Disability, Service Dog, and Medical Stuff

Disability Stuff

This month is flying by. Have had so much going on with finalizing my filing with the SSA.  A few aggravations along the way, but those were made up for by going in to drop off paperwork for SSDI and unexpectedly getting to apply for SSI without needing an appointment as I originally thought I would.  Everything sort of fell into place just right.  It is all done, and now the waiting game. Hoping for the best, but expecting the worst.  I did a lot of reading and research into the process, and spoke with others who went through it. I spent the last year compiling *everything* from my medical records and digging up old documents for FMLA and similar, and writing thoroughly (30+ pages worth) explaining everything in depth and fine detail. With everything else I have done to prepare, I think I have a strong case.  Burden of proof is all on me, and I think I have done everything I possibly can. I probably presented the materials much more thoroughly than most people do.

CPL / Service Dog Stuff

Speaking of flying.  I fly out this coming week to New Jersey.  Going to drive out to Pennsylvania for a CPL support class, where I will have a chance to meet service dog teams from CPL's program.  Looking forward to meeting the people and their canine partners who I already know, in person rather than just online.  Looking forward to meeting new people and dogs too.  Hoping I'll get to interact more with the staff and ask everyone there all sorts of questions. We also have plans to go to a trade show while I am there. Hoping to find some resources and business connections for future investments. Lots of excitement planned, just have to find a way to make it all a reality.  One step at a time.

Back And Dental Stuff

My back is feeling a bit better, and almost "normal" again. Hoping it stays that way.  I ordered an ortho brace online and have been wearing it as needed to avoid further stress or injury.  I found out I have Osteopenia in my lumbar spine.  I came across an old radiology report while gathering files for SSA that I hadn't seen before, from just before we moved from Minnesota.  Supposedly my old doctor in Minnesota didn't bother to tell me because she didn't feel the overall average of everything added up on the test was out of the ordinary enough.  But the radiologist clearly marked it as Osteopenia. Seriously, *any* kind of bone density loss can be a bad thing, *especially* if it is in your SPINE.  You have a duty to tell someone that, especially when they are taking medications that are known to *leech calcium* which puts them at increased risk. *Especially* *especially* after you told them to *stop taking their calcium supplement* because their blood serum calcium level was higher than normal.  Even not taking it anymore it is still abnormally high. Not to mention the medical diagnoses I have gotten since then and how they'd relate to something like low bone density in the spine.  I have to get another bone density scan as soon as I can somehow afford it ( add that to the list with the MRI I really need ) and pray 3+ years not knowing and being off calcium supplements hasn't caused more damage and I can start taking more direct preventative measures to improve or at least prevent further loss.  Had some horrid snarky issues with my teeth ongoing and once again looking at needing oral surgery.  Trying to find somewhere to get it done under full sedation. It's insane how difficult it is to find something like that, and worse when you don't have any coverage for it.

Otherwise things are okay as they can be. Taking it one day at a time and focusing on the good stuff. Hope everyone is doing well.