I find it hard to "make" myself get up and go to work a little more often as time goes on and I'm afraid the day will come that I will have to make a choice as to how much I can and cant do.
Would most of you say you are able to continue working or did you have to go on disability?
If you aren't working how are you making it on such a low income?
Disability. I own a home with someone else. I have no idea on earth how people survive on Disability alone, although they are allowed to work a bit while on it. You'd probably be eligible for food stamps. Maybe a Section 8 certificate as well, to lower your housing costs. You can also be eligible for Medicare 2 years after you are officially declared disabled. But that only covers 80 percent of your medical expenses, though some states will kick in to help you.
I agree we get sick and are forced to live at a poverty level not able to afford needed items to help us cope with being sick. That just seems soo wrong. J
Never heard of a section 8.
I know the medication is outrageous.
For me it was getting more and more difficult to get ready and get to work on time. I had a ton of sick days and filled out paperwork for an intermittent leave of absence. When i couldn't make it i would be paid a sick day. Eventually i couldn't even do this any longer. I am currently on long term disability through work and will be applying for social security. I had no idea i was going to become this ill, i had been pushing myself through it for a long time because i was not getting a diagnoses. I was unable to work any longer in June 2014 and my diagnoses did not happen until Dec. Luckily i am married and i am currently on his health insurance. Otherwise the cobra alone would break me. I do not know how anyone can go through something like this without a good support system of friends and family. Good luck and best wishes.
That’s good info but scary too.
Everything you work for may go up in smoke.
I worked until it became impossible, 20 years too long, 3 medical leaves in 12 months and the doctor finally telling me if I keep pushing it will cost me my life, that was 7 years ago, overnight we lost my income about 2500 a month, we didn't lose all the bills and medical expenses though, it took over 2 years to finally get my disability, I was lucky we had savings and my husband has a good job with good medical benefits we barely survived financially, I would tell you work as long as you can but know the price maybe a lot more than you bargained for, take care of yourself good luck
Oh my, I can't believe that the day would come for me not to work. My doctor told me that I would be an insurance cause and he suggested that I STOP WORKING. I was a waitress , since the 10th grade 1984-85 til. 2011.Yes I didn't want this Life , having to rely on someone's help. To do Any and everything, including fighting S.S. 2x's to get it. That was the most annoying thing to have to do. Trust me , my doctor stood behide me /with me both times. My prayer's go out to you, and hope that you make the best decision for your future.
i had to stop working in 95......i have had lupus for going on 21yrs now, i make 920 a month on ssi...i live with my mom, she is 80 and i am 59....so together we get about 2700 a month, our house is payed off, and so we are pretty comfortable, if i did not have my wonderful mama to live with i would be in dire straits....purrs..catspaw1955
hi petunia, i am on ssi do i qualify for medicare, i have medicaid right now......purrs..catspaw1955
Petunia said:
Disability. I own a home with someone else. I have no idea on earth how people survive on Disability alone, although they are allowed to work a bit while on it. You'd probably be eligible for food stamps. Maybe a Section 8 certificate as well, to lower your housing costs. You can also be eligible for Medicare 2 years after you are officially declared disabled. But that only covers 80 percent of your medical expenses, though some states will kick in to help you.
eventually when my mama goes to heaven, i will only be getting 920 a month alone, so i too will be at poverty level, it makes me very afraid, our house is payed off, but it will be hard to make it....purrs..catspaw1955
Jeanie Street said:
I agree we get sick and are forced to live at a not able to afford needed items to help us cope with being sick. That just seems soo wrong. J
I live in a small home that I own with two mortgages, student loans, medical bills and every day utility bills. I'M NOT MAKING IT. If anything breaks in the house I'm in trouble. I get 1297 in disability. My student loans, I'll never be able to pay it off. I 'm trying to get them discharged for being on permanent disability but I'm finding out I'm not close enough to death(with stage lll kidney disease) to get the discharge, but I'm too close to death to get life insurance. Thank goodness my mother took out a small policy on me before she died. I had just got my Masters then I started to get really sick and had to stop work. I was working with disability as a substitute teacher. They will eventually catch you and review your case if you are working and on disability. First they told me I could work then I almost lost my disability. So been there and done that. My medical bills, even with Medicare keep piling up. I take 18 medications I have to pay for and life is just really hard. I'm in the red and I don't see myself getting out of this hole. I do get food stamps less than a 100 dollars. I wish I could work. Being on disability sucks. It's depressing. I have no purpose anymore. Good luck with your decision.
you will automatically get medicare after you've been on ssdi for 2 years, it costs about $100.00 per month, and pays 80% and you have to purchase separate coverage for prescriptions, where medicaid is free and covers everything. good luck with this
catspaw1955 said:
hi petunia, i am on ssi do i qualify for medicare, i have medicaid right now......purrs..catspaw1955
Petunia said:Disability. I own a home with someone else. I have no idea on earth how people survive on Disability alone, although they are allowed to work a bit while on it. You'd probably be eligible for food stamps. Maybe a Section 8 certificate as well, to lower your housing costs. You can also be eligible for Medicare 2 years after you are officially declared disabled. But that only covers 80 percent of your medical expenses, though some states will kick in to help you.
yeah they wouldn't discharge my student loans either, now they're taking it out of my ssdi payment, I've not stayed healthy enough to even try to go back to work, and also you've confirmed my suspicion if you try to work even part time that could cancel your ssdi benefits, you're right being on disability sucks.
