After exhausting every available avenue for financial support, I created a YouCaring page. I was and am still horribly embarrassed to have had to go to the extreme of what I consider begging. I don’t understand how I got to where I am now. I have worked full-time since my late teens after I graduated high school. As the years went by, I made more money and had better benefits. By the time I got into the dental field in my early 20’s, I knew this was the career for me. Over the years, I moved up from receptionist, to chairside assistant, to front desk manager, to practice manager. I loved my job, my doctors, and my responsibilities. When the migraines started, I was getting them pretty infrequently, maybe once a month. As they became more regular, I saw my doctor. He prescribed Fiorinal, which is notorious for causing rebound headaches. I wasn’t aware at the time, and my doctor was not well read in the treatment of migraines and assumed they were stress-related. I did some research of my own and went back to see the doctor. He referred me to a migraine specialist. After trying many of the drugs that I previously listed in this blog, he referred me to pain management. In between, I had tried chiropractic, acupuncture, biofeedback, and many supplements. In 2011, the migraines had progressed to daily or Intractable and I couldn’t work anymore. I saw a rheumatologist, who diagnosed Fibromyalgia in addition to the chronic daily migraines. This explained my severe body aches, exhaustion, and insomnia, which I thought were all triggered by the migraines. I’m in pain management now and no medications have worked so far. I filed for SSI Disability benefits in 2011. After 9 months, I was denied. I hired a lawyer and after another year, was denied once again. The lawyer appealed again and I was informed that in my state of Virginia, there was a 12-16 month wait for an appeal hearing in front of a judge. It has been 5 months now. I have depleted my retirement savings, sold my car, and moved in with my mother. I cannot get Medicaid until SSI is approved, which is ridiculous! Once approved, I can get both Benefits, but until then, nothing. Where is the sense in this?! Medicaid should be the bridge benefit between unemployment benefits ending and SSI starting. I have NO source of income. No family except for my mother, who is on a fixed income. I have lost my friends due to this situation and have no other support. Meanwhile, the cheapest medical insurance I can get through Obamacare is $475.00 per month with a $750.00 deductible plus co-pays. My medical bills are through the roof and I’m being harassed by collection agencies. This is in addition to my other bills and living expenses. I may need to declare bankruptcy, but I don’t want to ruin my credit. I have to think positively that I will be able to get a handle on these illnesses and be pain-free enough to work at least part time. So, that’s my situation. I’m depressed, have frequent panic attacks, and many side effects from all the medications I’m taking. Just when I thought my life couldn’t get any worse, I’m now begging strangers for help. The thing is, as quickly as my life spiraled out of control, it could have been any one of you in the same situation. Yes, I need help! And when I was in a position to do so for others, I did. I believe in Karma. What goes around, comes back around. I have nothing left to believe in. Bless y’all for reading.
https://www.youcaring.com/medical-fundraiser/pls-help-chronic-migraine-fibro-fighting-for-ssi-benefits-/246211