I finally got a hearing date!

[Raydean]

Evaluated for job retraining, yes.  It was decided by the vocational dept that it was not in the best interest of all parties.  In short to many outcomes.

Hugs
Raydean

[Obita]

About time Captain.  I know what the Brain Wrecks have done to ya.

Third time was a charm for my cousin's wife.  She is still undiagnosed after 7 years......can't walk without a cane, can't drive, can't do anything......vertigo, motion sickness - must be something inner ear but no one, not even Mayo Clinic can give her a diagnosis. 

Good luck to you, Kathy

[Static]

Hey Deb!
Glad to hear that something is finally set up for you.  Sounds typical for the SSA, they only have two speeds, slow and reverse!  I hope things work out for ya.  Would also like to add that being able to do the same type of work as prior to the AN surgery is my issue.  I had to take a big time pay cut in my current job because I had tried the work I used to do and the cognitive skills just aren't there anymore.  For me, I think it has to do with the tinnitus and deafness.  I can't hear worth beans in an office setting and get very confused very easily because of it.  I also have been diagnosed with cluster headaches but not sure whether the AN is the cause or not.  I did read that it can be the cause but I also had headaches prior to AN diagnosis. I must admit that they did get worse shortly prior to diagnosis and have remained the same.  I don't know how to prove it is and can't prove otherwise :/  Working on trying to get treatment to improve the situation.  Hang in there Deb, hopefully 3rd times the charm!
~Karen

[Battyp]

Yep it's based on if you can do ANY job even a minimum wage one if you were a higher paid employee.  Sam I too am in the 5% and have been denied twice and am awaiting an appeal hearing which I've been told will take up to a year to grant. I was a teacher but due to trigeminal nerve damage result in thoat numbess that is irreversible and very highly unlikely to heal itself at this point the doctors recommend I not return to teaching due to the volume of speaking involved.  I'm also told to avoid a stressful job due to the ADD that has occurred since the surgery as I'm unable to cope with chaos and noisy enivronments.  Trust me as a widow with a child SSD is not a means of supporting myself as it won't cover my house payment.  I'm trying to relearn a new skill through another govt agency which also verified my job limitations but ssd ignored their recommendations.  The whole process and system if frustrating.  I'd much rather be in the 95% category that got to go back to work.  

Capt Deb I just got a letter from SS stating they have finally processed by appeal which was filed three months ago.  In my letter it tells me they will notify me at least 20 days in advance of my hearing and....had to be within so many miles of my location or I could request transportation fees?  We know my memory doens't work great but I recall seeing some sort of guidelines on that.

VR will provide you with training SS does not care if you can afford to get the training they just care if you can do any job.  My attn had some kind of software program he inputed my info in and it gave him a list of possible jobs.  When we went through the list there was valid reasons why I could not do those jobs due to my imbalance issues, speech issues or impulsivity issues.  Not to mention that with the daily headaches I'd have a lot of absentism and have a hard time keeping a job.  There has to be a better way or system!

[lmurray69]

Capt Deb,I think as you know I am disabled, yes I do have other facters.BUt, when something like this that we have been through eats on us day after day. It gets to us. There is a lady that I know that has headaches and  she is on paxil to help calem her. and she got disability too. I am sure that with your degree of pain and the fact that day after day it is something that you have to live with . They will give you the disability. as far as some people go through this and never have any problems ,But what the heck. they say 1 in 100.000 people find a AN. The wonkey heads how may have what. we could all be a little more compationate with the others. I will pray Capt Deb that you get that disability and show them all. I know that the disability is not the cure but it sure could help with the finaces..I only get 203.00 a month not much is it. If you all dont know about capt Deb, then you should go to some other threads and see what she has to do to deal with the pain she goes through.. GO Capt Deb..I will board the ship...Sorry were not closer,i'd drive ya..

[Captain Deb]

My previous "job" was as a self-employed landscape painter and I have spent years working in restaurants and stores so I could quit my "day job." After having to relocate because of a major hurricane in the Virgin Islands which took away any kind of economic base, and everything I owned, I worked my way through college at the age of forty so I could get to this level of skill. I finally found a genre that sold quite well and 3 terrific galleries, 2 of which have dropped me because I could not produce enough new work. My remaining gallery is hesitant to give me a show because I can't produce enough work, and that is very problematic for an artist in my league. I can no longer hike to places to do photo research, either. My only other qualification is as a sailboat captain and I think that's kind of out of the question now. As far as holding a regular "job" the absenteeism because of my headaches would be a huge issue.

Capt Deb

[lmurray69]

 I would love to see some of your art work all though i probly couldnt afford it..I think a few good photographers could get picsto you so you coud do some more painting. if you could stand that long. Does the paint bother you. the fumes..I sur ehope that it all works out for you

[Captain Deb]

I appreciate all of your support immensely!

See my work, what little there is of it at  http://www.artcellaronline.com/fineart1.asp?collectionID=28

Capt Deb

[Patti UT]

Hey Deb,  you go give em H_LL. It''s time you get that disability.

 Your work is beautiful,   I want to send you a picture that I took laying on the ground at the base of some beautiful aspen trees in the fall looking up at the blue sky. It is a very cool picture. I blew it up and have it framed, if I can find the neg or roiginal 3x5.
It would make an awesome painting.

patti

[tony]

To the Pirate (and all in a similar boat ?)
Maybe its possible to look at the work from home options ?
If you are at home - and feel unwell - you can take ten mins out
and make the time up later
Providing a certain output is met over a day or week
timekeeping, absence, and similar are not really an issue
(I dont mean sewing - modern computers/broadband etc
allow quite sophisticated work to occurr even at home)
Basically if punching in 9-5, or flights of stairs,
or regular attendance is a problem
then seek options where it might not matter ?
Best regards
Tony

[Lorenzo]

Hi Deb, VERY nice work! Galleries dropped you becuase you couldn't produce enough work?? What a ridiculous notion! OMG, Is it about production now rather than content and quality? Geeee, one  would think that less work but of high standard would make it more desirable and it would sell even better, for higher prices! I don't know, I'm a designer so I don't have the gallery thing to deal with, but I do a lot for work for artists in designing catalogues and so on, and amount of work does not seem to be such a problem here anyway. Most of them have a show maybe every year or every second year. I guess that's  where creative endavour meets commercial requirements and the two don't always go hand in hand. Interestingly though, galleries can't function without the creative forces. Personally, I think those galleries have a serious pproblem with vision. Do you still do work like that?

This doesn't help in any way of course and is probably completely off the mark. I hope you get your disability sorted out soon.

All the best, Lorenzo

[amylynn]

Deb, That is great.  I pray you win.  Your persistence will pay off.
Amy

[Battyp]

Deb is def our acclaimed artist....if we could all afford to buy a deb orginial we would!
If I ever hit the lottery deb I'm coming your way to fill my blank living room wall )

Tony I've been trying to come up with something I can do from home on the computer but haven't hit on anything much.  Have an ideas?  Most of the things I come across want me to give them money to find out how to make money which I've read is a no no.  I know I can do something from home but just need to be retrained.  I'm striving to get a masters degree so I can try to teach college coursework from home.....

[Brendalu]

Deb,
Your "Into the Woods #7 " me homesick and I haven't missed NYS in thirty years!!  They are all beautiful paintings.

Brenda

[Sam Rush]

Like your work!!!