I’m just wondering who out there has been disabled due to their MAV. I haven’t seen any specific thread for this so thought I’d ask.
My questions are:
If you are disabled - is it infrequent or sporadic, and you’re still able to hold a job?
You are able to work part time, but take lots of sick days?
Can’t work at all, and are on some form of disability
Any variations not on the list
I’ve just lost my job after being out a year due to this illness, and I’m so bummed. My former employer was great, I can’t blame them because my prognosis has not changed during the whole time I’ve been out. I can not work at all. I’m either bed bound, house bound, or able to do small chores depending on the day. I started my disability on FMLA, went to STD, then LTD, and now have just applied for SSD. I’m so worried I’ll never get SSD because so many don’t know what MAV or MM is, and how utterly disabling it is.
Super interested in reading about your disability stories.
I’m in Australia so our disability management is probably different to yours. I can however absolutely identify with the concern about being unable to work and sympathise with you. It must be devestating to have lost your job and the uncertainty about what you are entitled to. Over here a disabled pension is only about $300 a week. That wouldn’t even cover my mortgage.
I work in the public sector (police officer) and have a fair amount of sick leave accrued (about two months). This year I had about one month off with MAV. Although I am now 95% well I still get unpredictable bursts of vertigo so I’m exempt from firearms training for another 6 months. I do an office job now anyway so it’s not really a problem that I can’t be “operational”. I have some minor and manageable restrictions/requirements (need natural rather than fluorescent light).
I do hope you can get what you need, which can be difficult when, as you say, MAV is so little understood.
I currently work two part-time jobs that are highly workable should I ever need time off. This said, I have missed, through all of my own problems, one day of work (the 2.5 hour job) because I couldn’t even lift my head off the pillow.
During the bad days, hubby would drive me to work, or the neighbor would.
During the bad days when I worked my one-day-a-week, 7 hour shift, it was with my boss (once associate pastor of our church)who was sensitive enough to reduce my workload. With extraordinary patience, he helped me down the stairs and clipped my to-do list to the barest essentials, taking upon himself those things like stocking and packing for his revivals while I took care of the computer stuff.
My heart goes out to those who don’t enjoy the same luxuries and wonder what would happen if it ever came to my not being able to perform even my part-time duties anymore. And just recently, I was dx’d with osteoarthritis (aka degenerative arthritis). So the thought is never too far from my mind. I’m only 47, for crying out loud!
I just recently came to terms with the fact that my condition is severe enough to call myself disabled. It is sporadic in nature which is the problem I am having. I can’t give an accurate condition of myself right now because the doctors and I are playing around with the medications again. When I stopped working, I was calling into work sick 1 or 2 times a week, and leaving early 2 to 4 times a week. I was out of sick time and vacation time. Right now I am going through the disability denial process with the government.
Brian- you said you were going through the SSD process right now. Do you have a formal diagnosis of MAV? Do you think this is why they are denying your application? I’ve heard that most claims are originally denied, and it’s standard course to appeal. Do you know anything more on the process?
Thanks again, (Victoria, marie-johanne I’ve read your posts elsewhere–hello!)
My situation is multiple in nature. I am dealing with a diagnoses of Meniere’s and MAV. You know about as much about the SSD process as I do by the sounds of it. Unless you have a non-arguable diagnoses such as complete blindness, or a parapalagecic (sp?) you get an automatic denial. Then you fill out the appeal forms and get denied again. Then you get a lawyer to argue your case and you usually get it on about the second or third appeal with the lawyer. It’s a stupid beauracritic process written by lawyers so that other lawyers can make money. You basically have to prove to the government that you aren’t faking because you are willing to go through this idiotic beuacratic, forking out tons of money you don’t have, living off of 0 income for a couple of years, just so that you can live off of an income that is anywhere from 1/2 to 1/10 what you were making.
Can you tell that I am a little frustrated with the process? :lol:
I have a diagnosis of MAV and I am on disability. I am certainly disabled, being that I am so very ill and unable to function right now. this is a real, debilitating illness.
I have a diagnosis of MAV and I am on disability. I am certainly disabled, being that I am so very ill and unable to function right now. this is a real, debilitating illness.
— End quote
Are you on disability from your company or are you collecting SSD?
I’m on disability from my job. Long-term disability makes me apply for SSD. I am currently applying for that as well (doubt I will get that). My main goal is to get better and get off disability, but I know I’m fortunate to be receiving it