VICTORY!!!!!!!!

Hi everyone!!

I am about to burst and just needed to share my joy with people who know how long and hard the battle is!!

I had my disability hearing on November 16th. I had a video conference with my lawyer present, an administrative judge with SS, a vocational counselor, and a phone conference with SS's "medical consultant." The hearing started with the judge asking the doctor to review my records and discuss his opinion. Naturally the idiot neurologist started by focusing on the many pain medications I am on and that I have been to so many doctors asking for these meds that he felt this was drug seeking behavior. Then he had the nerve to say that he has had a lot of luck treating his few migraine patients for sinus infections with antibiotics and decongestants. Then he was allowed to hang up.

So the judge begins questioning me on my different doctors and medications. I am bragging on myself here, but I am really proud of myself for remaining calm and controlled. I went all through my different doctors, all the different treatments they prescribed, the different disciplines that I incorporated into my treatments (accupuncture, biofeedback, relaxation training, etc.) The judge kept circling back to the sinus thing and how I had seen so many different doctors, meds, etc. I was polite but said point blank, that I did not intend any disrespect to their consultant, but simply because he was a neurologist did not mean he was a pain management specialist or a doctor who treats migraine patients. Then I pointed out that I had been seeing the same pain management doctor since I began seeking treatment and any other doctors I had seen were by referral from my doctor. They all worked together and shared my information, I went to the same ER every time I needed emergency pain treatment. I use only one pharmacy. I also told her that as long as patients responded well to the treatment, the doctor is happy, but the minute the treatment stops working the doctor loses interest in the patient and decides that the patient must be doing something wrong. I also pointed out that all of these doctors routinely checked for sinus infections. I told her that I had done everything every doctor asked of me, tried all the preventives recommended, how several of the doctors contradicted the treatment plan of the guy before the, and how I figured I had a long life ahead of me and refuse to ruin my liver and kidneys by taking too many medications.

She was kind of shocked into silence then asked the voc. counselor if he thought I could work a full-time job. He said no and pulled out my employment records with the write-ups. Then that was it, it was over. The lawyer said she thought we did well and that I would be approved and now we just had to wait for the notification. Favorable decisions come within 30-60 days.

I had a follow-up meeting with another branch of SS today. I HAVE BEEN APPROVED FOR DISABILITY!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AND SINCE I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS PROCESS FOR OVER A YEAR, I WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR MEDICARE IN MAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am so thankful. Not just because I need the money, but because I was able to make someone outside my family see what hell migraines are. I know I don't NEED external validation, I have to believe in myself and not worry about what others think. But it feels so damn good that I made someone in a power position understand what this disease does to people's lives. I'm probably being dramatic, but I feel like I scored a victory for all of us.We know what each other goes through, but the rest of the world has no place nor patience for people who are not visibly deformed or obviously ill. We are expected to suffer in silence and "soldier on." All of us have and will have to do it again.

I'll never be rich but at least I don't have to be treated with contempt and scorn every day from 8-5. I hope everyone has a least one moment like this. It doesn't change the fact that we face terrible pain pretty much all the time, it doesn't change the fact that most people lack enough compassion to at least treat us with some degree of respect. But this feeling that I have right now is hope for a better future for all of us. Better preventive medications, respect from medical professionals, sympathy and understanding.

Ok, end of outburst. I truly hope that all of us get to have this feeling. It somehow offsets the rest of the crud we have to deal with.

Kim

Kimba - this is freaking awesome! no, this is beyond freakingest awesome! CONGRATULATIONS !!!
and CELEBRATIONS!!!! on receiving your disability benefits!!

Most and foremost, girl, please allow me to say that I absolutely get how important this is - for it validates every
humiliation, belittling, slight and patronizing you had to endure since EVER from the mouth (it's in your head, drug seeker),
hands (pat, pat, dismissing wave ) of everyone, the medical industry most of all.
Secondly, because it proves beyond any shred of doubt how brave, smart and composed person you are,
how full of integrity and dignity, particularly in the face of mind blowing teeth grinding "full-of-it-ness" and pomposity, yes.

Kudos to you, dearest Kim, for never giving up, never losing your composure and calmly but forcefully showing them THE TRUTH
about your condition, which is migraine. What it does to you, to your life, to your immediate family, friends, job and so on.
Kudos for showing them with clarity and dignity something that this neuro dork wasn't even ina million years close to - how disciplined patient you were, are and how your were out there trying everything humanely possible regarding any treatment for your condition,
and I think the sweet, perfect, ironic even, -coup the grace was sticking it up to them about how
once the patient is not responding to the any drs' favorite treatment then the patient obviously must be doing something wrong.
I loved that part!! went like "yeah!! take that!"


Well done, girl, well done..!
If you don't mind me saying so - I am dam* proud of you!! most impressed, madam :]
and so happy for you, I am tearing up!!!!! woohoo!!! doing cartwheels for joy !!!!



Risa

So happy for you! I am on disability since 2009 due to chronic migraines as well, in the last 25 days I have had 15 migraines, such a relentless monster. Documenting everything is so important, every doctor, every treatment, every medication.

I don't think people realize how much we would rather be healthy and able to work. But that's just not our reality. I used to feel such guilt over not being able to carry my own weight financially, felt like such a burden. Now, I feel that I am contributing to our household and that is one stressor that is off me.

I worked many years and paid into my social security, we all have and we get the amount that we have earned. Never let anyone take that fact away from you. You earned your disability from social security, its not some free ride.

Trinity

I used to feel such guilt over not being able to carry my own weight financially, felt like such a burden.

We are being MADE to feel like that, Trinity, more so that any other sick person, because it's "only migraines". "ONLY" migraines, hmph!

Risa

Risa:

I would love to have those who say "only a migraine" live in the hell we experience just about 1 week and see what their response would be then.

I went to the ER for a 17 day unbreakable migraine seige, after we had waited about 15 minutes, my husband went back to the desk and said it was really urgent, her respones "I thought you said she just had a migraine".


?????REALLY...How about I blow your head off and you tell me how that feels to you sweetheart!!!

Unreal!

Naturally the idiot neurologist started by focusing on the many pain medications I am on and that I have been to so many doctors asking for these meds that he felt this was drug seeking behavior. Then he had the nerve to say that he has had a lot of luck treating his few migraine patients for sinus infections with antibiotics and decongestants.

What a quack! He obviously doesn't know the difference between a sinus infection and a migraine, much less chronic migraine. I hope there is a special place for people like him to get to suffer through.

Glad you were so able to speak up for yourself and make your case after an idiotic statement like that !

Good on you.

What a quack! He obviously doesn't know the difference between a sinus infection and a migraine, much less chronic migraine. I hope there is a special place for people like him to get to suffer through.

I imagine it's hell where migraine (also from hell) is perpetual

Risa

I'm so happy for you! That s such great news!

That's super great news! Congratulations!! I was approved in September for migraines. A woman in my IRL migraine support group was approved the week before. It seems SSA is starting to take migraine more seriously.