Stage IIIC2 endometriosis

Kaleena said:

Hello!

Hello Debra:

So sorry for your diagnosis but glad you found this site.   I was diagnosed with Stage iii grade 2 endometrial adenocarcinoma in September of 2005.   I also did the chemo but only had 3 intrnal brachytherapies.    

Are you saying you are stressed that you were approved for disability or stressing because you are trying to get approved for disability?    

Glad you are doing well otherwise.

My best to you.

 

Kathy

Hello, and thank you for the welcome,  I am stressed because I am waiting for an answer from disability!

It happened to Me said:

Welcome Debra

Sorry you had to join the group but glad you found this group. I am fairly new and I am amazed at the knowledge, love and support that these women provide a person.  I was dx June, 2013 with UPSC IIIA Grade 3   (Uterine Papillary Serous Carcinoma) which is a rare cancer.  Hysterectomy, July, 2013, and 6 rds of Chemo. beginning August, 2013.  I am currently 7 months NED.   I am self-employed and know what it's like to apply for disability.  I love this group and the knowledge and love and encouragement they provide. 

Jeanette

Thank you so much for the welcome!  Just taking one day at a time for now

Hybridspirits said:

disability

Welcome and i am also glad you have made it through  your treatmemt.  The last thing you need is to be stressed due to is disabilty, so I am hoping they can realize that and follow through soon.  At my company they approved the disablity and wanted me out longer than I felt I needed.  Maybe it is summer and they are low on staff. I am hoping they get through what they need and approve it quickly. 

I am told it takes a long time for SSD to come to a decision.  I havent worked for 13 months because of my cancer so this is permanent disability I am waiting for, I have exhausted all my state disability (EDD).

Abbycat2 said:

Hi, Debra

Hi, Debra,

I am glad to hear that you have finished your treatment and are on the road to healing.  Do you know what stage and grade cancer you were diagnosed with?  I am familiar with Social Security Disability Income (SSDI)  and Social Security Income (SSI) as I have worked in the social service profession for nearly 40 years. My current work involves Social Security as my agency provides services to individuals with disabilities. Some of these individuals receive either SSDI or SSI and have a "Ticket to Work" under the Social Security Administration.  I won't go into the Ticket to Work program here  unless there is someone who would like to know more about it.  Under the Americans with Disabilities ACT (ADA), individuals diagnosed with metastatic cancer are considered to be individuals with a disability. So that includes me.  I may qualify for SSDI if I have earned enough work units to have paid into Medicare and if I am A). Not working and am unable to return to my profession for at least 12 months due to a qualifying disability or B.)  I am working part-time and not earning more than approximately $1040.00 per month and I have a qualifying disability. I believe I read that if you are diagnosed with metastatic ovarian cancer with distant metastasis you can qualify for SSDI- assuming you have had a long enough work history - under the "Compassionate Allowances" heading. That means, you can qualify and start receiving benefits very quickly (My friend diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer qualified for SSDI this way).  Not so, I think, with uterine cancer with distant metastasis. I am working full-time and cannot qualify at this time for SSDI. However, knowing what I know, if my cancer spreads to distant areas in my body and I'm not feeling well enough to continue to work, I will quit my job and immediately apply for SSDI. I would also apply for Workman's Comp as I would qualify if I quit my job due to a serious illness. If, for some reason, Social Security denies my claim for benefits, I would hire a lawyer and appeal.  If I then qualify, I would receive- in addition to my monthly SSDI benefit- a lump sum from either the time I applied for SSDI and was subsequently denied or possibly from the time I was first diagnosed with UPSC.  I am not certain which applies. So, for example, let's say I applied for SSDI on January 1,2014 and was denied.  I then appeal the denial, hire a lawyer to represent me, and then I am awarded SSDI on July 1st, 2014.  I would definitely receive a lump sum payment for those 6 months between January 1, 2014 and June 30th, 2014. What I am unsure of is whether or not that lump sum would include the months prior to my initial application date of January 1,2014 , beginning with my initial diagnosis with cancer. Someone here may be able to answer that question.  The nice part about hiring a lawyer, so I've heard, is that the lawyer's fee comes out of that lump sum benefit. As you likely know, once you qualify for SSDI, you will then qualify for Medicare 24 months later. I am 61-years-old and can expect to receive Medicare benefits at age 65 unless I qualify for SSDI sooner and two years have passed by. I would either have to pay for Cobra benefits through my employer or possibly look into health insurance through the Affordable Care Act so that I have health insurance during that two-year waiting period for Medicare. Whatever I decide, I must make certain that my treating oncologist will accept the insurance I select.  SSI applies to individuals with qualifying disabilities who do not have a work history or have not worked long enough to qualify for SSDI. Think of a youngster with an intellectual diability who is 18-years-old and has no work history. That child could qualify for SSI as well as Medicaid. I hope this information is helpful to you.

Best of luck with your situation.