RRJ2015 said:
I live in a small home that I own with two mortgages, student loans, medical bills and every day utility bills. I'M NOT MAKING IT. If anything breaks in the house I'm in trouble. I get 1297 in disability. My student loans, I'll never be able to pay it off. I 'm trying to get them discharged for being on permanent disability but I'm finding out I'm not close enough to death(with stage lll kidney disease) to get the discharge, but I'm too close to death to get life insurance. Thank goodness my mother took out a small policy on me before she died. I had just got my Masters then I started to get really sick and had to stop work. I was working with disability as a substitute teacher. They will eventually catch you and review your case if you are working and on disability. First they told me I could work then I almost lost my disability. So been there and done that. My medical bills, even with Medicare keep piling up. I take 18 medications I have to pay for and life is just really hard. I'm in the red and I don't see myself getting out of this hole. I do get food stamps less than a 100 dollars. I wish I could work. Being on disability sucks. It's depressing. I have no purpose anymore. Good luck with your decision.
I so want to work as I have worked 33 years of my life and after getting laid off I only got 4 months of unemployment that’s right 4 months and the state dropped mW like a hot potato. I have a applied for my disability in October and dread the day I get a decision but I need a hail Mary, my mother as I take care of her for over 20 years or so makes it hard with this lupus,my mind is son confused ,I am in pain throughout the day and fatigue more than anything, it takes a special kind of person to handle lupus, God bless you.
My situation was the same as yours. Working became harder each day, week, month, year until I couldn't even make it 4 hours and lost my job. I lost my house, and had to move in with my son and his family. I was able to get a small amount of social security when I turned 62. I am currently trying to get disability, find a place to live, and try to find a part time job that isn't physical, maybe some computer work. I have lost a lot of physical ability, but I don't lose hope. Things will turn around some how, some way. Like they say; when one door closes another one opens. Good luck to you and God Bless.
RRJ2015 - my heart goes out to you.
You sound like you didn't even have a chance to begin saving (even if it was a little) before you were hit with illness.
I am reading these responses and wonder why on earth people WANT to be on SS#.
I've worked hard since I was 15. I live frugally (?) as I am a single person trying to pay off my mortgage (2 more years!) and put some money away at the same time.
NO vacations - NO shopping trips just because - Just the basics.
I know how hard it is to maintain at just this level and I make a good salary so with it being cut 3/4's if I had to quit work,
it looks bleak.
Of course I will work until they get tired of me calling in late, or sick. I just don't want the company to see me as a liability and try to get rid of me before I get as much out of it as possible.
Reddog - I too have long term disability through work but Im not sure what all that entails. I'm afraid to look to closely because my company knows your every move and could see my curiosity as a flag. How long does it last?
these are all questions for now as thankfully I am able to push myself thru --- for now.
Just trying to figure out how a person survives if/when that time comes
Good for you on your planning and frugality, but waiting for tomorrow to enjoy life, I feel, is a huge mistake, I did that and now I look forward to those things never happening at all. Social Security is what we all pay into all of our lives to ensure we have something for retirement, no matter what happens. I too worked hard and never took vacations or even went to the movies, but I wouldn't suggest that to anyone, as that is less than an enjoyable life. Saddly unforseen things happened to me, which I won't go into here, but the small amount of SS (1/2 of what my x-husband gets) I get helps. I have no retirement, and I planned on working, until I dropped dead, but my body planned differently once I got Lupus.
J said:
RRJ2015 - my heart goes out to you.
You sound like you didn't even have a chance to begin saving (even if it was a little) before you were hit with illness.
I am reading these responses and wonder why on earth people WANT to be on SS#.
I've worked hard since I was 15. I live frugally (?) as I am a single person trying to pay off my mortgage (2 more years!) and put some money away at the same time.
NO vacations - NO shopping trips just because - Just the basics.
I know how hard it is to maintain at just this level and I make a good salary so with it being cut 3/4's if I had to quit work,
it looks bleak.
Of course I will work until they get tired of me calling in late, or sick. I just don't want the company to see me as a liability and try to get rid of me before I get as much out of it as possible.
Reddog - I too have long term disability through work but Im not sure what all that entails. I'm afraid to look to closely because my company knows your every move and could see my curiosity as a flag. How long does it last?
these are all questions for now as thankfully I am able to push myself thru --- for now.
Just trying to figure out how a person survives if/when that time comes
lol - I also thought I would work until I dropped dead.
How do you make it?
I am currently staying with my Son and his family. I have been for a few months now. I am looking for an inexpensive place to live in, going through the housing authority for senior and disabled people (you don't have to be on disability to be accepted). There are hoops to jump through to be accepted, and they have a waiting list, so you have to be patient. The difficult part is getting used to downsizing your life. I take it one step at a time, as I would freak out to look at the bigger picture. I mean, I used to be a wife and mother of four, living in a 3000 sq ft home. I thought that once my kids were grown my husband and I would be able to finally take some vacations and travel etc. Now single, I have had to lower my expectations, and taking baby steps at that acceptance helps me. My adult kids have also helped me accept my limitations and I really do appreciate thier support. Anxiety is not my friend!