My Thoughts on Disability

A couple months ago I finally gave in and applied for disability (it may be longer, my memory is fuzzy). I've fought against doing so since I was first diagnosed at the young age of 14, but between the fibromyalgia, sleep disorders, and pain from ovarian cysts, at the time I was awake maybe 3 hours a day, tops.

Unless you are diagnosed with something life-threatening, such as cancer, generally you can expect to be denied when you first apply, which I expected. I didn't expect to be angry when I received the first denial letter about a week ago, but I was.

After I saw the letter, which I fought my husband to look at since I was allergic to it, I glanced out the window. There was my neighbor, standing on his porch and smoking. Don't misunderstand me, I'm not a judgmental person. And my neighbor has always been very respectful, never smoking on our property. He's really a wonderful neighbor and has been helpful when he hasn't had to be.

But last year he was placed on disability through his work for having a very limited lung capacity. This is all due to his choice to smoke all these years. What does he do now? I don't really know, aside from an active social life, but I do know that he smokes and drinks beer.

Here's my issue.

Why is it that an individual that causes their disability is able to obtain assistance so easily and quickly, without jumping through hoops and going to a bajillion doctors, while one who didn't cause their disability has to literally risk their life to (maybe) qualify?

Way back when, I worked in social work and saw this all the time. There are so many people living off the system, spending the money they receive in assistance on cigarettes and beer. People that have caused their disability rather than fought against it for years. People that continue to worsen it by refusing to modify their habits or lifestyle. People that get on disability so easily.

Some diagnoses are "recognized" and are thus much easier to get on disability for. Cancer, for example, as you can't argue with a scan. But those that are getting to be rather well-known, such as fibromyalgia, still usually require a fight. Physicians only know what you tell them, and if they don't document well, Social Security might suspect you are trying to cheat the system.

Even with excellent documentation from your physician, anyone with a chronic illness is only able to GET to the doctor's office on their better days. Very few people are able to vouch for their limitations, aside from the closest family members and friends. Yet it is these very people that may be considered biased.

It's a tough road in the first place for anyone with chronic illness. Fighting to obtain assistance from the Social Security administration generally makes things worse with the added stress. At the same time, there are so many scam artists out there that get disability when they are really just lazy.

What's the answer? I really don't know. I've tried to document as much as I can, and even kept a journal for a while of food, reactions, how I felt, what I did, etc. But that took my energy away from getting up and getting something to eat. My husband has been incredible through all this, but he certainly do all that he already does PLUS a diary for me.

What's been your experience with disability? Do you have any recommendations for me?