DISABILITY

Agencies
Have you checked within your local county for support services, checked with your local church, goodwill, salvation army, etc.? Have you tried unemployment?

I lost my job in Oct 2008 and went through all our 401(k) monies and had no savings, but was able to find a contract / temp position in March 09. Making 1/2 of what I was, but we are scrapping by right now.

Have you tried applying for the Govenment Home Program for refinancing or modifying your current mortgage?

If you have a Wal-Mart near by or Dollar Store those are great places to get school supplies. Goodwill is good for clothes along with thirt stores.

I have always LOVED Wal-Mart, you could say I am a spokes person for them . I have been shopping with them for over 10 years. I save money on everything.

Yard sale is another way to get rid of a lot of unused stuff as well as making some extra monies. You could actually get the kids involved with this as well. Let them sell items of their own they no longer want and keep the monies.

Sundanceh said:

Disability
Hi Winnie

Where I work, that is not the case. You can apply and go out on disability for up to 6 months. The first 3 months they have to hold your current position...between months 3-6 they can replace your position but have to find somewhere else in the company for you to work.

FMLA, the Family Medical Leave Act can protect your job for 3 months, but in my case I would have 3 more months to stay inside the company.

After 6 months they consider you terminated...I've been out twice and had to fight real hard to get back to hold my current position no matter what - lose my job with my medical condition, who would want me and we would go down like the Titantic. So, that's the biggest fight of my life, not the Cancer itself, but keeping enough money to keep us afloat. It gets harder and harder.

I'm saddened by your story...I think it's wrong that we get Cancer, and then our whole lives turn upside down and we have a hard time making it - I read about it every day but hearing it again from someone who "you know" and we're getting to know you, is really wrong.

I feel for your kids as well. But it's not your fault that you got sick...and hopefully this is a tough chapter of your life, and you'll get better and things can ease up on you. This is what I hope for you.

Best Wishes
-Craig

Financial Resources for Cancer Patients
Winney:

I'm so sorry your family faces not only serious illnesses but financial issues as well.

Here is the web address of a list of resources that might be useful to you: (You will have to copy this address and paste it into your web browser. I don't know how to make the link active on this board.)

http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Support/financial-resources


Hatshepsut

SS Disability
I found it extremely easy to get SS Disability. My husband filled out all the forms online, the next day I had to fax a signed form to them and in five days I was approved. The thing is in Arkansas you have to be out of work for five months before you can start receiving a check. My five months was over in June, so I'll get my July's SS check the 12th of August. And, if I needed it, I would be automatically approved for Medicare. My husband is retired military, though, and his insurance is covering all of our medical expenses right now. Starting in October, I'll have a $300 co-pay and have to start paying 20% of my doctor's bills. But as soon as I've paid $3,000, Champus will start paying it all again.
I have stage IV colon cancer and, according to the person at SS I talked to, that is an automatic approval for SS Disability. I can still work part time, but not make more than $900 a month and still receive all my SS Disability. Unfortunately, I can't work part time at my old job, even though they would love to have me, because of my chemo brain. I can't remember what I've accomplished even five minutes after I do it. I don't know of many places that would let you work like that.
I'm sorry you are having to go through this and I hope you can get some much needed help.

Debbie

disbility
If you've already completed your short term disability period, you can apply for long term disability benefits through social security. You can go to local office to get info and paperwork or go online to start the process. you will have to fill out lots of forms(IT'S A GOVET AGENCY!) AND GET YOUR MEDICAL RECORDS etc...

idlehunters said:

I agree with Debbie and
I agree with Debbie and Pam..... VERY easy to get disability if you are stage IV. Automatic approval in 5 days. There is that 5 month waiting period though. Go for it... you paid it in.

Jennie

I copied and pasted this for
I copied and pasted this for you,you might want to look in to it.


The Disability Discrimination Act - U.K..................DEFINITION OF DISABILITY

By Terry Gallagher


You can find the Act in Word format at: DEFINITION OF DISABILITY

The Key section is:

"1.4 day-to-day activities

Day-to-day activities are normal activities carried out by most people on a regular basis, and must involve one of the following broad categories

· mobility - moving from place to place
· manual dexterity - for example, use of the hands
· physical co-ordination
· continence
· the ability to lift, carry or move ordinary objects
· speech, hearing or eyesight
· memory, or ability to concentrate, learn or understand
· being able to recognise physical danger"


'continence' is one of the automatically qualifying conditions. The three most common types of stoma, colostomy, ileostomy and urostomy, are all classified as 'incontinent stomas' since the person has not voluntary control over their 'working', whereas a catheterised stoma, such as a Koch pouch, modifies continence form normal, requiring the use of a catheter to empty the pouch. All of the above are covered by this definition and are legally classed as 'disabled' so enjoying protection under the act.

Further, those with reconnect surgery are also covered under this section because their continence is modified by the need to use the toilet more frequently. For once it seems, an act has been cleverly worded to include all of the people it is designed to protect - that includes us!

For the act to apply to you, you must inform either your manager or HR that you are covered by the act - best to give this in writing and ask that one copy of it be signed and dated by the person you give it to as proof that the firm/company or w.h.y? are aware and have been informed. Your letter should state that you are covered by the DDA as a result of a continence issue and say which sort of stoma you have - this can save problems later over the 'We weren't fully informed'. You should also include what allowances you require (and please note, this is a legal requirement on the company) to allow you to work for that company. These might include access to a disabled toilet with changing facilities for you to change your pouch and clothes in the case of a leak with a clinical waste bin in the toilet for you to dispose of soiled stoma products. You would also say that you require to be allowed to use the toilet whenever your stoma requires emptying or attention. This is particularly relevant for, say, a call centre, where leaving one's phone is frowned upon and toilet breaks are recorded. You should also state that your toilet breaks may require a longer time than a non-disabled person because of the difference in time required to attend to your stoma. Just to be complete, you also should state that you require time off during working hours to attend follow up appointments at the hospital for check ups on your stoma. In my case, this is every six months for each of my stomas. {I'm greedy - I have urostomy and ileostomy these days.}

It is best to 'set out your stall' with regard to what you need at the start of claiming coverage so that the management are fully aware of the consequences. They cannot sack you for this, by the way, as you are protected by the DDA and would have a right to go to an Industrial Tribunal where the company would be found to be in breech of the Act - that's why you need to be as up front about your needs as possible.

In summary, inform your company in writing and get a signed and dated copy. The Act is there to protect people with stomas.

By Terry Gallagher