The “what can possibly go wrong next” gods took another shot at me last week and it was a good one, right between the eyes. Finger twitching in the trigger housing of their sniper’s rifles, they took steady aim and deftly fired. The resulting damage was a suspension of my Social Security Disability payments for the month of December.
A paperwork filing snafu caused the suspension of benefits but I have been assured that the full benefits will resume on January 3, 2007. They haven’t taken my Medicare away, which is a hell of a good thing since my prescriptions tally nearly $500.00 a month. Of course, I cannot eat my medications for nourishment so there is that nagging question of where food is going to come from for the next thirty days. I’ll be checking with SF County Social Services on Monday morning to see if I qualify for any form of emergency aid.
The road I have been on since September has been a long and slow decline. Someone once wrote that the true measure of a man is not in how many times he falls but how often he gets back up again. I’m not so sure I trust that wisdom anymore.
Lordy, RJ. You take care – hopefully that’s all the dropping of shoes, eh?
Dear Rodger, I’m so sorry. I know 1st hand how disability can be. My fiance has been disabled since birth and if we legally marry he loses every cent of his benefits. Of course they also recognize common law marriage (they recognize ANYTHING that allows them to cut off benefits) and him and I live in a common law state, so we can’t live together either. He refuses to let me support him. So we’re going to have a non-legal, spiritual marriage ceremony and keep on living down the street from each other. We won’t be breaking any laws in regard to his benefits this way. These hypocrites in our government talk about “family values” but treat disabled people who want to get married like this. It’s a disgrace. This day and age you can’t assume the spouse can support 2 people. It’s rare that ANY couple can do that these days. You have my sympathies dealing with the disability system. Take care.
Oh, Laura, that’s just awful. I feel for you, hon. Thanks for posting.
2006 will not likely go down as the year in which everyone’s dreams came true. I’m glad I did most of my own most profound suffering on the front end of it—it just gave subsequent bad news the character of farce.
I will say that bad news that involves money often sets up a quick turnaround, unlike, say, bad news that involves health or bad news that involves sex or bad news that involves Republicans. So often, bad news involving money can even be adjusted by a walk in the park, a great comp seat at the opera, a flashing surprise.
Last night, a friend and I were running late to the Music Center. We were late because I was finishing off a bottle of Warre’s. But suddenly, blasting down Grand, she hauled out her mighty handicapped placard. We were fine, we settled, we enjoyed ourselves. There are still some benefits to be had in life, even when the money end gets fickle.
Did I mention she won the tix as well as a $50 gift certificate from Louise’s? Silly, but few days are more fun than days like that.
Rod,
Have you hit on the churches, the charities, etc.?
I’d help if it was possible. I’m supporting two families, two mortgages too and end the month in the red. We’re buying dented cans of stuff from Save-On stores, lots of tuna, peanut butter, saltines and beans in our diet these days. There ain’t gonna be no Sanity Clause this year. But damn it I feel for you. OM
Thanks, Rodger. Just curious, have you ever talked to a lawyer about dealing with the disability people? It worked for my best friend. Take care.