Disability Retirement

kim1967

I work for local government and I am eligible for disability retirement if I qualify.  I hate my job, it stresses me out and has become worse since bilateral mastectomy and chemo.  I can make decisions, interpret reports, and writing a memo takes all day.  It is starting to affect my job performance and I haven't started Tamox yet (appt. 12/8) which completly freaks me out.  I feel like work is sucking the life out of me, but the time I get home I don't have anything left for my family.  I can't do it. 

Have any of you taken disability retirement?  Why & how? 

CoolBreeze

No but I thought you had to be stage IV to be on disability?  Not sure though.  Maybe it depends on the state?

I hear you on the work thing.  I've been off since October 20 and can take the three months FMLA and one month sick.  But, I don't want to go back at all.

I have to though, and I'm sure disability won't cover my expenses, so back I go.

cmharris59

I am on my company disability and Social Security disability. I am only 50 yrs old. I have to be re-evaluated every few months to keep it going. It is much less than what I made working full time. It is very hard for me since I am single and have no other source of income than my own. My health insurance really hurt me, too.

When I first went on long term disability, I could retain my insurance through Cobra. It was only $140mth.  Since Medicare does not kick in until you have been on Social Security Disability for 24 months, I needed an extension on my Cobra.  My Cobra payments went up to $610/mth. I have 3 more months before Medicare kicks in. Thanks to those Cobra payments, my credit rating has gone downhill. As a result of that, all of the interest rates on my credit cards shot up.

Going on disability isn't the greatest thing. I certainly did not want it. I am not Stage IV. I am on disability because of the Congestive Heart Failure, neuropathy, and other complications from tx.  I would rather have my life. Not that it would be the same for you.

As far as how to go about getting on disability... it varies with each employer. For Social Security Disability, you can apply directly to SSDI. They will ask for information about all of your doctors and will consider your doctors' recommendations regarding granting disability. SSDi also reevaluates you every few years.  If anything changes with your health, I havfe to assume that you will be dropped quickly. I live with that shadow over my head every month. I never know when they may decide that I am no longer disabled. 

I had to go on FMLA and short term disability because my company was not flexible regarding time off for surgery and tx. By the time I was on eligble for LTD, I was even further into tx and needed more time off and began having terrible SEs.  Now tx is over, my job is gone, and I am left with terrible SEs. 

Good luck

rreynolds1

I suggest taking whatever avenue you can to get out of a job you hate.  From what I have read, our continued healing can be effected by our emotional state.  Stress should be avoided at all cost. 

cmharris59..I am so sorry you were so badly effected by chemo treatments.  Will any of those complications improve with time?  My son had congestive heart failure due to kidney failure, but they were able to bring it almost back to normal with medication.  I would recommend that you call your credit card companies to discuss your situation.  They recently raised everyone's interest rates due to the change is government policies.  If you refuse the increase they close the account but lock the rate in at the lower one.  You can keep one open if you need it.  It worked for me so give it a try.  They really hate bad publicity so you can threaten to write to your Attorney General.  This lady put her story on YouTube recently and they significantly lowered her rates.  You are not the only cancer patient who is in this situation and something should be done about it.  I'm self-employed and have a Cancer Insurance Policy that has paid me the extra I need to pay my insurance premiums and out of pocket expenses.  Most people are not in that situation.  As I said before, the added stress is not good.

God bless you both.

Roseann