Cathy

Hi Kathy,  I have stage IIIC2 endometriosis /uterine cancer, I have been out of work for 13 months.  I am 60 years old. I applied 5 months ago and I am in contact with my social security case worker who is currently waiting on the report from the mental health doctor they asked me to see.  She said he has until Sept 5 to provide them with the report and at that time she will forward everything she has received from all 3 doctors that treat me. My cancer spread to all lymenotes (can't spell it lol) and to my spine.

according to the soc sec blue book I seem to qualify for disability!  Who knows please advise and let me know your thoughts on my  qualifications   and thank you so much for your expertise.

One more thing what if I am in remission back have side affect problems would I still qualify ?? 

Deb

Abbycat2 said:

SSDI & Medicare

Deb, given the information you just provided here, I am certain that you will qualify for SSDI even if you go into remission (which could very well happen and I'm counting on that!).  The condition with your spine will be included in the SSDI decision making process.  The entire SSDI application and approval process can be nerve-racking and rather slow.  Getting the appropriate medical reports is often the reason why it takes so long to be approved.  I know about that because in my work we also have to obtain documentation of an impediment to employment or disability.  If someone applies for assistance and that person is missing the lower half of his arm, and anyone with vision could recognize that, we still have to get a medical report indicating that the person has a below the elbow amputation! Rediculous, isn't it??  You are about my age and I know for myself affordable insurance coverage figures into my plans for the future. Do you have that covered, especially for that two-year wait period while receiving SSDI for Medicare?  How is your spine at this point? Hopefully, you are receiving treatment for it and are doing better. 

Warm Regards, Cathy      

 

 

 

 

Hi Cathy,  no on the spine except for tylenol.   However I have just emailed my doctor because the pain  is becoming to much for me, she took me off of motrin because of the stomach problem that just startedi with me a couple of weeks ago so I am really feeling the pain and it is affecting my ability to walk around, sit or stand for any length of time.  I am also starting my app't for behavior health do to my depression on Sept 5.  I just want to thank you so much for your answer's they have calmed me down about this disability experience.  And please stay in touch with me and yes I pray for remission as well, my oncologist has told me that the cancer is heritatary so she said if I go into remission it will come back we just dont know when but I don't think about that because I am so blessed, my surgery had me on my death bed in icu for 3 days all organs shut down and i was on machines all that time as my daughter was being prepared for my passing by the doctors.  But I fooled them, overnight everything kicked in and I was off machines in a matter of hours pretty amazing the power of prayer...  I left the hospital 2 days later and haven't been back. Yeah!!!!!  Except for chemo. Lol

Abbycat2 said:

oh,my Deb

Hi, Deb,

This cancer thing is such a crap shoot!  My gynecologic oncologist told me that some women with high grade UPSC with a low stage - stage 1 or 2- die very quickly while others with a high stage- stage 3 or 4- can live a very long time and even never have a recurrence! I have discovered as a woman diagnosed with stage 3A UPSC last November, 2013, that no one has a crystal ball about how anyone will respond to cancer treatment or how long a person may live with cancer .  Doctors do not know enough about cancer and how anyone individual will respond to  treatment. We are all a statistic of just one person after all!  So, let's say that 95% of all women diagnosed with your stage and grade of uterine cancer pass away from the disease within 5 years.  You cannot give up hope because you could very well be part of the 5% who do quite well and even beat this terrible disease! Who really knows what will happen in the future to any of us? Look how you pulled through even when the doctors were preparing your daughter for your passing. Ha, fooled them didn't you?!  I am very glad that I have been able to help you with this SSDI concern. I have not posted much about my professional background as I didn't thinK my "expertise" had much to do with what we women here are facing. So to have been a help to you brings me joy.  I worked in the mental health profession for a good part of my career and I am glad to see that you have decided to receive help for your depression. Did you know that depression is the most common ailment to mankind?  And so - so many people suffer from it when treatment is readily available and helpful? Sad-sad-sad: The stigma of "mental illness" is so terribly prevalent in our society and it is so very wrong. For the most part, chronic depression has to do with the biochemistry of the brain- those pesky little neuro-transmitters have a heck of a lot to do with depression. A "reactive depression"due to the loss of health (like what we have faced) or the death of a loved one is considered normal as long as it resolves at some point in the next year or so. If it doesn't or if it has been too difficult to cope with, it is a wise choice to get professional help. I remember years ago when I was a mental health therapist at a local community mental health center asking clients: If you broke your arm would you treat it yourself? Oh, of course not, they would say!! Then I would say, perhaps this is an example of a time when professional help is required to deal with an emotional "broken arm".   Knowing what I know, I wouldn't hesitate to get help from a psychiatrist (for meds) or a psychologist or social worker for counseling. Life is so very short for all of us to spend any of it feeling despair!

Have a comfortable evening,

Cathy

 

You are so right about this in so many ways,  all we can do is live day by day and do the best for ourselves through this difficult journey.  I have had a good attitude through this even with all the pain and it is what it is but it is much better talking to people who can relate to what we are going through.  Thank you so very much for all your help!  I go to my oncologist 8/28 and I will find out when my pet scan will be. ( scary). But hopeful.  I will keep in touch and post everything from here on out in case it can help another person in our situation.  Have a great!  Talk to you soon!!!