Nicole,
I worked most of my adult life and like you when I got to the point that I
couldn't handle work and being ill I quit working.  Everyone was saying how
difficult it was to get the disability and at that time I just didn't have
whatever it takes to go through that so  I waited....about a year later when
I was ready to deal witht he disability issue...I get my Social Security
Statement and it states that I do not have enough points (or whatever their
word was) to get disability.  The last few yrs that I worked I was only
doing so part time....I'm almost 56.

I would suggest that you get the Social Security papers and file and go from
there.  I know I waited too long and never filed the papers...now I get to
wait till I'm old enough to get my regular Social Security check as I am
still not in any condition that working would be benificial for me or the
person I went to work for....besides the fact that it would take too long to
get the points I need if I went back to work just to be able to get the
disability.

Sorry that my reply is not what anyone wants to hear but maybe will keep
someone from making the same mistake that I did.

Good luck!

Hugs,
Sherry

sorry forgot to post this link.
http://www.socialsecurity.gov/

All the info and printable forms are there.

Sherry

I spent 3 years trying to get SS disability and the frustration was
huge. I can give you 2 pieces of good advice. First (as someone else
has said) be sure you don't wait too long to apply. I had enough work
credits to be able to get the maximum monthly disability amount but if
I had waited another 3 weeks to apply, my credits would have run out
and I wouldn't have received any SSD benefits at all (I could have
received SSI but that's not nearly as much each month as DDS...you will
want to be sure and apply for BOTH SSD and SSI benefits from the
start!). The monthly SS check and the medicare I receive have made a
huge difference in my life.

Second, after being turned down the first 2 times, I hired an attorney
who explained to me how the whole thing really worked. I would not have
prevqailed in my hearing had I not hired her. (This next item is the
most important piece of SSD advice I can give you):

The decision is made, to a huge extent, with all other things being in
order) by the information contained in your doctor's chart notes!!!!!

Once they determine that you qualify with enough credits and that your
"type of illness" is one that qualifys, the doctors chart notes are
critical. If you don't have the support of your doctors, you will not
get the support of those making a disability decision on your behalf. I
didn't have my doctors "on my side" until 3 years later when we went to
hearing. It took almost a year after applying for the hearing just to
get a hearing date. . By that time I had become a lot sicker and both
doctors fully supported my disability and we were able to "massage"
them into including information into their chart notes that supported
my goal.

As a result when we got to the hearing I was in the room for less than
5 minutes. The judge hired a doctor to evaluate my medical records and
doctors chart notes and then to advise him (the judge) as to the extent
of my disability.. The first think the judge did was ask the doctor for
his report. The doc said, "The man has Lupus," and the judge said,
"benifits approved," banged his gavel and left the room. Ten weeks
later I received a check for over $40,000 (benefits are retroactive to
your first application date) and have received Medicare and a monthly
disability check ever since. Also, since I was over 50 years old the
attorney said that I wouldn't have to continue to requalify and reprove
my disability status every few years.

The attorney cost me $5,500 (the maximum allowed my law) for 5 minutes
in the courtroom and about 5 hours in her office but I would never have
received my benifits without her help and advice. $5,500 seems like a
lot for her limited involvement but if I had to do it all over again I
would have hire her from day one.

Hope this all helps. It tkes a lot of gumption and effort to get this
done but with the internet you have a lot of resources available to you
and the folks here will help you a lot too.'

Michael

I'm sorry, Nicole, but I've got to agree with what Sherry's saying.  It
honestly doesn't sound like you will have the credits for SSDI and
because your husband makes a living (period), you likely won't qualify
for SSI either.  Do check your work credits just to be sure though
cause you never know.

Are you in a state where social services has extended medical insurance
for families with moderate incomes?  Or does your hubby have insurance
for you already?  

Maggie

Hi Nicole,

I also did not have enough credits to draw SSD; I only get SSI.  But I am
grateful that I have it.  I was in my thirties, after a marital break up,
trying so hard to work, and prove that I could be independent.  I had
periods where I could work, but then I would have to take temporary
disability leave, and just crash for three months before going back to my
job.  I did this four times, and each time the payments became less and
less.  I was struggling so hard to keep my last job, and all my coworkers
saw what I was going through, and they encouraged me to go on disability.

Something I don't often share is that the lack of funds made me freak out,
and I attempted suicide.  I woke up in a hospital and they would not let me
go.!  What I found when I was there, though, was that about half the people
there were just like me... they were under freaking duress trying to get
disability or workers compensation.

I got my determination of disability on the first appeal.  I did not have to
hire a lawyer as many people do.  I found out who the person was in
Sacramento who was reviewing my case.  I would suggest that you do this as
well.  Someone had put my case on a shelf, and it would have stayed there
for god knows how long.  It's the squeaky wheel strategy.  Also let them
know every diagnosis that you have, because it is really hard to get a
disability determination for lupus alone.

I wish you the best!

Pleiad..