Taking On The Establishment
I was planning to take a day off from Blog-town. In the last two days, I've done two pieces totally over 1700 words. That's a lot for me. It's tiring.
Yeah, I know, you in the real world think "wuss." In Blog-ville, it's alot of fucking work. Well, at least in my small portion of this world, it is.
Anyway, I planned on a day of music and vegging. Sounds good, right! And then the mail arrived. And with it were these two packages.
They were from the Bureau of Disability Determination Services.
So what went through my head? I knew it wasn't bad news because denials come in a regular envelope. My next thought was APPROVAL!! Followed by "I wonder if there's a check in there?"
But there are two packages and after thinking maybe there's a check in each of them, I figured out this can't be a good thing.
So I opened them up. This is what I found.
Those two packets total 27 pages. TWENTY SEVEN FUCKING PAGES!!
They want to know every aspect of your life for the last 15 years.
Dudes, I have a neurological disease. I can't remember my daughter's names and you want to know how I was feeling on November 8, 1998. Shit, that was an entirely different century ago.
To quote John McEnroe, "ARE YOU FUCKING SERIOUS?"
I guess the info they received from four doctors wasn't enough. I suppose I could give them the information from the two doctors that said I might have Cancer. Oh wait..I don't have their phone numbers or emails. (assholes)
Have you noticed that I'm swearing a lot in these last few pieces? It's either the system getting to me or I'm auditioning to become a mommy blogger.
Now obviously I'm going to fill out these forms. I have ten days to do so. But for those who think getting disability is easy and a total scam, I'm telling you that you're wrong.
60 Minutes did a piece on SSDI a few weeks ago. It's true there are people receiving aid that don't deserve it. It's also true that there are many others who do but can't navigate the system.
I'm sure there are some reading this that think bullshit, but tell that to a guy I know who has ALS and was turned down. He thinks he'll die before he's approved.
I know a woman with a much worse case of Parkinson's than mine. She was originally denied. Her appeal was denied, too. She doesn't know what to do next. She's tired of the fight. Hopefully she's not giving up.
As for me, I've done enough ranting for one week. I feel a little bit like Peter Finch in "Network." Stand up!! Say it loud and be proud..."I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore."