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Post by Scrubb on Jan 10, 2019 5:20:51 GMT 2
Oh, that is just freaking unbelievable. WTF???!!! How does one feed a machine when one cannot see? Do they offer some kind of vocational training program to assist people who they insist are able to work, to learn how to do some of the jobs they think you can do??? HOnestly, this is just unbelievable.
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Post by kuskiwi on Jan 10, 2019 6:12:42 GMT 2
Agree with Scrubb and hope that someone with some brains gets onto your case and sorts it out fast.
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Post by slowcoach on Jan 10, 2019 8:12:31 GMT 2
That's very harsh.
Sadly, it is the coming fashion, the modern way. So wherever you are, expected it to come to you too.
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Post by shrjeff on Jan 10, 2019 8:53:18 GMT 2
sadly slow is correct... and even in clear cases of catastrophic illness there are many who die before they are found eligible
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Post by trentt on Jan 10, 2019 15:27:50 GMT 2
Statutory definition of legal blindness is vision at 20-200 or worse.
I'm most worried about lack of health insurance, and what will happen to the mandate for coverage of pre-existing conditions if those in DC have their way. If that mandate is reversed, then I can never afford treatment for the hypertension OR the Fuchs Corneal Dystrophy.
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Post by sophie on Jan 10, 2019 17:50:51 GMT 2
No words, trent. Just awful how a first world country treats its citizens when they become ill or disabled.
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Post by auntieannie on Jan 10, 2019 21:11:09 GMT 2
Trent, a small thing and I might have mentioned it, but make sure you don't consume liquorice as it works like cortisone and its effect is cumulative.
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Post by auntieannie on Jan 10, 2019 21:49:47 GMT 2
trentt have you heard of cardiac coherence breathing? 5 minutes breathing exercises to practice 2-3 times a day. lots of free videos online. proper science has proved that meditation CAN really lower blood pressure. With lots of love.
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Post by trentt on Jan 10, 2019 21:52:25 GMT 2
I can't think of the last time I ate licorice. I'm not much into sweets, but I'll remember your advice.
No vocational training ... finding work would be up to me, which is a challenge since I often cannot see well enough to read job listings or fill out applications. I haven't heard from my advocates yet, so I don't even know if we'll pursue the next stage of appeals, or if they want to cut their losses.
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Post by trentt on Jan 11, 2019 3:48:38 GMT 2
I spoke to the advocates today, who just received the judge's decision. Their legal team will review it to see if the judge made any errors. This will take 2 - 4 weeks. Then they'll let me know their recommended course of action: advance to the Appeals Council, file a new claim (to which I'd say NO WAY), or accept the decision and drop the claim altogether.
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Post by Scrubb on Jan 11, 2019 5:33:54 GMT 2
I will have all my fingers and toes crossed that they find an error, or advise the advance to the Appeals Council. I can believe how frustrated you must be and how hard it is to keep going through this process, but it really has to be pursued to its full extent, I think. I'm glad you have advocates and I hope they are working their hardest for you.
I simply don't understand how they can expect someone who cannot see a significant portion of the time, to just go out and find work. I mean, of course there are some jobs that blind people can do, but they require training and support.
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Post by shrjeff on Jan 11, 2019 7:49:49 GMT 2
trentt... hoping that you do appeal... imo ssa is acting like a private insurance company: deny the claim at first request and then accept it on appeal... also, if you haven't, be in touch with your congressperson... they all apparently have staff who advocate with ssa and keep ssa honest!!! and it is important that congress knows how shitty ssa is being...
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Post by lumi on Jan 11, 2019 8:28:54 GMT 2
Jeff makes a good point. We have a really good health insurance policy with unlimited coverage is almost all areas yet they constantly deny claims for medication prescribed by a doctor stating that it either isn't covered (untrue) or wasn't necessary (assuming they know better than the doctor with the medical degree who prescribed it). We have to go back and say they should cover it and usually they then do. Sometimes they don't and say (again) that it isn't covered under our policy yet the same medication was covered previously on first claim so they obviously have no idea what they are doing.
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Post by kuskiwi on Jan 11, 2019 8:56:54 GMT 2
Fight and keep fighting. I assume you have a Foundation for the Blind where you are. They gave my mother so much assistance and while nothing helped bring back what was lost it gave her coping mechanisims to manger her lifestyle and they fought using their knowledge of the systems to overcome all the obstacles that government agencies put in her way.
