As some of you know I am in my mid {ouch} 30's and have Lupus.I was lucky that with cutting corners I was able to stay home and raise our children.Oldest is now 16 youngest is 2 .I worked part time here and there but nothing to steady .My plan was to start school when the baby was just a little older .Who ever thought I would come down with this disease ? Not me ! Well I am now not able to stay on my feet any long length of time ,I have brain fog , joint pain ,back pain and probally 50 other things .Well I start looking into disabilty in case things don't get better .Well to my surprise I am intitled to a whopping big old nothing !!!! I stayed home and did the hardest , most thankless job on the face of the earth.My goverment I guess doesn't think it's important for us to stay home with our children .I've posted this on several sites.I had no idea about the credits needed for disability and such.

-- Patty {NY State} (fodfarms@hotmail.com), March 25, 2002

Answers

I am sorry to hear of your illness. You do need to have worked at least half of the years you were eligible for work in order to recieve disability benefits. SSDI is not really an assistance program that everyone is eligible for. It is considered disability "insurance", that one must pay into in order to be eligible.

SSDI is also usually difficult to get if you are under 50 years of age, because from what I understand once you begin to recieve disability benefits, they expect that you are unlikely to return to the workforce during your lifespan.

Also, it does make some sense that you are not entitled to recieve income when your family was not dependant upon your income prior to your illness. For example, I have a friend who became ill and applied for SSDI benefits. She had been a SAHM during her entire 12 year marriage, and had not ever worked except for a period of six months when she was a teenager. During this time, her husband supported her and four children with his income alone. Thus, her family was not depandant upon any income she brought into the home, and realistically, did not deserve to recieve an extra $500 a month income simply because she had fallen ill.

Or - basically, her illness did not prevent her from doing what she had been doing for the past 12 years - staying home. I'm not tring to say that staying home and raising children is an easy job, nor is it one that goes unaffected by illness - but from a practical viewpoint, the purpose of SSDI is insurance for people whose families and themselves were dependant upon their income and are now unable to work for monetary gain.

You don't mention how you managed to survive financially during the years you were raising your children, but if your household income is low, you should be eligible for SSI, or supplemental security income. You can get this whether you have work credits or not. It will not be as much as SSDI, but it may be of some help. If you are eligible for even $10 a month, don't feel discouraged, since you will also be eligible to get medicare, and I imagine you need all the medical insurance you can get right now.

Be perisistant. Many times, I have found that the people who work in government offices are not the most helpful. If you must, talk to a lawyer or a Social Security Advocate. If nothing else, they can help point you in the right direction towards getting the help you need.

When my husband was diagnose with cancer several years ago, I was told that he was not eligible for SSDI because although he had worked every day of his life, he had not been ill for the minimum of 12 months you need to recieve benefits. What they did not tell me is that he would have been eligible for SSI benefits - all things I learned too late.

Good luck,

-- bantling (not@this.time), March 25, 2002.

OK why is it allowed and ok that I collect off his ss but not his disability ? He worked hours that I could of {over time and sometimes a part time job} so that the children could be home and taken care of by me .He could have never gotten where he is now without me being home with the kids.We could not of afforded for him to go to school and get a degree with me woking .I know it sounds funny but figure in child care , convience foods, clothing ,gas,2 good vechiles and me without a coleege education .I would have lost money woking.Plus my children would have been raised by strangers.

-- Patty {NY State} (fodfarms@hotmail.com), March 26, 2002.

Patty,

This is not a FREE country, The government does not care about you, and as my wife says Neither does 99.8% of the population. So outside of your close family & friends and a few of us here that do understand and sympathize Nobody really gives a crap. It sucks. YES it has happened to us as well and even my cousin who had a massive heart attack, no one cared that he had worked 25 years, he was still D-E-N-I-E-D.

-- Kenneth in N.C. (wizardsplace13@hotmail.com), March 26, 2002.

I think more people need to know that some aspects of are goverment suck. I had no clue that I would not be able to get disability .i am sue others don't either.Wish the gov would not give a crap about me all the time .But if I boke a law or didnt pay taxes they would care then.

-- Patty {NY State} (fodfarms@hotmail.com), March 26, 2002.

Actually Patty if you were to REALLY break the law you would probably get some assistance. After all you would need rehabilitation, a fresh start and some ready cash.

Geeze what a world we live in.

Think of you.

-- Kenneth in N.C. (wizardsplace13@hotmail.com), March 26, 2002.

Sorry my r isnt working well . Kinda sad be a lazy butt and don't own anything and the goverment will give you lots .Try to work and do the right thing and you get crap.

-- Patty {NY State} (fodfarms@hotmail.com), March 26, 2002.

i know how you feel,i am 30something and have recently became what my dr. calls disabled due to other dr. mistake.i have had 5 operations in 7 mo.to fix a problem and i am going to have to have several more and will neaver be totaly fixed for the rest of my life which i hope is a long time.i am unable to walk,drive,stand,sit,lay ect for any amount of time at all.i was working for along time,durning the last 4 mo.of my job i was off on medcal leave,i signed up for ssa and ssi ,i was told that i had 19 creadits and need 20 and if i had worked durning the last 3 mo of my job i would have made the 20 required creadits.yet 3 blocks from my house is a lady who drinks like a fish and spends all her money and time getting drunk instead of working and why should she when the goverment will give her $700.00 a month to stay at home and get drink.she could work just like anyone else but chose to b a drunk.we didnt chose the disabilities we have and dont enjoy them.how can being a drunk be more of a disabili then the ones 'realy sick' people have,this is a choice these people make for themself ,of there own doings,wih ful intent to have fun.and our wonderfull goverment is condoning it by giving her the money that she needs todo it with.then will fine her up the but if shedrie in thatcondition so they can get some of the money back.as a tax payer i hate to think all te money i payed these people go fordrunks and deadbeats who should be made to work for there booz reather then my money buying it.yes i ama none drinker andi can say i have been a drunk in my life and am clean for 14 years and when idid drink yo can bet you butt i worked for my booz as well.i have 2 kids and and a husband and we are strugling every day to make ends meet and i'm still fghting for my disability. i wish you all the luck inthe world i know a ady with lupis and its not a fun thing to have.and eng a say at home mom is great nd it deserevs to be considered a real job and we sahm get more then money for a job well done.the goverment should thank us for taking care of the kids we brought into this world rether then punishing us for not "WOrking" in there eyes.i would like tosee anyone of them try to raise kidsmnage bills,kep the house clean,feedandcloth a family on 1 income and still be happy.they couldnt do it.hell they cant run the state and they have more then enough money to do so.maybe they need a pennypinching stayathomemom to show them how.first stop giving money to drunks and dug adicts would be a start.these arent disabilitys they are choices of livestyles!!!!! theres a big difference.good luck with alyou do.

-- delena (orile1966@webv.net), August 26, 2002.

i have been trying to ger disabiltyfor the last 5 years i have finally been approved im bipolar explosive temper and antisocialpersonalty disorder some times you need a lawyerand make sure you have all medical recordsgood luck

-- dawn wlsher (mingsgirl129@aol.com), November 03, 2002.

Hi!

-- (pantherpup228@aol.com), March 18, 2003.