How I Got Approved for Disability

I first started having Endometriosis symptoms in my early teens. I started having CFSME symptoms in my mid-teen. My Fibromyalgia was triggered by a bout of of mononucleosis at age 19 which got slowly got worse…

Endometriosis was diagnosed when I was 26, Fibromyalgia at age 33, and CFSME at age 37. You’d think all these large diagnoses would qualify me easily for ODSP.

Nope.

My initial submission for ODSP, Ontario provincial disability benefits included documentation for endometriosis, fibromyalgia, edible syndrome, TMJ, asthma, IBS.. All of these diagnoses…No love..

From there I hired a lawyer you turned out to be a real dick and didn’t do squat. To keep my application current, I would request reconsideration based on regular bloodwork until I was able to get the needed documents.

When I requested a change of attorney I had to go into the tribunal, on the day of a huge snowstorm, with a broken foot.. The person who denied me didn’t even bother to show so the tribunal granted me the new legal representation – Durham Legal Clinic.

By this time, I’d seen Dr Alison Bested at the Environmental Health Clinic & had just become one of her patients in her private practice. I had another diagnosis of CFSME by her staff..

The legal clinic requested additional information from Dr Bested. They sent her a very specific document. This document basically outlined what I can and what I cannot do.

It covered the four broad areas of physical limitation. Mobility issues are those such as how far I can walk, do I need assistance devices for movement, how fast I can move – slow shuffle to jogging to an (ROTFL) out & out run. Upper body tasks include how much weight I can carry, how well I can push or pull heavy objects. Stair climbing functions are how many steps I can take, how fast I can climb. Activities of daily living include my abilities to eat, bathe, dress, sleep, administer my medications, preparing food & personal hygiene. She described me on my worst day.

My worst day, my pain is high. I can not walk more than to the bathroom – sometimes not even that far. This can cause issues with elimination. I am, at that point, unable to take any stairs, or carry anything heavier than a small plastic glass of water to take medication. I can not prepare my own food, let alone eat. Showering, brushing hair, cleaning my teeth would be beyond me at my worst..

^{Issues with Mobility, Stair climbing, , Upper-body tests & Activities of Daily Living like eating, showering and sleeping.}

If you then you add my mental health health into the mix, especially as there were suicide attempts by this time, I was finally approved.

This same documentation, several months later, was used to successfully get approved by CPP-D, the disability program for Canadians.

It took several years for this process to complete.

What Does a Disability Look Like?

According to the World Health Organization, disability has three components:

1. Impairment in a person’s body structure or function, either physical or mental. Examples include loss of a limb, loss of vision or memory loss.
2. Activity limitation, such as difficulty seeing, hearing, walking, or problem solving.
3. Participation restrictions to normal daily activities. Examples include working, and engaging in social & recreational activities,

So as you can see, not all persons with disability have necessarily have a physical component. Additionally, there are medical conditions and disabilities that are not visible including diabetes, lupus & fibromyalgia.

I’m a good example of that in that I have fibromyalgia and other issues but I don’t use a cane at the moment. As a result, I don’t look like I have an impairment . Pain is invisible so they don’t know and cannot tell that my pain level is a 1/10 (I know, very funny) or 8/10 today.

International Day for Disabled Persons

December 3rd 2020

The annual observance of the International Day of Disabled Persons was proclaimed in 1992 by the United Nations General Assembly resolution 473. It aims to promote the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities in all spheres of society and development, and to increase awareness of the situation of persons with disabilities in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life. It also aims to promote an understanding of disability issues and mobilize support for the dignity, rights and well-being of persons with disabilities.

International Day of Persons With Disability
December 3, 2020

Disabled Persons Have No Quality of Life, According to One Hospital

On June 11th, Michael Hickson, a quadriplegic black man with COVID-19 died in an Austin Texas hospital.

What makes this unique is that without consulting the family, the doctors determined that he had no quality of life due to his disability and other medical issues. Because he was not healthy prior to his contracting COVID, the physicians determined that his life was not worth attempting to save.

The following conversation between his doctor and his wife was caught on audio & posted on youtube

Doctor: So as of right now, his quality of life — he doesn’t have much of one.

Melissa: What do you mean? Because he’s paralyzed with a brain injury he doesn’t have quality of life?

Doctor: Correct.

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Hickson was refused food or treatment for 6 days

In the YouTube video show at the bottom, the doctor can be heard saying “he will have lines and tubes coming out of his body… That’s not quality-of-life.” It is if they sustain you while your fight a disease.

Apparently my definition & his/the hospital’s definition of quality is vastly different.

We love be in a culture that doesn’t see disabled life as quality despite the fact a quarter of the US population & 22% of the Canadian population are living with a disability in some form of another.

So, for persons with disabilities, this is super scary. Does this mean with my multiple medical issues, I would not be considered ‘on worth’ saving aswell?

