My decision on disability

[Pam P]

I posted a couple of months ago when I was 1st starting to think of disability. Now I've done my research and think I'm at a decision point. I want to run this by you to see if you see any red flags. Hard to put all the pieces together concisely, I'll just list them:
Starting the process:
-make formal notice with my employer for medical leave with a statement from my doctor. This would be a 2 month leave. During the 2 months my employer will continue to pay me my regular salary & benefits.
-as soon as I start the leave I start preparing the paperwork for full disability through my disability insurance which is through my employer. Doctors statement; release statements for SS & medical info, my application & my employers sign off.ONce they're submitted they have 30 days to determine if I qualify.
-If I am approved (and the policy states that stage 4 bc qualifies) my full disability begins at the 3rd month. They will begin to pay my monthly health premiums (I keep my same Blue Cross coverage), plus 2/3 of my pension conribution plus 2/3 of my salary.
=I must not work at all during the 2 month leave & approval process, but once approved I am allowed to work part time not to exceed 1/3 of my monthly income (so basically if I can arrange this combo my monthly income would be basically the same.
-So far so good, right? work part time for full time pay & still get same health benefits.
-I could continue with this arrangement until I reach age of full retirement; then I could take retirement.
-After a year or so my dis. ins. would determine if I should apply for SSDI, but I'm not eligible to do that if I'm working, so they would not make me to that & things would continue unchanged. If it came a time when I was unable to work they would make me apply for SSDI & that income would offset what my disability pays plus my insurance would be changed to medicare and a supplement.
=I've talked directly to a rep who works directly with this in the Board of Pensions who holds all these disablilty insurance benefits, to my tax guy to see if there are any red flags he sees. Neither gave me any reason to hesitate. I talk to my financial rep today about my little IRA/savings etc.
=I talked to my boss who has been supportive beyond measure. Told him what I'm thinking and asked if I could negotiate a portion of my job to continue for me at a pt level not to exceed my income limit. He seemed very willing to make that work.
-IF I do this maybe it will give me more time to rest, make work & schedule less stressful & help me stay stronger to fight the cancer.
-Mental health - if I can continue to work a little each week it will keep my brain working, give me continued colleagues & network & support & income - yet free up my time to use my energy on fun things of my choice.
=I've discussed with a couple close friends, my son, no one has really said 'bad idea', mostly the opposite.
-If I go ahead I'd like to do this now - take the 2 months off in the summer & go back to work in the fall. That means deciding now!
-I'm agonizing - excitement over not having to work so much, fear of will I miss it, the unknown, the mostly irreversible nature of it; I could probably change my mind in the 1st couple of months, but after that I can't be assured that my full time position would be open to me again. Kind of like selling your house & moving to a smaller one. Once you've moved & sold the 1st house if you don't like it you can't go back to the 1st one.
-And it's emotional - leaving/changing the job/identity Ive had for 25 yrs, sadness, anxiety, yet some sense of thinking it mght be great - just don't know.
-My doctor has said he'll do what ever I want him to do regarding his part. He says no question I qualify if I want to do this.

So, wise women - and men, what do you think? any red flags/cautions? suggestions? Thanks. Pam