Received a note from Disability following their exam with a liscenced Psychologist. My letter read something to the effect... "Anyone with an IQ this high, is absolutely Not mentally disabled.." While I appreciate the backhand compliment; just give me my f.ing money fools! nothing will say crazy like 'packing' On my next interview! Sigh.No disability. No job. No allimony No peace, no sex... Certainly, this is Hell?
cheers, its 5:00 somewhere,
Nikki
Hi Nikki,
I would go to someone else or appeal the nutcase psychologist's report.......... Yeah, you are SMART and have a high IQ, but if you have trouble functioning normally (whatever that means)due to your AVM, you SHOULD qualify for disability.
I'm not sure who's jurisdiction the disability falls under, but if you have any contact with a state or federal congressional person, I would go visit with that person. Your mission, if you have someone who will go to bat for you, is to have "the congressman" become involved in your case. No, he can't automatically approve it, but it will be harder for these nutsos to disapprove you.
A long time ago, my Mom was on my Dad's medical plan. My dad had been in the hospital a lot the last year of his life. A few months after Dad died, Mom received a form letter from BC/BS saying they had paid Dad's medical bills for the past year in error, and Mom was supposed to write a personal check for $88,000+ and return it to BC/BS. Now at the time, she was making about $10K a year, and she knew Dad's bills should have been covered.
Rather than talk with BC/BS, she drove to the next town, where then congressman Dan Glickman had an office. Mom knew a boy named Scott, who worked out of that office for Glickman. Mom had been a high school cook and Scott was one of the students years earlier. She explained the story to Scott. Scott said not to worry and he'd take care of it.
A few days later, Mom received a copy of a letter "the Congressman" (Really, Scott drafted it, signed it, etc, so the congressman never saw it). It said BC/BS was in error, the bills were paid appropriately, yada, yada. It's last line was something like "If you need further correspondence/information with Mr.s R____, please contact her via my office." BC/BS never wrote back.
Politicians love to do things for their constituents to buy votes. Try to work it.
Best wishes!
Ron, KS
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I fought this for a year and a half. Been to "smart", not depressed enough, not in enough pain, and been labled that my Avm is just cosmetic as well. I gave up fighting sadly because I was getting too stressed.
Hi Nikki. No alimony?? That is ridulous. After 20 years of marriage…and how many kids?? Shame on him!
Nikki,
I suggest that you contact your federal congressman's office. They will help you with getting your disability. You need to tell them your whole story and the problems you are having with Social Security. If are unable to do work of any kind for at least a year you will qualify. The congressman's office will have someone who helps constituents with problems like this. They have contacts at Social Security who actually will be interested in trying to help you.
Brittany
I don't know how it is every where but here in my part of Texas if you are applying for a mental disability you can get help applying through MHMR. I believe it's free too.
Nicole, I agree with Ninbeth. You should talk to an attorney that specializes in SSD claims. The psychologist that SS sent me to told me that I had the IQ of a "retarded" (hate that word!) teenager. I was horrified! Even with that I was denied twice before I hired a lawyer. It took me over 2 years, but I was finally approved. By law, the attorney cannot collect money unless they win your case. Even then there is a limit on how much they can collect. It may vary by state but I think it's 5K, maybe? Keep in mind also that once you are awarded benefits it's backdated to the date of your disability, which for me was easy, it was the date of my bleed. Don't give up! Remember, this is your money you are fighting for! You paid in to the system for a long time so that it could help you when you needed it.
Nikki...I would definately contact both an SSD lawyer and a politician, as others have said. It is so frustrating that those of us who have gone through having a brain injury because of our AVM's and then have to fight the system this hard! Hang in there, don't give up!
You have to of been disabled for 5 consecutive months before they will even consider your claim. And if you qualify for disability it will be SSI that pays your backpay, not SDI, so don't try doing your math with the numbers SDI gives you because SSI is going to be different. I was told if I was denied DO NOT REAPPLY, JUST APPEAL. If you appeal, the backpay will continue to add up but if you reapply, the whole process begins over again and you lose all the backpay (and claim progress). For whatever reason, they put my kids on SSI....I'm not allowed to spend their money unless it's on clothes for them or anything that "improves their quality of life" It's so confusing! They said I have to put what I don't spend of their money into an interest building account[?] I have no idea what that means so every month I buy them 50 bucks of clothes diapers and stuff like shampoo LOL. A savings account would mess up the government programs I'm on....they make this stuff complicated on purpose, I swear. Do you have physical disabilities?
It also helps if you have someone representing you like through medicaid or MHMR. I had medicaid at the time of my stroke because I was pregnant so they offered a free rep, she stayed on top of everything, said she called the guy every 2weeks to keep updated and to make sure he was working on my case every chance possible. I got my SDI in less than 9 months....I was told it would take no less than 2 years. I don't know what mental disabilities you are trying to claim but seriously MHMR can help with the rep. Also, your IQ has nothing to do with motion sickness or vertigo or agoraphobia or the ability or lack-there-of to focus on one task or another. I'd totally get a lawyer for this. If an obese person can get disability, TANF, and foodstamps.......#justsaying
Hang in there Nicole. Ron said it best when he advised "using" a politician. I did and it worked for me. Funny how that happened. Whatever works, right? Best of luck always. :J
In Texas there is no alimony...just child support. Go figure. :J