Return to work or disability

disability takes 2 years if a person is suffering from cancer treatment.  Head and neck cancer is on the list of quicker paying disabilities.  I'm sure someone here has done it.

I went back to work 6 weeks after treatment, and I was very fatigued.  Treatment ended the end of August, and I started coming back to my regular self about March....Food was still iffy and I was using my tube...plus I had to have water everywhere I went.  I worked a desk job...night shift....but it could be very stressful.  One thing it did do was put my life back into a normalicy, and I had to think of things other than cancer.  That was a plus.  I didn't come all the way back until the next June, tho.

p

I had my larynx removed and neck dissection on both sides, but didn't have Chemo or Radiation. I also am stage 3 COPD and have both conditions, emphysema and bronchitis. I do have a prosthesis in my throat so I can talk and went back in 10 weeks. I did good but my emphysema got worse so my doctor took me out on disability, and I can't go back to work. I was lucky in that I was 62 at the time. I also had a great company to work for. I thought I had to retire, but was told by my company. I was to go out on short term Disability [6 months] then I will be swithced to long term which is 24 months. By doing that I stay on the books and under their insurance, and I only pay the same as when I worked and they pay for all my benefits, life, vission, dental, and medical.

Some of the H&N cancers can go out on disability and to the front of the line in a way. Where is is and if you have chemo and radiation does matter. Cobra is expensive and you have to really watch out on "Obama" care as it costs a lot and does very little. You can go online and check Social Security and see how much it will pay. If you have enough hours to qualify, and what you would get monthly [which is close to what full age retirement is. Now you need to understand that the "Two" year wait is from when you were first, disabled with a max of 12 months back +5 months wait for dissability. Which means if you were first taken off work over more than a year ago, they count that time so the wait might be only one year. Not much but it could help as you can be long term disabled from work for 24 months and SSDI will count that time. It is very complated but it can shorten the wait. Not sure if this will even help. You can sometimes get insurance less than cobra, but watch out for the deductables. My Son had what they called insurance through work, but it had a $7500 deductable then it only would pay 60% when it was met.

I hope someone that is younger like in there 40's and 50's might have some help.

Bill

Yes indeed its tough getting back to work after treatment as I believe ALL will be fighting with fatigue. I can recalled mine As well.  For the first 2 weeks, I just kept on sleeping and eating, though mouth was dry and food sucks due to lost of taste buds.  I finished my treatment in May 2013 (left mandibular tumour) and I was extremely fed up of the fatigue that I'm encountering. I decided on my running hobby and started to exercise. Start slow n just add on a little time to time. Im glad i did as my energy level slowly claws back.  Today I have finished 3 marathons and am running 6 times a week, minimum 10km per session.  My energy level has came back even stronger. All this was done with determination and I'm really happy to get my butt out of that fatigue zone.  Also try getting some old ginger n boil them and drink.  It certainly helps.  Find out more about Origin Point Medicine Or some may call it Origin Point Therapy By Dr Chang.

Hope your hubby can get back his energy level soon. Hugs and positive prayers sent.

Contact the American Cancer Society , you can get their phone number or just do it through CSN. They can give you a lot of help. You are correct he will be able to get Medicare 2 years from the date he went on disability, I have the same problem and just hope & pray I don’t get sick in the meantime.

Will be keeping you both in my prayers

Tim

Hello there,

In my experience and from what I have learned,  disability can have an advantage (as long as you have a historical paying job that has paid into YOUR fund ) over worrying about going back to work earlier than your body wants you too.  I want to go back to work so badly that 4 walls are breaking me down and cabin fever is running through me.  Without disclosing everything not needed, I can tell you that my SSDI is equal to working for almost $15 an hour based on 160 work hours a month. Increased a little because it is tax free and you don't pay taxes at the end of the year. That's a rough 20-23% pay increase on the payout side of it. I have 2 stage 4 metastatic cancers and going back to work is not on my list indefinitely although there are programs to work to get out of the house and be somewhat productive for those with pride issues, including myself.  

My Cobra insurance was going to be $660 a month (that's crazy!!!) as I was only paying $43 bi-weekly through my employer. Once I had exhausted short term benefits my SSDI had kicked in and that payout was greater than long term benefits and it was decided I could not return to work a month later and FMLA ran out so my employer had no obligations left for me and terminated me.  Luckily, that was last December and in January I went to private insurance (while waiting for Medicare to come available) and through the state program my insurance premium is matched (because of the disability) by the state 50/50. So, in all I will share my insurance is $127 a month with a better deductible plan than  my employer had and I really am not paying much more ( a little) and what I am I have exchanged for a lower deductible. 

I have only been out of treatment since Christmas Eve. 35 radiation treatments, 4 rounds of chemo (7 weeks per round) so I am still in recovery mode and searching for options to work that will allow me to make additional income. All I know about that is that the limits are that you cannot make more than $810 (gross) a month and you have to register with the Ticket to Work program or your SSDI benefits will be reduced or suddenly taken away from you.

My point to this all is that there are ways to improve your financial securities and options available for those who can't sit still. There are just ways to go about making it happen so you can have a little better peace of mind, be productive and recover specifically to your case. Wish you all well.

rcaulder said:

Work

I worked all the way through treatment. My treatment included 35 radiation treatments and 7 Erbitux for stage 4 tonsil cancer. Treatment ended this past July.  I missed a total of 70 hours. We are all different. I just choose not to allow this disease to debilitate me.   

to let this disease be debilitating. It is more complex than a "mind over matter" equation. As you said we are all different, and our bodies respond to treatment in different ways. My husband also worked through much of his treatment and missed time when he had to be hospitalized for neutropenia, twice. He battles fatigue everyday now that he is 6 months out - due in part to the fact that dry mouth and secondary side effects prevent him from sleeping well. We are hoping things improve with time.

Barbara