Has anyone gone on disability?
 

I currently work as the manager of a restaurant/dairy store. It's pretty physical work, but I am a single mom and my insurance is carried through the company I work for.
I have thought of eventually applying for disability so I can soley focus on the cancer and spending time with my children etc. However, I sincerely doubt I will be able to pay the COBRA payment for my insurance. If anyone out there is on disability, was it difficult and how did it affect your life? Were you able to keep insurance, or did you get Medicaid? And if you did, were you able to get the chemotherapies you needed on Medicaid? Lots of questions, I know. Im new to this all, so I apologize up front. :)

Re: Has anyone gone on disability?
 

i had to sign up for disability before i could apply for retirement. I think it is because i worked fro the federal government but not sure. it took 6 months before i got a check. i was approved the first time. no denials. not sure about retirememt at your company. I did a medical retirement nad my retirement pays for my medical coverage. I may not be much help in your situation but i did apply and recieve disability. if you have no other insureance, i am sure there is something available to you on disability.
I was so fortunate that I purchased an AFLAC cancer policy just 6 months before i was diagnosed. that payment allowed me to be off work and no pay status but get the aflac check paid my bills, bought food etc. I hope the best for you. you can call your local social security office and go see a counselor to
have your questions answered.

Re: Has anyone gone on disability?
 

At the time of my diagnosis (2005) I had a LT disability plan though my university. At that time, I did not have a short term disability plan since I figured any accrued available sick time benefits would get me though the first three months, until the LT plan kicked in. In my case, my university's HR dept. was a huge help. I took off during chemo and started back to work during radiation (now wish I hadn't gone back until after radiation was done as well). Given my situation and the help I got at the university, things went very smoothly for me at the time.
Karen

Re: Has anyone gone on disability?
 

While I don't have a lot of answers, I wanted to let you know that there are other Stage IV women on the site who are in a similar situation. My husband works for a small company with limited benefits, so I carry my insurance and my teenage daughter's.
I was so concerned about the uncertainty of medical coverage, I've decided to continue to work. Well 4 1/2 years later, I am still here and my insurance has paid for some non-standard treatments.

I wish I could offer more first hand knowledge of Medicare/Medicaid. Is establishing a meeting with someone a possibility?

Lori

Re: Has anyone gone on disability?
 

Thanks so much for the input everyone. My doctor highly recommends I keep working for now. He says I need a reason to get out of bed and keep moving and keep going, and this will help me. Im just going to let it ride for a bit before I make a decision.

Re: Has anyone gone on disability?
 

This is something I'm struggling with. I've been off since October 3rd and my job protection is going to run out. I don't want to give my job up but I work in a school and the environment probably isn't safe for a Stage IV woman. I love my job though and it's true, it's much better to have something to do than sit at home and dwell.

I suppose if I'm not healthy enough to go back by February the decision will be made for me. I will get $800 a month in disability which is not going to help much. I have my life insurance through my work, and it will run out two years after I am done working, so I'd like to time it so I die within two years of stopping work. But, I'm not sure how to figure that yet! :)

Re: Has anyone gone on disability?
 

I know how hard a decision it is. I guess that going on disability and staying home is kind of an admission of illness of some sort..not that we don't know we are ill. Its just like...Im too ill to work and be normal. Difficult decision to make. And of course, being poverty level does not sounds like much fun to me. lol! Im going to do my best to keep working through the Taxotere/carboplatin. It is only six treatments/18 weeks, and who knows, maybe with the herceptin I will get a good year or two without major treatment. I also know it could go the other way..and I could need more chemo right away, in which case i may decide to take the disability and make the best of it.

Re: Has anyone gone on disability?
 

I am currently on disability and have been since 9/2009. It can be a difficult decision but when you are not able to work, it is a wonderful option. I began the process online in September, 2009 and then had a mastectomy which delayed the completion of the paperwork and approval. I just recently went on Medi-Medi or Medicare-Medical and that was a bit scary. If you need any info, I can offer what I know.
I understand the reason to get out of bed, as sometimes it seems I am waiting for my time to be up, but, I try to take it one day at a time, even on the bad days. My reason to get up is that I take care of my Mom who will be 92 in April and has severe osteoporosis.
Lettik

Re: Has anyone gone on disability?
 

I have been on disability since 2003. I worked as a nurse and that was truly not condusive while on chemo and stage IV! I hated giving up my work, I loved it, but over the years I have concentrated on living and my family....it is a great tradeoff! I have medicare, part A, and my husbands insurance, and although the loss of income was a shock at first, I can honestly say I dont even think about it anymore...I truly have more with less!

Re: Has anyone gone on disability?
 

I've been on LTD through my company for about a year, and they required me to apply for social security disability for myself and my two children, which I received quickly (they move quicker when it's a stage IV diagnosis. My doc recommended that if I was able, to take time to spend with my family when my mets were discovered. Luckily, I have good health insurance through my company, and they've taken care of the premiums, and I have secondary insurance through my husband's. Social security disability and LTD together pay me almost what I used to make in salary. My reason for getting up every morning is spending time with my kiddos, who are 5-1/2 and almost 3!

Re: Has anyone gone on disability?
 

Sheila and KM, I sure think it is wonderful that you are able to do that, and at first I thought that was what I wanted to do too. Then of course, the reality of my situation set in. I don't have a husband with an income who can carry insurance on me. The COBRA on my insurance would be extremely expensive, and only last a year, I believe. So basically I would be getting minimal income and state insurance for the first two years (MediCaid). So, Im pretty much scared to death of losing my insurance, wanting or needing treatments that state won't cover. I see the bills for my chemotherapy, and they aren't pretty! lol As much as I would like to do the quality time with my kids (they are teenagers), just being a housewife, cooking up some yummy meals, maybe grow a garden, take some classes at college, etc...I think that for me it is going to have to wait for a while. This disease is so awful, because you honestly don't know what kind of shape you are going to be in a few months down the road. Ideally I would like to say I will work this year, and then maybe be done with it, but I don't know if I will be able. Everything is always so unpredictable. Im hanging in there, though, and

Re: Has anyone gone on disability?
 

Hi KsGaL, i hope things work out for you. I worked full time during the whole treatment but i did take 5 weeks off after the surgery. It is hard to predict how you react to the chemo. But my oncologist also recommended that if i could, i should go to work. Actually working full time helped me to feel better about myself as i got to get dressed, wear make up and socialize with people. I do office work so physically i could handle it. I had no choice but to work anyway. I am a single mom and purchased a house 2 months before my dx. How fast life changes !! CA is expensive :(

Re: Has anyone gone on disability?
 

Hi I am currently on short term disability and long term disability. On January 20th long term disability started per my company policy so I am getting both at this moment. short Term disability will end on March 20th if I am still out at that time. I stopped working on Sep 20th. I started chemo in July 2011 and I thought I could work through it all but When I went to work on the 19th I realized I just couldnt do it anymore. I am only stage IIB but had 6 chemo TCH, Herceptin every 3 weeks until July 2012, surgery Nov 30th, pneumonia and infection in hospital 12/13-15/2011 and radiation 6 weeks (next week will be the last). I was planning to return to work on March 1st but I have so much pain in my body. I am not sure I feel ready to return to work. I am also terrified of going back, is weird after working there for 21 years I just dont feel I have the energy anymore. I amtrying to make a decision of what to do next and Iamvery confused.