Fibromyalgia Support Group

Even though I am in a flare up now for quite a while I am driving myself crazy with financial concerns. My husband has been questioning everything I am buying lately and it is really driving me nuts. I am no where near as bad as I used to be and miss so much having my own money coming in. I tinker with applying for disability but on my good days - not in a flare up I feel decent enough to work part time and would feel guilty. I am a Registered Nurse and don't know what I could do now with fibro. My husband says there has to be something I could do so my degree doesn't go to waste. I wish I knew. I have worked since I was 15 and loved working every job I had from Burger King to the E.R. I am getting down on myself. We need a new deck really badly and the estimate we got was near $15,000.00 and my car is pushing 125,000 miles. We are not struggling but we certainly could use a supplemental income. Should I try for disability or wait?

Try for disability from any and every source you can! Now!! The reason for the 'rush' is that confirmation can take months and months. I was certain that I could teach part time too and was urged to doso by my employer. I asked around and was told that until YOU feel YOU could handle full time work, don't even think about it.

We 'think' we can handle much more than we actually can, and once you show a willingness to do your best for an employer, your insurance company will hound you if you ever apply again.

If we think that insurance companies don't share info, we're being naive.

Hi, fibromite-sorry to hear you are in a flare- I am, too;must be the lousy weather here (rain). Do not hesitate to apply for disability; it takes forever to get it, so start now. If you have that little extra $, it will help relieve some of your financial anxieties, and we all know how anxiety affects us FM people.

Thanks guys! I did talk to a lawyer last year but then hesitated and thought maybe someday I 'll get over this. Well....I don't think there is ever gettting over this. I have learned to deal with it but it is hard to accept it. My husband sees me going to take care of my gram at the hospital and he is sort of making me feel guilty like if I could do that I could work. Well... if there is a job where I could work 2 hours a day if that then bring it on.

Hi Fibromite!

Taking care of your gram in the hospital is a totally different thing! Your hubby is comparing apples to oranges.

I'll offer to 'talk' to your husband if you'd like. GRRRR...

$15,000 for a deck!!! That's more than I had to live on all of last year.

Honey~ The worst thing you could do to you and your family is wait. You have to have 5 years of solid work history. Please check into the requirements before you let it slip by. I would hate to see you wait too long and lose the chance.

Allsup is a great company to work with. They will answer every single question you have and then some.

I worked 8 years full time as an R.N. so I guess I am o.k. Does it change how you perceive yourself when you are on disablility?

At first, I was in denial and was 100% certain I'd be going back to teaching; it was just a matter of time (I thought) and didn't want to collect anything that had the word 'pension' in it.

I believe that most insurers refer to it as a 'benefit' and that's just fine with me.

My perception of myself has not changed at all because I'm entitled to the payment, and see it as a kind of 'return on investment.'

I don't mean to sound selfish but I feel for what we go through, we deserve to be compensated. I never felt this badly working four 12-hour shifts in a row which I had done sometimes. I would love to volunteer when I feel well enough say in a nursing home or hospital. That way I could still contribute to society and not let this take all of me. Perhaps, I'll give disability serious thought over the weekend. Thanks Afterglo!!!