Re: [TMIC] Working With a Disability in California - Barbara, Everyone
Hi Barbara, All, I also had LTD Disability until my highly paid neurologist made a mistake on a medical review form. He was about to move to a big new job and clearly wasn't paying attention. Among other things, he wrote that I could bend, get on all fours, and sit for 8 hours. All totally wrong, and just what the insurance company needed to stop my payments. I got the doctor to write a letter admitting that he was wrong, but of course, the LTD company said his letter wasn't 'credible' and I never got my LTD reinstated. So all I have is SSDI, which I am grateful for, and would be on the street without, but I lost half of my monthly income. Just a message to say what I'm sure you already know, make sure you see every form your doctors fill out before they go anywhere. Btw, the insurance company was notorious for denying and terminating legitimate claims, and has been sued by many states. Just my 1 1/2 cents. :) Kevin [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Hi Todd, This would and could really mess up my LTD insurance from my employer though. Everybody needs to know how their disability insurance from their employer works if they are going to try to return to work. In my case, if I were to try to return to work, and worked for a short time, then not be able to continue, I would lose my LTD disability benefits. This is true even on a part-time basis. If I were to ever try to get another job at a later date and attempt to get LTD coverage again, I would then also have a pre-existing condition. This is true even with the same company. If I ever returned and left due to not being able to work, my same company would never hire me back. But, they'd sure love to get me off of their disability payment role. I'm costing them too much money, and will continue until I am capable of working full-time or reach age 65. This has nothing to do with SSDI or SSI, however, it is very important to know. Please review your documentation if you do not already know the ins and outs of your plan. Hugs, Barbara A See what's free at AOL.com http://www.aol.com?ncid=AOLAOF0002000503.
Re: [TMIC] Working With a Disability in California - Barbara, Everyone
Not only make sure you see every form your doctors fill out before they go anywhere, also get copies ASAP for your files. You never know when you will need them. Candis Kalley [EMAIL PROTECTED] EarthLink Revolves Around You. - Original Message - From: Kevin Wolfthal To: Tmic-list@eskimo.com Sent: 5/27/2007 4:05:25 AM Subject: Re: [TMIC] Working With a Disability in California - Barbara, Everyone Hi Barbara, All, I also had LTD Disability until my highly paid neurologist made a mistake on a medical review form. He was about to move to a big new job and clearly wasn't paying attention. Among other things, he wrote that I could bend, get on all fours, and sit for 8 hours. All totally wrong, and just what the insurance company needed to stop my payments. I got the doctor to write a letter admitting that he was wrong, but of course, the LTD company said his letter wasn't 'credible' and I never got my LTD reinstated. So all I have is SSDI, which I am grateful for, and would be on the street without, but I lost half of my monthly income. Just a message to say what I'm sure you already know, make sure you see every form your doctors fill out before they go anywhere. Btw, the insurance company was notorious for denying and terminating legitimate claims, and has been sued by many states. Just my 1 1/2 cents. :) Kevin [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Hi Todd, This would and could really mess up my LTD insurance from my employer though. Everybody needs to know how their disability insurance from their employer works if they are going to try to return to work. In my case, if I were to try to return to work, and worked for a short time, then not be able to continue, I would lose my LTD disability benefits. This is true even on a part-time basis. If I were to ever try to get another job at a later date and attempt to get LTD coverage again, I would then also have a pre-existing condition. This is true even with the same company. If I ever returned and left due to not being able to work, my same company would never hire me back. But, they'd sure love to get me off of their disability payment role. I'm costing them too much money, and will continue until I am capable of working full-time or reach age 65. This has nothing to do with SSDI or SSI, however, it is very important to know. Please review your documentation if you do not already know the ins and outs of your plan. Hugs, Barbara A See what's free at AOL.com.
Re: [TMIC] OT, OT...Friendship
Jude, Thank you so very much for that heart warming poem. It is very fitting for this group. Naomi C-4 quad since July 2, 2005 ** See what's free at http://www.aol.com.