With this l MD of attitude in the medical community, us with disabilities have every rightly to be concerned & even afraid.

So, when you see me repeatedly pushing about masks, paying attention to disabled (& elderly for that matter) people, and maintaining social distance I have a very valid & legitimate reason for promoting this issue.

Do Not sweep this under the rug. Your disabled friends are in serious, potential danger. Our lives are at extra risk.

We must unite and fight this!

Chronic Pain and Inactivity

The Relationship Between Chronic Pain and Inactivity: The Disuse Syndrome
By William W. Deardorff, PhD, ABPP
8/26/15

Original post:
http://www.spine-health.com/blog/relationship-between-chronic-pain-and-inactivity-disuse-syndrome

If you suffer from chronic pain of almost any type, you are at risk for developing a physical “disuse” syndrome.

What is disuse syndrome?

Basically, it describes the effects on the body and mind when a person is sedentary.

Disuse syndrome was first characterized around 1984 and, since that time, has received much attention in relation to back pain problems, other chronic pain disorders, and other illnesses. It has been generalized beyond chronic pain problems and some feel it is related to “the base of much human ill-being.”

The disuse syndrome is caused by physical inactivity and is fostered by our sedentary society.

Effects of disuse syndrome

This disuse of our bodies leads to a deterioration of many body functions. This is basically an extension of the old adage “Use it or lose it.”

There are several physical consequences from disuse. These occur in many body systems, most notably those of the muscles and skeleton, cardiovascular, blood components, the gastrointestinal system, the endocrine systems, and the nervous system. For instance, consider the following:

• In the musculoskeletal system, disuse of muscles can rapidly lead to atrophy and muscle wasting. If you have ever had an arm or a leg in a cast, you will be familiar with the fact that the diameter of the affected limb may be noticeably smaller after being immobilized for some time.
• Cardiovascular effects also occur due to disuse including a decrease in oxygen uptake, a rise in systolic blood pressure, and an overall blood plasma volume decrease of 10 to 15 percent with extended bed rest.
• Physical inactivity also leads to nervous system changes, including slower mental processing, problems with memory and concentration, depression, and anxiety.

A key factor in chronic pain

Many other detrimental physiological changes also occur. Disuse has been summarized as follows: “Inactivity plays a pervasive role in our lack of wellness. Disuse is physically, mentally, and spiritually debilitating.” Many experts believe that the disuse syndrome is a key variable in the perpetuation of many chronic pain problems.

The disuse syndrome can result in a myriad of significant medical problems and increase the likelihood of a chronic pain syndrome developing or becoming worse.

Unfortunately, common attitudes and treatments in the medical community often lead to more passive treatment without paying attention to physical activity and exercise (of any type).

The disuse syndrome can also lead to a variety of emotional changes that are associated with an increased perception of pain.

So, what to do?

So, if you are suffering from disuse syndrome, you may be wondering what you can do about it. It can be overwhelming for some people in chronic pain to consider how to get moving. In my next blog post, I will discuss some practical ways you can take some positive steps to get more mobile.

Learn more from additional resources:

• Chronic Pain As a Disease: Why Does It Still Hurt?
• Depression and Chronic Back Pain
• Chronic Pain Coping Techniques – Pain Management
• Diagnosis of Depression and Chronic Back Pain
• 4 Tips to Help Cope With Chronic Pain and Depression
• Chronic Pain and Insomnia: Breaking the Cycle

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I discussed this in a previous post entitled ” The Consequence of Doing Nothing”.. Check out my take on this

Tech Empowering the Disabled

Smart canes and wheelchairs among tech empowering the disabled at CES (Consumer Electronics Show).. check out the gizmos for the disabled from the 2017 show…

Smart canes and wheelchairs among tech empowering the disabled at CES

Invisible Illnesses – Don’t judge

You don’t have to see a disability for it to be there. Spread kindness, not judgment.

From Chronic Illness on The Mighty.

Not All Disabilities Are Visible

Not All Disabilities Are Visible
By Kate Mitchell, May 3, 2016

Original Post: Huffington Post

Too often recently, friends or online acquaintances of mine have been accused of faking their disability. I personally am also disabled. I have autoimmune arthritis, fibromyalgia, anemia of chronic inflammation, and asthma. I’ve been in pain every day since 2001, and over the past 6 years, it has become moderate to severe every day. I experience pain in 54 joints. I am unable to work full-time or go to school full-time at the moment. I take 40 pills a day and 4 inhalers. I’m at the doctor every single week. I’ve had 5 surgeries. But you would never know any of this by just looking at a picture of me. And I’m not alone, as the vast majority of people who have disabilities have invisible ones. But because the majority of people have the idea that everyone who is disabled looks disabled, too many treat disabled people poorly. They shame them, don’t allow them to park in certain places, don’t allow them to use a wheelchair, and more. This is so beyond not okay, and it stems from the misconception that everyone who is disabled looks disabled.

