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    No Longer Disabled!

    According to the US gubermint...I am no longer classified as "disabled".

    Hip... Hip... Hooray! (I guess??)

    Over 30 years ago things got extra tough. Went thru HELL after a sore throat, meat wagon ride to ER and admitted for Diabetes. A rough first year or so then BAM! Had cancer surgery.... given 10% chance of surviving 12 months... never expected to see 40, guess the stats were off in my case, I am obviously still here!

    In the mid 80s... diabetes not in the greatest of control, a bit on the brittle side. Went thru voc rehab, VA you name it. Heck the VA even sent me to their shrinks, for complaining about too much. They sent me back to the do-little med docs, not nuts, not even depressed, just "adamant" something else was wrong (not cancer or diabetes related).

    Fast forward to 2007..... oops had an MS moment, only this time I fell and tore my left rotor cuff. Went thru several eye docs, shoulder surgery, P/T and an ENT = more MRIs. Oh ya ORDERED to actually use a CANE, not just haul it in the car for just-in-case.

    Started having much more serious foot/ankle problems. Had considered a scotter for my gumby stix for legs for years, more serious now. A few more falls, another surgery. Eye surgeries (cataracts) and laser treatment.

    One foot doc sent me to a neuro (forgot about him) for testing, suspect left-leg weakness might be MD. NO not MD but nobody bothered testing WHY I was having so many problems. (not that that was anything NEW?

    Then it was air casts, followed by the AFOs..but no Dx despite loads of testing. Some times mobility was a scary thing.Time I wonder if they would ever find what was really at the root of things. You know actually connect the DOTS? I went thru a scary kidney function decline, went thru a few Nephs on that before getting back up away from stage-4 on that one.

    Then a new eye doc, out of town. I was desperate to get my diplopia prisms updated. Been there done that a few times before. And again, no prism update... NO I needed to see a NEURO for possible/probable MS. The doc said there was NOHTING in my formal med Hx that related to my diplopia. A complication that started in 1964 (when I was 18) and got worse in steps ever since. Nobody ever questioned WHY this started at such an odd age before.

    So I landed here while my fam doc called me in for a MS it fits talk and pushed to get me into some MS clinic somewhere to get it formalized. Long story short and several U R 2 OLD (4 drug trial) clinics....of all places, its was the VA, the same VA that sent me to the shrinks decades ago, that formalized the long standing RRMS Dx.

    Now that I have AFOs, crutches, and walkers around the house, don't go anywhere without my Crystal (cane) use a power-chair part-time and scooter for outings or anything larger than a tiny store or barber.....NOW that I have all these tools that help me get thru my day, I am no longer on the US Gov DISABLED LIST!

    A Soc-Sec letter came today formally notifying me that I am now RETRIED instead.

    It may not sound like much to most people, but to me it marks a milestone I never expected to see.

    Gomer
    (Ya ain't taking me handicap tag tho, I NEED IT)

    #2
    That is a long list to get to an actual diagnosis of MS -

    Congratulations on your retirement .
    Peace ~~ Kat

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      #3
      Wow, Gomer, if anyone ever deserved a retirement party, it's you!

      We don't have any smileys festive enough for the occasion, so these will have to do:

      (((Gomer)))

      Gotta love those bean counters at Soc Sec!

      Comment


        #4
        Gomer

        You could seriously write a book........

        Yay for you on your retirement! If we are having a party i'll bring chips and dip??

        who else is attending Gomer's party??

        Man that was one long long winding road to MS......
        Jen Dx'd 5/11
        "Live each day as if it were your last"

        Comment


          #5
          W0W!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

          Gomer- I have followed your story for quite awhile, and boy you sure have been thru the wringer afew times.

          Not sure if I should offer congrats or not?? But hey---CONGRATS ON YOUR RETIREMENT!!!!!!!!!!!!

          If there is a party, I could bring some cheese and crackers, with afew wine coolers to boot!! Casino

          Comment


            #6
            Yipee, a retirement party for Gomer


            I'll bring the cake & ice cream!!!!!!!!
            DX 10/2008
            Beta Babe 12/2008-07/2013
            Tecfidera 07/2013-01/2018
            Aubagio 01/18-09/20

            Ocrevus 09/20-present

            Comment


              #7
              YEAH GOMER!!!

              You got to retire!!!
              Does this mean you don't have to feel sick anymore?

              Somehow it does not sound like your golden years have arrived.

              Comment


                #8
                CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR RETIREMENT GOMER

                I was going to offer to bring wine coolers, but since Kathy is bringing them, I will bring some
                great Lakes beer. Or Yuengling beer since I can get it in OH now

                Judysz

                Comment


                  #9
                  W.o.W

                  Never thought about havin' a retirement party!

                  When I got the letter from Soc Sec I did not know what to feel, happy or sad.

                  I did not even come close to a digest of my life medically alone. But you get the .

                  GOMER
                  is a term from my Navy days. Of course boot camp was the hardest segment. MY Company Commander (drill sgt to most) sent me to sick bay several times, once he had fellow future sailors carry me there. They would just Gomer me back to duty. I was not allowed to march in revue in at boot-camp graduation, given watch duty instead. It was a relief at the time, but I missed being part of a hard earned milestone on the other.

                  GOMER is Navy speak for Get Out! of My Exam Room!
                  Gomer i
                  n civilian talk hospitals = Get Out of My ER!

                  Gomer
                  is usually considered a negative or derogatory term. I free use it because I feel I earned it, and earned it the hard way. To me I consider it a badge of honor instead.

                  Many things in life can be viewed in more than one or even more than two ways. A lot depends (U wearing yours...lol) on your PERSPECTIVE. (or how you CHOOSE to view things).

                  My teen years doc, in a letter to the Navy recruiter described me as having an ability to persevere. I learned that trait early on, not intentionally, but just because I never gave up trying.

                  When I gave up playing baseball, unable to keep up with the other kids, I simply did other things, like flying in a red 1929 J3 and studying aviation. I could not play HS sports, but I was there at all the home games, with camera in hand right there on the side lines of football games, (almost got tackled once...lol) or part of a pep rally skit.

                  For everyone, well almost everyone, when one door closes, one or more 'other' doors open, you just have to look about you, and seek the open door/s. (you may have to knock on a few to find them).

                  For me reaching the 'official' age of retirement (even tho medically 'retired' decades ago) is a milestone that decades ago I had no logical, rational reason to expect.

                  Times have never been too easy, but we raised 4 kids, have two grand-kids. All my kids were in the French back-to-back program and visited France, had exchange students from both France and Germany as well. I was a Boy Scout leader, recreational soccer coach (even tho I could never actually play).

                  Times Could have been much tougher. I survived 'C' against the odds. My diabetes is better than ever now, very few and mild complications. MY MS while also had rough patches, could have been much much worse. I could be blind , confined to a bed or my power-chair or worse. I can still dress myself and with 'tools' I still can do almost as much as I ever did. I can still walk some, a bit limited but better than a couple years ago.

                  Take a moment as stop and smell the
                  NO matter how BAD we think we have it, there are many many more in LIFE world who have it, much harder.

                  End of Sermon....... did you ever think this would end?

                  THANKS for all the congrats etc, I appreciate them all!

                  Now let's PARTY.. ...... Meet y'all over at Rest Area 51, plenty of free parking, all spots accessible.

                  Gomer


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