[TMIC] LTD
I just have to ask: What is this LTD you're all talking about? In Hawaii, the only choices are Workers' Comp and Temporary Disability Insurance (TDI). My TM wasn't work related, so of course I don't qualify for Workers' Comp. And they said that since I had more than 2 weeks of sick leave when TM hit, that I didn't qualify for TDI. (Several people checked that for me b/c it didn't sound like it makes sense, but that's the law here!) So I've had no income whatsoever since I got TM in May of 2005 other than the few weeks of sick leave and vacation pay that I had left, and the donated vacation leave that several of my co-workers gave me. I live alone and have no source of income, other than the option to sell my house. I had some savings, and the cash that I took out of my house when I refinanced it before my pay checks stopped coming. Of course, at the time, I had no idea I'd be out of work for 2 years so didn't take much out. I've been trying to get SSDI for over a year, and just now got MedQuest so I won't have to pay $300/mo COBRA for health insurance, and I go in next week for an interview for food stamps! Sorry. I'm really complaining here, aren't I! I shouldn't, b/c I've also received help from some of my family and my church for the last year (not my idea, but at the advice of my Bishop, who said not to wait until my funds were totally depleted to accept help, b/c then it would require a lot of help!). But of course that's temporary, to say nothing of not wanting to take advantage of others. I need to either get back to work or sell my house, but hate to sell when I'm so much closer to getting well enough to work! Sorry - thanks for listening to me complain. I guess I just had to vent a little! And I'm happy for those of you who are getting LTD! Sally
Re: [TMIC] LTD
Aha! Okay - that makes sense! I thought of it as the 'long term' version of TDI and wondered why we didn't have it here! Sounds like those who have it are having trouble with it - which is even worse since they had to pay for it themselves! Thanks for your response. Sally
OT: Re: [TMIC] LTD
Sally, Look up 'LTD' in the dictionary and find the definition 'TROUBLE'! My experience was, they just want to collect the premiums, period. I will give you one well documented example of what my insurance company did to someone. They sold a lot of policies to doctors. One of the doctors, an eye surgeon, developed tremors in his hands. My LTD company paid his benefits for a short while, then STOPPED! They actually said he was faking and could work. They videotaped someone playing football in the doctor's yard and said it was him, except it WASN'T him, it was his son. He sued them in court and was awarded millions of dollars. The doctor indeed had Parkinsonian tremors. I think that those LTD employees who terminated his payments, should be made to go to surgeons with hand tremors. They are utterly disgusting. CBS did an expose of the particular company on 60 Minutes, as did Dateline. Perhaps there are good LTD companies. Mine sent an investigator to my home to harrass me. I'm sorry I couldn't sue them. I just didn't feel well enough, and that's what they count on. Kevin [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Aha! Okay - that makes sense! I thought of it as the 'long term' version of TDI and wondered why we didn't have it here! Sounds like those who have it are having trouble with it - which is even worse since they had to pay for it themselves! Thanks for your response. Sally
RE: [TMIC] Getting Humble...
I would strongly encourage anyone on this list to share with us whatever is going on in their life. I and many others have vented to this group. Whether it be about pain, husbands, wives, the children, the way others treat us in the stores and restaurants and just life in general. Bernard Pelow certainly shared his frustrations and pain as he watched his daughter go thru a horrendous time in her life. I think he might have been overwhelmed by e-mails. but we care... some know a great deal more (Our dear doctor F) .. and some are the caretakers who also need to have a place to vent or share or question.it's a bit of a risk to put yourself out there. and sometimes you're going to be misunderstood. but who else can really understand how you feel. I am truly sorry to hear that this person is in constant, intense pain. He/She is in my prayers as are all of those on our TM list! Trudy _ From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Saturday, May 26, 2007 4:37 AM To: tmic-list@eskimo.com Subject: [TMIC] Getting Humble... This is a subject that I have not seen debated in the five years I have been a member of this exclusive club of amazing, diverse people brought together by a common problem...TM. I recently received an email from someone who has been on the list quite a while. This person has troubles just like the rest of us and we help one another when we can, but I only tonight found out that they are in extreme pain and at times can only sit for a few seconds at a time. Yet, they take any amount of time they can handle to use their knowledge to educate us and promote dialogue between us, in spite of being racked by pain. This person is one of the walking wounded and was, I thought, in pretty good condition. Tonight, I learned that conception has not been true...and I find myself amazed to find the depth of their disability. Now, I am wondering how important it is for us to put on a happy face and keep our infirmities to ourselves rather than getting honest and sharing our limitations with the possibility of connecting with someone else, especially new members in need of knowing that they are not crazy and other people have the same problems that they do? I believe that it is possible to maintain a positive attitude while humbling ourselves enough to show others on the List the true person we are. There are ways to share our pain, frustration, loss, etc. without sounding like a whining baby. Who believes that it is important to put our honest personage out there? Does it help others? Does it help ourselves to talk about things? Or does it serve others better to be stoic about our disease? I'd really like to know... I love you all, Jude T3 to T8, Complete para with no b or b control, and not a lot of hope of ever walking again. Our present troubles are quite small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us an immeasurably great Glory that will last forever 2 Corinthians 4:17 NLT _ See what's free at AOL.com http://www.aol.com?ncid=AOLAOF0002000503 .
