The waiting period for Medicare after receiving first disability check is actually 30 months total

BC, if you have not heard back from the Counceling through the Alzheimer,s you might want to contact them again.

And you may never be. Or you may have periods of mostly entertaining delusions. Or you may have upsetting delusions.

You can read caregivers' reports of our LO's delusions on these forums and see that they range all over the place, from none to almost constant.

Coy once thought he was an airplane. He seemed to enjoy that episode. He has not had delusions for several years. Maybe he will again as the disease progresses. Who knows? We take one day at a time.

Being annoyed that an agency who promised to call back within 24 hours has not called back within 72 is not delusional. Thinking that you talked to the president of the United States and he is going to send a military escort to take you to a secret medcial facility is delusional. Those around you know the difference! You should not feel like you have to be guarded in your reactions. You don't have to filter every thing you say to be sure it won't make you look crazy or delusional.

BC, dealing with all the systems (most of which do indeed fail us at least some of the time) was one of the hardest things I had to do during Coy's first year with LBD. I'm intelligent, educated, and presumably of sound mental health, but it about did me in to handle applications and appeals and requirements and documentation. Are you trying to do this alone? It is wonderful that you can do some of it. But I hope you have help with the bulk of it. Your energy and cognitive skills should be directed at more rewarding things!

Had first session at Alz. assoc…..yesterday…fruitful

Appeal is in to LTD insurance…

All paperwork is in to Life Insurance…for waiver of premium…employer policy

I am putting together Social Security app….Compassionate Allowance under Mixed Dementia...should apply? I am going to find out

BC,
I am glad you are making headway with all this paper work, it is so needed! I will keep only good thoughts for you while you are waiting for all this to process!

I applied for SS at the local office.

It was a very emotional experience. It is the public admission...announcement that I will expect to never earn a living again and that I need help.

So, many 'things' real and unreal that I have been holding on to…that I can let go of now….things now….that I can admit…most importantly to me…

I hope it becomes freeing…and that it isn't a placebo…that it is truly freeing….

the VA is next...

We're rooting for you, Craig! Hope it goes smoothly for you.

Craig, that acknowledgement, to yourself and publicly, that you will not be holding a job again, is indeed powerfully emotional.

Because of his age, Coy was spared that particular indignity, as are most LOs on this forum. My heart goes out to you and savta's husband and perhaps Tonya before the usual retirement age. Working, supporting ourselves and others, making a contribution in that realm, is often a big part of our identity. To have that taken away is a huge loss! (Some of us would be willing to give it up voluntarily but no one would like the choice taken away.)

Two of my brothers were disabled before age 50 (one at work and one in a car accident). One of my nephews in his thirties has medical issues that mean he will never hold a regular job. A very young niece is struggling trying to get a seizure disorder under control. She has temporarily stopped working but may have to apply for permanent disability unless the medical attempts are more successful. I can see how very, very painful it is for willing workers not to be able to work. And I can say absolutely that none of these 4 relatives asked for this to happen to them or are in any way to blame for their inability to work. It is not their fault!

It is not your fault! It is not shameful or embarrassing. It is painful. I hope you are succeeding in not adding any guilt to the pain. And I hope that finally acknowledging it will indeed be freeing. It is what it is.

It sounds like you are doing a fantastic job on all that paperwork.

Hugs to you!
Jeanne

Craig,
You are doing a great job taking a step at a time. That's all anyone can do!
Robin

All,
Can I even apply for SS disability if I am working part-time from home and driving??
Craig - thanks for your example of "taking care of business"....It made me realize I cannot delay on this sort of thing....

Thanks all,
Tonya

Tonya, two of my relatives on SS disability do drive, so I don't think that is a consideration. One of them works a very limited schedule, but I don't know what the rules are around that. A social worker will be able to address the specifics of your situation. I urge you to begin the process of applying for everything that you might be eligible for, and to look ahead to what else may be available as your situation changes.

Tonya, the web site www.socialsecurity.gov/work might be able to help with your questions about working and SSA disability benefits.

Julianne

All,
My wife is fighting her own battle now with alcohol, somewhere else. Now she can get help.

My daughters have stepped up. I am getting help now in getting this done.

Craig, My thought and prayers are with you and your family. Both you and your wife have a lot to deal with, best wishes to your wife to get well and healthy. Thank heavens that your daughters stepped up, give them extra hugs, both these diseases are family diseases and need everyones help.
Fondly,
Gerry

Glad to hear things are moving in a better direction, Craig. All the best to you and your family, and it's great that your children are helping you. Lynn

I am glad your wife is getting help and that your children have stepped up to help you. this is such a tough disease. I am finally at the point where I get up each day and figure that I have the endurance to get through today. I don't fret much over tomorrow. I figure I have the resources finalncially and emotionally to make it through this one day...and I will let tomorrow take care of itself. It isn't that I don't plan...I do....I just dont obsess over what might go wrong. If I have found out anything, it's that wht I was fretting about seldom hapens but things come at me and blindside me. Things that were never on my horizon. So, I figure you just can't try to shape things too much. My need to worry about the future doesn't get me any brownie points in life...it just gets me a knot of anziety in the pit of my stomach.

Good luck and Smiles, Nan