After my botched surgery in May of 2012, I filled out a claim for Social Security Disability. The claim was mailed off in July of 2012, before I was completely back in touch with reality. I had no idea what to put on the claim where it asks you what is wrong with you that makes you disabled. Even though all this stuff happened to ME, I was unconscious most of the time that it was happening. I knew that things weren’t right, but I did not know what to call my malady. So, when I was filling out the form, I called Social Security and talked to a nice lady on the phone, and she said “Just put whatever you think it is, and we will go from there.” So, I put the diagnosis that was on my hospital discharge summary. Although I was not real clear at that time what all that jargon meant, basically what I wrote was that I was disabled because I had a colostomy. And that is not true.
Over the next several months, I learned more about what had happened to me, from talking to my husband, who was mostly there when all the stuff was happening; from reading my medical records that I ordered from the hospital; and from googling terms I did not understand. I discovered that 1. I could have died on that operating table, 2. In addition to the surgery to install the colostomy, I was operated on five other times to clean out my abdominal cavity from the sepsis I developed because the repair to my intestine ruptured, 3. I developed abdominal compartment syndrome, 4. My abdomen was left open for five days while they worked to get rid of the infection there, 5. My abdomen had swelled so much during this process that the doctor could not reattach my abdominal muscles when they finally did close me up.
All of the things listed above 2-5 have worked together to cause me to have chronic pain in my abdomen, in the area where the incision was made (and we are taking about an incision about 12 inches long and 4 inches wide, not a small opening) and in my back up to my shoulder blade and to my spine on the right side. There is no muscle to support my abdomen and all the stuff that is in there like my stomach and my intestines, and my bladder and stuff like that. Because there is no muscular support, I have to wear a hernia belt 24/7. Even with wearing the hernia belt, the weight of my abdomen pulls on my body, making the pain intensify the longer I sit upright without my feet up, like in a recliner, or the longer I stand or walk. I have been taking 40 mg of percocet a day ever since I got home from Arizona in November 2012 and got to my primary care doctor.
Just for giggles, think about every movement you make during the course of your day that uses your abdominal muscles. Getting out of a chair. getting into bed, getting into and out of a car, sweeping mopping, doing laundry, washing dishes, making up the bed, sewing, gardening, and on and on. All of the things that you think about during the day that uses your abdominal muscles, those are the things that make me hurt more. And that is why I am disabled. I have to be zonked on pain meds to not be in pain just from living my everyday life. I aslo have to take an antidepressant, and a sleeping pill to help me sleep. The sleeping pill makes me sleep too much, but if I don’t take it, I lay in bed with my mind racing and my pain heckling me and I don’t sleep.
But, when I filled out my disability claim, I did not know to write all that down on that little line where they asked me what my disability was. So, three times, they denied my claim because “Having a colostomy is not a disability.” I have waited more than two years for a hearing in front of Social Security Judge. I finally went to that hearing last week. There was me, my attorney, a court reporter, the judge and an occupational therapist in the room. The judge asked me several questions, and I answered them as best I could. I heard myself say “I don’t recall” once and I nearly cringed that I said that.
After the Judge asked me his question, my attorney asked me some questions, and I answered those. Then the judge said to the occupational therapist, “Mrs. Fabgrandma can not bend at the waist, kneel, squat, crawl, walk for longer than 10 minutes, stand for longer than 10 mintues, turn from side to side at the waist, sit upright for longer than an hour, or lift anything over 5 pounds. Are there any jobs in this job market that would be able to accommodate her problems?” And the lady said, “No, your honor, there are not.”
And with that statement from the OT, the judge said he was going to approve my claim, and said he “admired my fighting spirit” which was from things he had read in my medical records from my primary care physician, and my psychiatrist.
FabGrandma, so glad you won your appeal. That must have been a huge relief.
The process for all of this stuff is so convoluted. I know much of the hassle is because so many people try to game the system, but it seems that they really do need to review the entire application process.
You have been through so much. I am very glad the judge approved your claim.
Glad to hear all worked out, claims are so tedious.
Congrats on getting approved!
the claims process is so aggravating! YAY FOR APPROVED!!!
Oh my goodnesss what a long process , so happy it all worked out and congrats on getting approved.
Oh my gosh I’m sorry you had to go through all that – but I can empathize with your struggles with disability. My mom has a very rare auto-immune disorder, and the fact that the dr’s don’t even know or understand a lot about it did not help much when fighting for disability. She was finally approved too, but it was a very painful and frustrating process because it was very clear, that nobody was ever going to hire her again. (She worked up until the day she landed in the hospital after suddenly falling ill and nobody could figure out why.)
I’m sorry to hear/read about your unfortunate surgery but I’m happy to know you got approved finally. TheFabZilla says to FabGrandma.xo
I am so glad this is finally straightened out. It makes me wonder how many other seriously disabled people are getting frustrated by the system, mostly because of inaccurate reporting.
So glad you got the approval, I am sure it’s not easy being in pain anytime you use your abdominal muscles which is a lot of time
I am sorry you are struggling with health problems but I am glad you have one burden lifted off your shoulders.
Congratulations! I’m sure you are glad to have the whole case behind you.
Congrats on getting approved! As I nurse I know what a ruptured bowel can do and I HAVE seen people die from it. So glad things are on the up swing even if you still can’t function properly.
So glad you finally won. Getting a disability claimed approved is a nightmare. I have learned through being a social worker that the 1st time for sure you will get denied. Why I have no clue. Sometimes I feel like they just do it to everyone because they have nothing better to do. UGH. Congratulations though I know it has been a long stressful journey.
Oh my goodness all that you had to go through you poor thing 🙁 SO glad that they finally approved you. Thank heavens!
Fantastic to hear! So sorry you’ve gone through all of this, though 🙁
It is awesome that your claim was finally approved. So sad to hear it took so long though. I didn’t realize just how much we depend on our abdominal muscles until I had my gallbladder removed in 2012. Even with just four small incisions, it was torture to move for the first few days. I couldn’t imagine having to endure that pain for years!! 🙁
I’m so happy you finally got everything you deserve. Living in constant pain can never be described in a happy little box, I can’t believe they jerked you around for so long.
Congrats! A good ending to a long journey.
OH! I am so glad to hear you won! Sorry it took so long, though!
It seems like all of the paperwork that is important is so complicated. One thing unclear and it works against you which is a shame. Glad you were finally approved.
What a frustrating journey you have been on. Congrats on finally getting the approval and hopefully some alleviation from the mental anguish!
Oh my gosh, Karen, I’m crying reading all this…what a nightmare! I can’t believe what you went through, but I am so, so, so, so happy you were finally approved, my dear friend 🙂 ((((hugs))))
Glad you finally got relief, even if it was just some financial relief!
The paper work and hoops you need to jump over in the system are so long drawn. At least it all ended well. Yay!!
My goodness, you have been through a lot! You’re such a strong lady. I’m so happy that you got approved!
I hate that you have to deal with the chronic pain, but yay that your approval came through!