I read your thread way back.... I guess about a year or so ago and just today decided to come back to this forum to check and see what's going on. Lot's have gone on in the time past. I am glad to hear you got your SSDI. I am at the hearing point on mine, I have a lawyer but not sure he's any good.... he has not called and talked to me once and when I've called the office I never get to talk to him it's always his assistance. she tell me it takes about three months once the appeal has been turned in. It's been over three months...I called the SS office to check and make sure it was at the hearing office and it checked out. The wait is awful. I'm so thankful for this forum it is so helpful, One of the members stated to write everything down how life was before and how life is now and that is something I must do for the impending hearing. There is no medication I can take other then pain medication and my doctor will not proscribe anything for more then a month at a time. I don't agree with the doctor that I was being seen for my back so I did not go back to him. The 4th and 5 th lower lumbar is fused together and I have scoilosis curving of the spine. I've had problems with my back off and on but in my younger years it never was that bad. It wasn't until it seem all of a sudden it hit me, Well I guess not really all of a sudden but the worst part is. I now cannot sit for long drives after an hour of sitting in the car I may or I may not be able to get up out of the car seat and at times when I do get up and put my foot down to get up my back may not be able to support me, I have a pain that will run through me as I put my foot down on the ground. Now that the scoilosis has started giving me problems it is hindering the use of arms and moving my neck, when it acts up I can't turn my head to look around when driving I have to use the mirrors. I've also started having problems with my hands and arms. So off I went to the doctor and after some test found corporal tunnel to be the problem but the nerve is don't damaged to the point of being able to do surgery weather that is good or not I don't know but it has changed my life 100% where I use to be very active do what I wanted when I wanted. It's only been 5 years ago that I was working and come home to clean house, cook dinner, do a load of laundry all in a days time now I'm lucky to get through doing a couple of loads of laundry in a day, I can't lift the clothes basket I have to push it with my foot from the bedroom to the laundry room, if I had to go out and do laundry I guess I'd be in a world of hurt. I clean house one room at a time one day at a time just when ever I'm able to. I started to oil the cabinets down but hands and arms can't take it so I stopped. I have started carrying the cell phone with me outside just in case I fall and can't get up. I can't do the thing's I use to do with the grandkids any longer if it's not something simple then forget it. I can no longer walk around the mall. I haven't gotten to the point of asking for a wheel chair ... not wanting to go there. Although I have told my family that I cannot walk around much. I know long find my bed a comfort anymore, for me it is hard cause of pain or discomfort laying down. At times I give up trying to get comfortable and get back up. It is not visible to ones eye of my problems. Just to look at me you would not know I had anything wrong. Wishing you well with your surgery and happy gardening come spring time.

My father who is now deceased served in WWII and was honorably discharged. He and my mother were married during this time and their first child was born while he was overseas in the war front. After approx 25 yrs of marriage they were divorced. My father remarried. Would my mother qualify as the "widow" for any benefits? She is almost 91 years old with no assets other than a house that is completely mortgaged and receives approx $900 monthly from SS. He was married to his 2nd wife when he died. But they were only married for a few years and he had been out of the service for more than 25 years when they married.

You will probably have workers' compensation (occupational coverage) if you're injured on the job via your employer (most states mandate the coverage). Your employer may also have group long-term disability (LTD) coverage as part of its benefits plan. LTD will cover you for any disability (non-occupational) that causes your inability to work. Almost always protected by your own occupation for a couple of years and then at least your education, training & experience. The neurosurgeon would never be required to fill pencils or flip burgers under an employer's group plan (or most individual plans either!) If you don't have LTD through your employer, it will be very expensive & you need to be healthy to get an individual policy through an agent. Although disability insurance is so important, it may not be your top priority right now -- but get some quotes and see if you can afford it. Agree SSDI will only pay for total & permanent disability, usually takes lawyer involvement to get these payments if not permanent disability. Lp

Another reason why not to sign the house over to your son is the fact that in some instances someone can take over the care of him and they can mess up good. Trying to think of what that is called, I had a client one time (I was a home health aide) that had CP, she was of sound mind even had a college degree, but the state came along took over guardianship of her and her mother (her mum lived in a nursing home with alzhimers at this point) took over all her finances, you should of seen what they did with her money, it was incredible that they got by with it as long as they did. the woman that was handling the finances even cut her phone sevice off at one point saying that the bill was too much, guess that 10 dollar a month bill wouldn't of meant much when had their been a fire my client could not get herself out of bed at night when they also would not allow for 24 hour care. I am glad you are doing something about this before you and your son are homeless. It sucks to get played, I am sorry you are going through all this, but it will get better and you are taking the first steps toward a better life.