability as I am able to return to work, but I found it odd that I received a letter on saturday from my insurance company that as of the 16th of this month they were cutting off my short term disability payments. I am going back to work anyways but what the heck is that all about? 6 weeks & they decide that unless they received a fully detailed report from the surgeon I was kicked off?

Oh heck yes!. The short term disability from my employer did the same thing. The State of California said I could have 12 weeks. So I calmly without cussing told the nice young woman on the phone, that she would either get approval from her supervisor to extend my disability or I would be seeing them in court. My doctor had been sending them update reports every two weeks so it wasn't like they didn't know.

 

[COLLEEN S]

So was the 2nd OHS harder than the first?

No actually, I kind of knew what to expect and 5 days later I was home. They got me out of bed and I walked 50 ft to my husband the same day (that evening.)

 

[Tbone]

I have had no problem getting SSD, just all the running around and mounds of paperwork. I didn't even need a lawyer saved lots of $$$$$ that way.

I however was going into Afib every other week, seriously low 02 levels 78-86%, and serious previous heart health issues.

I do miss work I mean I did work anywhere from 65- 70 hours a week on average. For one period of time I was worked 126 hour work weeks for four months straight. Funny I fell asleep once while bending over to tie my shoes, and my boss calls up "where the hell are you?". The next week he told his sister to get off her butt & back to work.

I miss work, now I just sit around naming walls.

 

[BigOwl]

Tbone, you could always start an "Adventures in Valve Disease" blog! I'm only half kidding. I mean, eventually you're going to run out of walls to name, and you seem to know a lot of stuff, so hey. Go for it.

 

[Bryan B]

I used short-term disability after my Ross Procedure surgery. I had to use up my company's sick leave before it kicked in and then I got paid 2/3 of my salary for 3 months. But our company also provided long-term disability and it kicked in the day the short-term disability ended. I was on it for another two months until I was cleared to go back to work, at which time my company "laid me off" because they said...and I quote..."needed to fill the (my) position due to business demands". At that point I was healthy enough to work but didn't have a job.

 

[Ross]

I used short-term disability after my Ross Procedure surgery. I had to use up my company's sick leave before it kicked in and then I got paid 2/3 of my salary for 3 months. But our company also provided long-term disability and it kicked in the day the short-term disability ended. I was on it for another two months until I was cleared to go back to work, at which time my company "laid me off" because they said...and I quote..."needed to fill the (my) position due to business demands". At that point I was healthy enough to work but didn't have a job.

Bryan I went through that exact same scenario 3 times with the same employer. I was a store manager, got demoted to sales clerk, back to assist manager, back to sales clerk, back to manager, then permanent disability. Talk about major aggravation! Oh yeah, I was laid off in between until a position was open also.

 

[john79t]

I am in the same boat with Ross. I am already on disability because of my hip. Disability for a bad hip but not a bad heart what sense does that make? There are certain conditions that automatically make you elligible. I no longer have the link but if you keep digging on the internet you will find that list. If you have a condition on the list make sure it gets included with you claim. Mine was granted at the ealiest date 6 months from disability. I had military retirement but had to ask what is someone with no income suppose to do for 6 month? Another thing is the insurance. After you are drawing money for 2 years (not 2 years from date of disabilty) so it is really 2 years and 6 month) you become elligible for medicare part A and B. I had tri care and the VA but what about folks who can no longer work? So if you are disabled you have to go with no income for 6 month and no insurance for 2 and a half years. Do you think the politicians of either party really care about us?