Re: [TMIC] Working With a Disability in California - Barbara, Everyone
Larry, Talked to several lawyers. Both about suing the doctor and suing the insurance company. Re: suing the doctor, lawyers said it wasn't really malpractice, (it is to me), so they wouldn't take it. The EXPERIENCED lawyers wanted a lot of money up front. I did in fact get one lawyer to take the case against the LTD on contingency, but he had no experience with ERISA law, and gave up. ERISA = *Employee Retirement Income Security Act --- Very conplex law that requires a specialist, and there aren't too many lawyers that understand it. As far as me getting screwed as you so delicately put it, the company lost an account worth hundreds of thousands of dollars because of what they did to me. It would have been much smarter, and cheaper, for them to pay me. You never know who has friends responsible for signing contracts with insurance companies. ;-) Kevin * Larry Throne wrote: Kevin, Did you ever talk with a Lawyer? It sounds as though you might have had two cases here. One against the LTD company and another against the Doctor. The problem is the time factor has most likely passed. Sorry you got screwed my friend. Larry in Rainy Oklahoma From: /Kevin Wolfthal [EMAIL PROTECTED]/ To: /Tmic-list@eskimo.com/ Subject: /Re: [TMIC] Working With a Disability in California - Barbara, Everyone/ Date: /Sun, 27 May 2007 04:03:32 -0400/ Hi Barbara, All, I also had LTD Disability until my highly paid neurologist made a mistake on a medical review form. He was about to move to a big new job and clearly wasn't paying attention. Among other things, he wrote that I could bend, get on all fours, and sit for 8 hours. All totally wrong, and just what the insurance company needed to stop my payments. I got the doctor to write a letter admitting that he was wrong, but of course, the LTD company said his letter wasn't 'credible' and I never got my LTD reinstated. So all I have is SSDI, which I am grateful for, and would be on the street without, but I lost half of my monthly income. Just a message to say what I'm sure you already know, make sure you see every form your doctors fill out before they go anywhere. Btw, the insurance company was notorious for denying and terminating legitimate claims, and has been sued by many states. Just my 1 1/2 cents. :) Kevin [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Hi Todd, This would and could really mess up my LTD insurance from my employer though. Everybody needs to know how their disability insurance from their employer works if they are going to try to return to work. In my case, if I were to try to return to work, and worked for a short time, then not be able to continue, I would lose my LTD disability benefits. This is true even on a part-time basis. If I were to ever try to get another job at a later date and attempt to get LTD coverage again, I would then also have a pre-existing condition. This is true even with the same company. If I ever returned and left due to not being able to work, my same company would never hire me back. But, they'd sure love to get me off of their disability payment role. I'm costing them too much money, and will continue until I am capable of working full-time or reach age 65. This has nothing to do with SSDI or SSI, however, it is very important to know. Please review your documentation if you do not already know the ins and outs of your plan. Hugs, Barbara A See what's free at AOL.com http://www.aol.com/?ncid=AOLAOF0002000503. PC Magazine's 2007 editors' choice for best Web mail---award-winning Windows Live Hotmail. http://g.msn.com/8HMAENUS/2740??PS=47575
Re: [TMIC] double vision and dancing eyes...
How can he tell its not the muscles or nerves? Did he do tests? You have something wrong, as bouncy, double vision ain't right. I have read that you can have lesions, but they may not be visible on even today's high tech mri machines. It wasn't until I had mri's on the newest of machines with certain parameters and dye used that my lesions showed. Ask for more tests, mris, tests for muscles disorders. Sad thing, even if they find our lesions most times they cannot help us anyhow, except to help us deal with it all. Yes, I have had symptoms like yours, but they went away all by themselves. Hope yours disappear like mine did. No, I still do not know for sure what caused mine. Best Wishes Natalie B On 5/26/07, Oma Haidarzada [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I'm writing this email to find out if anyone had the following symptoms as i do: my vision continuously bounces up and down and I have double vision also. It is not because of the meds because I have already cut down on the meds. It is not a lesion since I had an MRI done indicating nothing is there. It's not my muscles since the doctor said the connection of the eyes are fine. Has anyone had the same symptoms and if so can you please inform me of what I can do? Much Thanks, Sal- -- Moody friends. Drama queens. Your life? Nope! - their life, your story. Play Sims Stories at Yahoo! Games. http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=48224/*http://sims.yahoo.com/
Re: [TMIC] double vision and dancing eyes...
I am wondering if what you are experiencing is nystagmus. There is more info. on it here: _http://www.answers.com/topic/nystagmus_ (http://www.answers.com/topic/nystagmus) I have had kind of a bouncing vision occasionally, more so towards the beginning of TM onset, not so much recently. I have occasional double vision in my left eye that they can't tell me the reason for. One opthamologist says it is an astigmatism, but I would think an astigmatism would cause problems all the time rather than just occasionally. Barbara H. _http://barbarah.wordpress.com/_ (http://barbarah.wordpress.com/) In a message dated 5/26/2007 11:40:39 PM Eastern Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: I'm writing this email to find out if anyone had the following symptoms as i do: my vision continuously bounces up and down and I have double vision also. It is not because of the meds because I have already cut down on the meds. It is not a lesion since I had an MRI done indicating nothing is there. It's not my muscles since the doctor said the connection of the eyes are fine. Has anyone had the same symptoms and if so can you please inform me of what I can do? Much Thanks, Sal- ** See what's free at http://www.aol.com.
