Employment and PN

[hopeful]

Originally Posted by chaos

How does disability insurance work, and can one get it once their PN has started? I'm guessing I need to get it now, on my own. And if one does go on SSDI, how is medical insurance covered?

I don't know if you can get it after being diagnosed. I had it for over 12 years before I became disable. I again am not sure about medical through SSDI. I heard several times it takes two years. But as I wrote before my brother in law got it right away.

My disability insurance company actually insisted I apply for SSDI. They even provided a company to do all the paperwork for me. The person I spoke to said I probably won't get it because I haven't been out of work very long. The disability will get to pay me less if SSDI gives me something.

[Aussie99]

Originally Posted by bobmar2

I am new to this forum, though I have had Idiopathic PN for about 6 years. I read the earlier post regarding employment, but my question differs slightly and I did not want to confound the earlier thread. I have been working for many years in a specialized field, in which my college education focused on. In the past year my symptoms got markedly worse and my neuro strongly advised perm disability. But I continued on for 10 months. After 3 hospitalizations, my employer is pushing me out the door (and some of their reasoning is valid).

I find myself at a crossroad, as I cannot decide whether I should start at a whole new profession, or accept my increasingly disabling symptoms and go on disability.

I would be very open to hearing from others who were once in my situation, and learn how you decided what to do. Thank you
bob

This question is very valid and one many people have asked before. I can tell you that it's not isolated to our condition as I spend time on the spinal forum and people there ask the same question but as it relates to spinal problems. I have been in discussions with someone who retrained in a new career and is very happy with that choice but that is not possible for everyone due to family, financial, and other reasons probably. I was faced with the same choice and I had the option of cutting back my days from 5 to 4 days and instead of 8 hours I work 6 hours a day. I am holding steady so far so good. If I didn't have this option I would choose to retrain in a less demanding area, and if that was not possible I would then look into being a professional gambler and setting my own pace. Disability being my last option. My dad has been on disability long-term and I just saw that it had greater implications than what we originally thought especially in terms of lack of social life.

Best of luck
Aussie

[bobmar2]

Originally Posted by Aussie99

This question is very valid and one many people have asked before. I can tell you that it's not isolated to our condition as I spend time on the spinal forum and people there ask the same question but as it relates to spinal problems. I have been in discussions with someone who retrained in a new career and is very happy with that choice but that is not possible for everyone due to family, financial, and other reasons probably. I was faced with the same choice and I had the option of cutting back my days from 5 to 4 days and instead of 8 hours I work 6 hours a day. I am holding steady so far so good. If I didn't have this option I would choose to retrain in a less demanding area, and if that was not possible I would then look into being a professional gambler and setting my own pace. Disability being my last option. My dad has been on disability long-term and I just saw that it had greater implications than what we originally thought especially in terms of lack of social life.

Best of luck
Aussie

Thanks Aussie. I am hoping to get hired again as I am applying for work opportunities. However, I don't see going on disability is a bad option if you find a way to stay engaged with the community. My plan would be to volunteer for a local organization if I should end up on disability. I think that if I didn't find an outlet for helping others, I would rapidly deteriorate emotionally.

[Aussie99]

Originally Posted by bobmar2

Thanks Aussie. I am hoping to get hired again as I am applying for work opportunities. However, I don't see going on disability is a bad option if you find a way to stay engaged with the community. My plan would be to volunteer for a local organization if I should end up on disability. I think that if I didn't find an outlet for helping others, I would rapidly deteriorate emotionally.

Your right engagement and feeling useful is very important. We Humans need meaning and purpose to our lives. With my dad, he went on disability but also stayed housebound and I noticed he started talking and reacting slower. Plus he told me he was depressed. Thats the sort of thing that concerns me the most. If you have a plan to avoid this that would be great, I know with me I sometimes have a tendency to get really down when i feel isolated, and I actually need viable able bodied people around me to keep me on my toes (sort to speak) and to help motivate me.

[bobmar2]

Originally Posted by Aussie99

Your right engagement and feeling useful is very important. We Humans need meaning and purpose to our lives. With my dad, he went on disability but also stayed housebound and I noticed he started talking and reacting slower. Plus he told me he was depressed. Thats the sort of thing that concerns me the most. If you have a plan to avoid this that would be great, I know with me I sometimes have a tendency to get really down when i feel isolated, and I actually need viable able bodied people around me to keep me on my toes (sort to speak) and to help motivate me.

Dear Aussie

I have been home on medical leave for the past 2 months, and have experienced that social isolation, and the way I feel depressed. I have thus given strong planning to how to become social now that my employment officially ends next week.

Thank u