I’ll admit it – as of yesterday afternoon, I had not applied to Social Security for M’s disability benefits.
I know, I know. It’s something I should have done WEEKS ago. I don’t know what I’ve been waiting on. An invitation? It’s just that there have been more important things to do every evening – like new episodes of Chicago PD on Hulu!
But someone mentioned it yesterday and I had to admit I hadn’t done it, so that was my wake up call and my goal for last night – GET IT DONE!
O. M. G. y’all. Now I know why I had been putting it off. It wasn’t that the questions were so hard . . . it’s just that they wanted to know EVERYTHING!
What was the date of the first visit with the neurologist? I don’t know. I could probably dig through EOB statements from insurance and try to figure it out, but watch THAT statement be the only one that’s missing.
What prescriptions are M taking? Well, that’s easy. Let me traipse upstairs, get the bottles, make sure I spell all these 25-letter medication names correctly, then take the bottles back upstairs. At least I’m getting my steps in, right?
What are the routing and transit numbers for my bank – so the benefits can be direct deposited? (Notice how they hold that little carrot out there?) Another easy one, but let me go get my check book, make sure I get those numbers right, then go put my check book back (instead of leaving it sitting there and not having it if/when I need it).
In what city was M born? Well, I know that . . . but then suddenly I wasn’t sure. I know he was born in one town and then lived in another in Pennsylvania before his family moved to New Jersey when he was six. I had to wait until he got out of the shower to confirm which was which.
Then, I had to answer questions about his last job. I needed M to answer those questions, such as did you have to lift objects? How much did they weigh? Did you have to walk as a part of your job? How far did you have to walk? He did fine with the yes or no questions – yes, I had to walk; yes, I had to left heavy objects. But when it came time to say how far he walked or how heavy the objects were, he couldn’t do it.
And he just got more and more frustrated.
It wouldn’t have been so bad, but I kept getting warning messages from the computer, saying that the page was going to time out and kick me off the site if I didn’t complete that page within the next five minutes. So, I’m trying to help him – was it 20 feet, 200 feet, 2,000 feet . . . give me an idea.
That only caused more frustration.
We finally got through it – but there weren’t any laughs last night.
I can report the deed is done. The paperwork is complete. And now, I will wait for our first denial from Social Security – which I understand is de rigueur for your first application. Then, we will move forward from there.
BTW – I’m still #5. Bahahahahaha!
I’m still #5 made me snort laugh.
FYI when you appeal the first denial you do not have to have an attorney to fight. One of my mom’s sitters was retired on SS disability from a major airline. Her first filing with SS was denied, she went before, I am assuming, an ALJ (Administrative Law Judge) without an attorney, because she didn’t have the money and the judge ruled in her favor. I don’t recall if she was denied a second time before going before a judge.
The questions M had problems, if they have to be answered again, just respond “applicant does not know, or applicant unable to answer” and let some government droan (I can use that term because I was one for 35 years) try to discern what is going on with M. Those questions are for physical ability not mental ability. Big difference. SS needs to revamp their questions.
The VA questions are similar, but I didn’t find the forms to be that hard to complete. I’m sure my 24 years in HR helped me with that process. My biggest hurdle was getting the doctor to complete his forms in a timely manner.
My heart goes out to you, because all this government red tape adds to your stress.
Thanks! Great info!!
What a nightmare!
Just so frustrating!
Yeah, I’ve always been #4 of 4, even when there were only two of us. I guess I can give my mother points for consistency.
Let me encourage you about the SS thing. I included a xeroxed copy of a pathology report, and my husband was approved remarkably quickly, first time around. It wasn’t even official looking, just something I printed off his patient portal. I hope you will have a similar result. It’s not always a long process.
I’m glad to know I’m not the only one with “mom issues!” She’ll need something sooner or later. That’s good info. I should go ahead and see if I can attach it to what I have already submitted. Thanks!