So... I had my SS hearing on 11/5 ... and I was APPROVED! AHHHHHHH! I was so excited and I still am! Even though I was having a "tough" time during the hearing.... it kind of made me feel dumb.
I had to keep asking my lawyer if he could help me understand what the judge was asking... and I have a degree in Criminal Justice, so it's not like I didn't know the terms... but he was just talking REALLY fast and I couldn't keep up and I was getting confused very easily.
On one of the judge's questions... he asked me what my neuros prognosis is for me... and I told him, "Honestly, you can't predict MS"... he said, "Okay, but what does your neuro say is in your future for your health?" I said, "Judge, he knows better than to promise me something that he isn't sure he can keep."
I really don't think this judge knew ANYTHING about MS... It was difficult to get through the hearing... Not because I was nervous or anything ( I kinda was ) but he was asking those questions that I don't like thinking about... Like how have things changed in my everyday life... How have things changed in the way I do things with my kids... How things have changed with my around the house chores... I know these are things that need to be asked, but still... it was upsetting to actually have to explain things in depth. Especially how I can't do everything that my kids want me to do... that was the killer.
So, since I'm so "young" (even though I feel like 80 sometimes... especially in the morning when my body does a 'snap, crackle, pop' to get out of bed) I don't have enough "work credits" for SSDI, so I was approved for SSI.
So now, I have to wait for someone to contact me to set up an appointment to figure out my monthly payment, but I was also approved for back pay since April 2011... but my lawyer is gonna try and get it all the way back from when I was diagnosed, since I was diagnosed the day before I had a job interview at the County Jail.
Oh! and I had no idea about this... but I'm automatically approved to be on medicaid? I guess I have to wait for so long to be on medicare? I don't know how all that works.
I'll give more updates on it soon when I hear more.
On another note, I'm waiting to see my neurologist because I might be in a flare? I went in earlier this month from a HORRIBLE reaction to Copaxone in my thigh.
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| This was 6 days after my injection! This is like the whole bottom half of my left thigh. |
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| I injected on the top part of my thigh.. and this is what happened. |
So, when I went in - they said to have the Copaxone nurse come out and look at it... when she did, she said she had never seen anything like it & was going to contact shared solutions... so I went around this whole back and forth circle of trying to figure out what happened - and they are saying that they think I hit a blood vessel. So who knows? Oh and I injected manually... btw.
I'm hoping their is a cancellation or something at my neuros office soon, because the only opening they have is for the 27th... I am having a new (annoying) symptom too... on top of being more fatigued than "normal" ... I am now having like twitches? I describe it as like my body is having a party under my skin and I'm not invited. It keeps jumping around and it is happening everywhere, even in my right eye.
Here is what it is doing, this is my left thigh by my knee cap. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mq_bKS6ikEU&feature=g-upl
I'm keeping note of all my symptoms - and if they are increasing and how long they are lasting... I just hope that it's not a flare. But I haven't been on Copaxone for the 6-month time frame for it to be fully "working"... or at least TRYING to work.
Well - it's time for me to take a break... my eye is doing the annoying twitch thing. I'll update when I can! Oh - and next week I will have 3 blogs posted on MS Conversations (MSAA Blog). Be sure to check it out & let me know what you think! I've been asked to be a monthly contributor to their blog... and I hope it helps people and that others can relate!
xoxo
Ashley
