Medically Retired versus Disability

[0485c10]

A week ago or so i asked what people checked on forms about employment status when disability is not one of the options? For around 6 years i checked unemployed. lots of people unemployed now so i did not feel that was exceptionally bad thing to check now. I would be one of the crowd.

I just switched to checking Retired. I suppose for 6 years i checked unemployed as an indication in my mind if something came along that i could be competent doing, was available to me. i would do it & be employed.

I think it was gomer who used the term 'medically retired'.

Now at 48 i have been dealing with some financial stuff filling out a lot of forms and i have been checking retired and converting it in my mind to medically retired.

i am also in conversation when i would have used "disability" or "i'm on disability". i use the word I'm "medically retired"...

somehow it shuts down the stupid responses i got when i used the term disability. i either had to defend my disability status or i had to listen to how they had issues just like me and they weren't on disability Ugh!

i have to say the response from even family members is much more positive. Try using that instead of the word disability. i think i am a convert.

[gomer]

Yep..........

Gomer here.........

I personally never liked the disabled label, NEVER!

I am still an ABLE person, just not AS ABLE.........lol

I am glad the "medically retired" term is working for you.

Gomer

[chalknpens]

Thanks Gomer! and O485c10

I love you both for the term "medically retired."

It really says what I am now... I'm a teacher. I wanted to teach forever. I think the DMD added and accelerated depression, anxiety and fatigue. The year before I was diagnosed I was at the top of my game. Four years later, done, sad, and with a smaller pension than I'd planned.

Because I retired two years earlier than the max pension required I am living on less ... teachers have no disability after ten years (I worked thirty) and no social security (because we self-fund our pension.)

Medically Retired says a lot in a few words.

And Gomer - I agree with you about the shots. I've stopped them this month, and am beginning to feel better.

[Kraheera]

I actually AM medically retired, according to the government. LOL. Hurray for MEB boards in the military, eh?

When people ask why I don't work, I explain I have been medically retired and am now busy raising my 7 year old daughter and 2 year old son.

That usually gets them to smile and leave off on the 'unemployed' business. So far, I've been able to avoid a whole lot of skeevy looks. Though limping along at the grocery store today got me some funny looks. One of the register gals asked if it was a permanent injury, and I smiled and said that it was just my MS acting up. She shut right up and looked embarrassed.

My inner troll had a good laugh.