Being as I have just recently found out ( in June) that I have Chiari, I am just finding out the full scope of symptoms caused by this. But in the last 2 years my symptoms have worsened dramatically but in the last 9 months it has become almost impossible to hold a full time job ( I have not been able to keep a film time job in years). I don’t have kids, I do not qualify in my state for medical assistance because I have no children. But, is it normal for a person suffering from to become disabled? If not, how do you folks cope financially with this?
Thanks for you help!
Lyndsay
I have not had te surgery yet. I don’t even have insurance. I have been told for years that “it’s all in my head”, that I’m a drug seeker, a lier and a faking it, from the doctors that I visited.
I spent 6 years working in one of the country’s leading neurological hospital. I saw from a medical person’s stand point of what a patient goes through before and after brain surgery. Honestly, the idea of brain surgery has always frightened me. While I worked with my brain surgery patients, I always thought in the back of my head, wow, I hope I’m lucky enough to never have to go through this in my lifetime. I guess I was wrong.
Now fast forward a year later, I no longer have my medical job, I really don’t have any job that brings in any money right now. Government won’t assist me, I have no insurance, and my family cannot financially take care of me. Hence why I wondered if everyone with Chiari ends up disabled.
Hi Lyndsay,
I dunno if this helps but I thought I just had fibro/anxiety/depression and I got disability for it. Now I find out (in August) that I also have this. I just had a review and they still found me disabled. So, while this doesn't really answer your question per se I too have found a dramatic increase in my symptoms this past year.
I think you should try to apply for disability. You can work while on disability as well without it affecting your benefits.
Please do try. It sounds like you really need it and that is what it is for.
:-)
Ophelia