Postby Bev G » Mon Jun 14, 2010 12:26 am
Hi:
I wanted to add a couple of things. My experience was like many others; the stage 4 diagnosis sort of automatically gets one SSDI. You also don't have to fill out that really long part of the application on line, just the initial short part then call them and they will do the rest over the phone. My rep was wonderful. A couple of people have said that they will only go back a year, but I don't think that's true. My rep was working on my application w/three different diagnoses; the cancer, my herniated disc for which the failed surgery was 5 years ago, and depression. She worked very hard to get it to go back 5 years for the disc (which shocked me they would even consider it) and the only reason SS didn't do it is I hadn't complained enough about the sciatica to my PCP over the years. My CRC was diagnosed in 12/09. They went back to 1/9 as the start of my disability because I happened to be seeing someone for depression at the time. SS said my PCP notes about my depression would not have been sufficient, but because I actually saw a therapist for a couple of months around that time they could make the SSDI retroactive to then. So John, I would try making your claim for the first date the cancer interfered with your usual work. I found it really hard emotionally to file for disability after working since I was 16, including throughout college. It made me feel kind of defeated, but then several people said to me sort of what your doc said--you've worked forever, and you've paid very dearly into the system. This is a time to take good care of yourself.
Wishing you the best, Bev
58 yo Type1 DM 48 years
12/09 Stage IV 2/22 nodes + liver met, colon resec
3 tx FOLFIRI, liver resec 4/10
9/10 6 mos off chemo, Neg PET&CTC CEA nl
2/11 finished total 10 rounds chemo
9/13 ^17th clean PET/CT NED for now