Hey all,
Hope you’re all managing to navigate this thing called life. Sometimes it feels like it’s managing us, doesn’t it?
Did you know that a hearing before a SS appeals judge can give you a raging “hangover” the next day? Don’t ask me how I know.
Did you know that when your mom asks you, every time you see or talk to her, how you are doing, it’s hard to be reminded every day that you’ve got this “thing.” Especially when you are trying as hard as possible to forget about it.
Did you know that having a chronic headache (or a concussion or any other TBI) can have a very substantial long term effect on your cognitive abilities?
Did you know that when it takes 6 months to get your insurance and your doctor to make a referral to the neuro-psychology clinic, it’s kind of disheartening to then find out the first available appointment is March 3, 2020?
No, that’s not a typo.
Did you know that doctors keep a waiting list of people who want to get in sooner? And they actually do call sometimes?
We were supposed to go to the doctors at the U of M in Ann Arbor on Wednesday. Approximately 4:00 on Tuesday, the neuro Psych people called and said we have a cancellation for tomorrow morning. Can you be here by 7:15 am?
Quick agreement to make it happen and then calling the other docs to reschedule their previously set up appointments. To their credit, when I told them how far up we were moving the appointment, the schedulers said, “Oh my goodness, I am so glad you took that appointment.”
Did you know that four and a half hours of tests is a lot for even fully operational people? Did you know that for us it’s downright exhausting? and you They were short term memory tests, logical reasoning tests and a lot of other tests of that type which I have no idea how I did because they explained that they were going to test me to fail. In other words, I’ll do math problems until I can’t do them any more etc.
Did you know that I felt like I was in the TV game show, “Are you smarter than a 5th grader?” I still don’t know the answer to that question.
Did you know that after 4 hours of interviews and testing, my voice basically acted and sounded like I had just left the Super Bowl and cheered one team on a lot?
Did you know that this is an “anniversary” of sorts? September of 2018 was when we filed with the appeals court asking them to overturn Social Securities original denial of benefits. Waiting for 12 months after waiting 7 months for the original response. sigh
Did you know that I’m out of questions for the afternoon?
Stay strong and as much as you want to give up, remember, we’re all cheering you on and you don’t have to know what your 5 year or 10 year plan is. Heck, if you know what you’re doing tomorrow, that’s a good thing right there.
I don’t know if we have any Irish folks on here, but I’m going to wrap up these wramblings with an Irish blessing:
May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face;
the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again,
may God hold you in the palm of His hand.
(lifts a glass of ice tea to all of you)
TJ