Catch 22- Tips & Helpful info

[ginnie]

[thanks, I got it now. I am slow about these things I guess. Now i know. appreciate it. ginnie

[Vjustice]

Trudi,

I am printing off your blog to read it thoroughly. My husband has a vp shunt due to hydrocephalus at age 2. He is now 45 and has has six subsequent revisions. He is have significant cognitive issues, but has been denied social security for four years. His last denial essentially said "You have a Master's Degree, you can do something". His memory and personality have changed significantly since his last shunt revision in 1997.

We now have an attorney and an appointment with an Administrative Law Judge on July 24, 2012. My husband has issues that resulted from the shunt. . .they believe that during the initial shunt placement he had a stroke in the right visual cortex which left him with no right perpherial vision in either eye, he cannot drive.

I am so thankful for this group it is comforting for me to be able to find out that we are all subjected to the same thing from the government.

Virginia

[ginnie]

I hope the attorney can help. Seems to me if he cannot drive, and only has part of his vision, and has had a stroke, should be enough to qualify. It makes me sad, when folks that really can't work are denied time and time again. Please give your husband my best. ginnie

[finz]

Hi VJustice !

I would really focus on what has happened since the last shunt revision in 1997.

While I, and most people I know, would be DEVASTED by not being able to drive at all and having vision problems, you need to consider that MANY people who can't drive can work.

A stroke sounds awful to most people, but Tedi Bruschi of the New England Patriots returned to PROFESSIONAL football after his stroke.

Some of your husband's issues have been going on since childhood, but since then he has gotten married and completed an education through the Master's level.

While his history of health issues must have obviously presented huge challenges, he has proven that he could overcome many of those. That's why I would focus more on the more recent changes. What impact did the 1997 revision have on his functionality ? Did he complete his education before that and has more issues now ? I don't mean that you should necessarily answer that here.....more think about it and address those issues in your communication with SSA.

I think a lot of people make the mistake, when applying for SSDI, of thinking that 'listing the diagnoses' will speak for itself. It doesn't. One person can have a stroke and be disabled and TOTALLY dependent on others for care, while another can regain function and have minimal or no disability.

Focus on documentation (from you/your husband AND his healthcare team) that says why HE can't work.....ie....maybe he can focus on a task for 15 minutes, but no more, maybe he can't be relied apon to have the cognitive ability to complete ANY tasks during a workday. Maybe he can sit or stand for a few hours one day, but could have to lay down and rest AT ANY TIME making it impossible for him to sit up and do a simple task at any reliable time. Maybe he requires assistance to do anything, etc

This is such a hard process. He is lucky to have someone who 'has his back' to help him through it. Best of luck to both of you !