What makes someone disabled? The definition of disabled is “incapacitated by illness or injury” or “physically or mentally impaired in a way that substantially limits activity especially in relation to employment or education.” As I learned while studying for my degree in secondary education, someone is handicapped if their incapacitation is temporary and disabled if it is permanent. For example, someone who has had ankle surgery is handicapped until they recover. If you’d like to read more about this, Emory University School of Medicine has a great explanation.

Everyone who is disabled looks disabled, right? Nope! As the folks at Invisible Illness Awareness Week figured out based on data from the 2002 US Census Bureau, 96 percent of people who live with an illness live with an invisible one, and 73 percent of people who live with a severe disability do not use devices like a wheelchair. This means that when you look at them, you wouldn’t know that they’re disabled. Think about how many people you see who are clearly disabled during an average week. Statistically, for every person you’ve seen who looks disabled, you’ve seen at least 4 more who are disabled but don’t look it.

So how can you tell if someone is disabled? Often, you can’t, so if someone says that they are, you need to take them at their word. If someone looks fine but parks in disabled parking — and have a placard for it — you can’t accuse them of faking it. If someone looks fine but wants or needs a wheelchair, don’t question it.

At the same time, we do need to make sure that people who don’t have disabled parking don’t park in those spots. They also can’t park there with their blinkers on while they wait for someone. If you believe that you should be able to park there because of a health issue, talk to your doctor. If your doctor disagrees with you, don’t park there. If your doctor agrees with you, you still need to wait until you get your placard in the mail before you park there. Anyone who parks in the disabled parking spots without a placard of plate is breaking the law.

What can you do about that? If you see someone park in the disabled parking spot without a placard, call them out on it or write down their license plate and contact the police. People parking in those spots without a placard are breaking the law pure and simple. The more they get away with it, the more they will do it. Oh, and doing this can prevent someone who needs it from going somewhere and doing something they can’t do without the parking. However, before bringing it up with someone, double check to see if they have a placard and you just can’t see it. Verbally attacking someone because you don’t think they’re disabled makes their life already harder than it needs to be.

Five Things to Know About CFS

Five Things You Should Know About CFS
by Amanda Rinkel
May 7th, 2009

I’ve already kicked off International Chronic Fatigue Syndrome & Fibromyalgia Awareness Day on May 12 a little early with my post on Five Things You Should Know About Fibromyalgia, and I’ve returned with more information, but this time about the chronic illness Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Once again, no hilarity, no breaking news stories, just some information I think you should know.

Five Things You Should Know About Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

1. The hallmark of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is fatigue, but it isn’t “normal” fatigue. When a healthy person is tired, they can rest or sleep to relieve fatigue, but a person with CFS cannot. Sleep and rest don’t help and activity can make the exhaustion worse.

2. Up to 75 percent of patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome potentially have or have been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia as well. That is up to 3 million people.

3. There are 4,000 confirmed abnormalities between a CFS patient and a healthy individual, yet none of these abnormalities have been identified as a cause or as a diagnostic marker.

4. 1-4 million people in the United States have CFS yet only 20 percent have been properly diagnosed with the illness and are receiving the proper treatment.

5. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome has been said to be as functionally disabling as Multiple Sclerosis, AIDS, End-stage Renal Disease and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

To learn more check out www.wamcare.org.

Soource: blog.su-spectator.com

Five Things to Know About Fibromyalgia

Five Things You Should Know About Fibromyalgia
by Amanda Rinkel
May 5th, 2009

International Chronic Fatigue Syndrome & Fibromyalgia Awareness Day is next week on May 12th. I’m going to take a break from articles on internet wastes of time, movie reviews and news updates. Instead I’m going to take a moment to highlight these illnesses and the necessity for awareness.

Five Things You Should Know About Fibromyalgia

1. 3-8 million people in the United States have Fibromyalgia and up to 80% are women.

2. Fibromyalgia most commonly hits between the ages of 20-40 years old, at the “prime of life.”

3. It has been nick-named “the pain disease” because of the characteristic wide-spread, migrating body pain patients have. The pain has been described differently by each patient from dull aches to deep bone pain to burning, tearing, singeing, stabbing or shooting. The breadth of pain descriptions is what makes diagnosis difficult.

4. People with Fibromyalgia have cognitive difficulties, such as memory problems and attention issues, that has been nicknamed “Fibro fog” or “brain fog.”

5. Fibromyalgia is considered as functionally disabling as rheumatoid arthritis but is much less accepted and recognized by both the medical establishment, Social Security and the community at large.

To learn more check out www.fmsaware.org.

Soource: blog.su-spectator.com