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Post by Voy on Jan 11, 2019 15:24:08 GMT 2
Kuski raises a good point, I don't know how old you are, but every county that I know of has an "Office of the Aging" - they might be of help? ( they sure were great with my mother's insurance issues when she moved from Calif to live with me.
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Post by Netsuke on Jan 12, 2019 4:40:43 GMT 2
Having a family member who has X linked retinoschisis, I can understand what you going through and how demoralising those piddling little pen-pushers so full of their own importance can make people feel.
The only thing you can do is fight them and keep on fighting them. Never give up, keep on niggling away at them. Good luck in this and future battles.
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Post by Ethel Mertz on Jan 12, 2019 8:57:54 GMT 2
Trent, I can empathize with the frustrations you're going thru with the govt. My son is a traumatic brain survivor and we're going up against the govt for the 3d time. They told him he could find some kind of job, "maybe in a factory". Each time he's had letters from 6 or 7 doctors saying he can't work. The doctors all say this is the new norm. They keep turning you down in hopes you'll give up. Vashtards!
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Post by OnlyMark on Jan 12, 2019 15:15:04 GMT 2
It's took us fifteen years to get our son registered as partially disabled. We never gave up.
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Post by tzarine on Jan 12, 2019 22:26:02 GMT 2
trentt
keep fighting.
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Post by auntieannie on Jan 13, 2019 13:08:41 GMT 2
Sending you strength to fight, Trent! You're not losing your online friends.
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Post by rikita on Jan 15, 2019 3:29:52 GMT 2
thinking of you, trentt ...
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Post by trentt on Jan 16, 2019 15:46:33 GMT 2
Thanks for the advice, good wishes, commiseration, and kind words. I don't really have any hope or optimism left, but neither despair (which was a prominent feeling early on in this process) or desperation.
I'm trying to formulate a Plan C, some way to survive on my small pension income, without health insurance or health care, for 3 years and 4 months, when I can take early Social Security and maybe afford some bare-bones health plan and get treatment. My income is small, but I'm "too rich" for the free public health programs offered in the US.
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Post by trentt on Jan 16, 2019 15:47:44 GMT 2
"Plan character" = "Plan [letter before D in the alphabet]"
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Post by auntieannie on Jan 16, 2019 22:59:07 GMT 2
Ha, this seems to be a problem in many countries. This being that the powers that be seemingly want you in the street before they will lift a finger.
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Post by trentt on Jan 17, 2019 2:08:05 GMT 2
In USA, the government doesn't really offer much help to homeless people. That's mainly up to charities.
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Post by auntieannie on Jan 19, 2019 21:59:13 GMT 2
So they just never lift a finger? that's appalling.
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Post by Netsuke on Jan 21, 2019 8:49:10 GMT 2
Some suburban areas have their name on the "bad" list and are known for having a homeless problem with people making the place look untidy. And annoying the local good God fearing people and tourists.
Government Solution? Have a police blitz, round up all the miscreants to and move them on. Ahh the "people" aka big wigs and locals alike can breathe a sigh of relief! The problem has been solved.
Result? The homeless population have moved suburbs and become another local council's problem.
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Post by tzarine on Jan 22, 2019 18:33:41 GMT 2
the homelessness was really bad when we were in san francisco last year. so many of the people were clearly mentally ill. the government needs to do something. read about an adjunct professor who was living in his car. the tech companies are really a part of the problem, pricing people out of their homes.
trentt, isn't there a senior center that might have an advocate that could help you on your case?
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Post by trentt on Jan 24, 2019 0:09:46 GMT 2
I'm not a senior yet so there's something left in this world that I'm "not old enough" for. I've got a disability advocate firm who supposedly knows all the judicial and legal maneuverings necessary, who employs attorneys and specialists to help out regular people who can't navigate the system on their own. They took my case on the basis of 25% of the settlement if it ever materializes, so they get $0 for their efforts if it doesn't pan out. I'm still waiting to hear from them on this latest denial.
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Post by tzarine on Jan 24, 2019 3:07:04 GMT 2
suerte, trentt
let's hope the firm does right for you
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