Well, if you saw the special CBS did on disability the other night you are probably calling your shrink for an immediate appointment.  I know I feel like doing the same after hearing that over 16,000 people died last year alone waiting for a decision on their disability case.  The report also said that 2/3 of all cases are denied the first time and that on average it took three years to get your appeal heard before a judge.  I don't know about you but I really feel optimistic  about my chances now!!!!  Actually, I feel like crawling into a corner, assuming the fetal position and giving up.  Sorry I cannot be more cheery and flowery but hey, this is not good news for our team!

I wonder how many of those 16,000 deaths while waiting were suicides.

It is very difficult to be optimistic when you hear stories like this on the news, knowing that your case is among those statistics somewhere and desperately needing more encouraging news.   It makes you want to scream but I can tell you several examples of why the system is so broken down...

For the past several weeks I have been writing that my case is in Austin with DDS for a decision.  Well, the other day I got a call from a rep from SSA, Chad Jenkins who said they were about to deny my case for lack of information.  It seems that they hadsent requests to my doctors and had been waiting for 25 days for information requested from the docs, but none of then had responded.  NONE.  Not olny that but he also told me the local SSA office rep had decided that Allsup, the co representing me, were not elligible to do so and that due to that declaration, the DDS had not contacted Allsup regarding my case, so it was like I had NO REPRESENTATION all of this time!  I literally saw RED!  I called both of my treating physicians to rip them a new ass but got recordings and was only able to leave a msg.  That was three days ago and I still haven't heard from my neurologist.  I ripped Allsup, telling them that if that is the best they can do for me they were fired; I just couldn't believe that they were not aware that DDS had been waiting for 25 days for dr. records and had done nothing abt it!  Between the CBS report on the news and my communications with Allsup and the SSA I have little confidence that my case will be approved.  It is very disheartening.

My mother died while waiting for her 5 year long case to be approved, then three months after they died they approved her case.  I won't be so lucky...I'll just end up homeless, living in some shelter in downtown Dallas or be forced to move in with family members back in NC.  People wonder why I am so anti-establishment.  THIS kind of crap is why.

As for my fibro...well, I haven't taken the Lyrica in over a week and some of the weight is already dropping off.  I can't tell that I am not taking it, just as I couldn't tell that I was...no change in the pain, stiffness, etc.  I do have several new things happening that haven't been problems before.  My heels are sore and when I walk they do not want to bend with the rest of my foot, giving me a flat-footed gait.  My memory has worsended and I am having difficulty remembering to take my meds and forgetting when or if I have taken them.  I guess I am going to have to start a journal to track them.  I now have such a difficult time concentrating that anything that is complicated is overwhelming to me and so alot of things that I need to do just don't get done.  For example...I need to contact the insurance co to get info about finding a psychiatrist to see and since I am going to have to first find the insurance paperwork...it's just too overwhelming.

Well, I guess I have spread enough sunshine for today.  Please pray for me and for my case to be approved.  If you have fibro, keep up the good fight!

Tammy Elaine