2 replies to this topic

[KimAndSophie]

Ok, so I have to complain a bit....

I moved back home just before Xmas, and because I moved to a different province and am staying with my parents in a tiny community until I find an apartment in the city, I really had no other choice for the time being than to go on disability. (I hate having money given to me that I didn't earn when I know I could have earned it, but it's only a temperary thing.) Well, I've had to fight like crazy to get any money at all from them (when I can list off about 20 people I knwo who are getting tons of money and shouldn't be), but that's not really any of my buisness....

Well, I'm finially getting a small amount of money from them each month (I'm so glad my parents aren't charging me rent!), and after fighting to get that, they are telling me I have to find a wheelchair accessable apartment for no more than $372 a month (with everything included, or pay for utilities out of my own money). I might not even get that much because it has to go to a review board and then they will decide. It could be less.

I had a huge kidney infection awhile ago and the Dr. decided to keep a catheter in until it was better because I was having a lot of trouble getting one in, well the nurse ended up putting a latex one in. (I'm allergic to latex!) So that complicated matters more. Which brings me to my next topic. (Sorry this post is so long.) Because I'm on disability the Dr. said that catheters were covered and he'd have to write me a RX and I'd have to send it to my social worker. He wrote it for 30 non latex intermittent (in and out) catheters. Well I waited over 2 weeks and finially had a small box come by courier. It was 8 tiny packets of lubricate. No catheters! Almost a week later (after calling about 5 different people) I finially had the catheters come. They sent me 8 foley catheters! Sure I can use them, but they are size 10 so they have a plastic thing inside to keep them a bit more rigid and you have to pull it out when it's in. (Which is really annoying.) I've called everyone I had to to fix this problem but no one will do anything. I have to wait until May to get a new RX. (I can't even order any myself anywwhere around here without a RX for it.) I'm about ready to pull my hair out!

I also need new wheels (tires, rims and everything). My tires are worn well beyond what they should be, and my rims are bent and chunks are taken out of them in places. (I'm no the easiest person on wheels.) I got a list of at least 9 people I have to go through before they will even consider replacing them. (Stupid government.) The air slowly leeks out of both tires, so I have to put air in them at least every 3 days. I have to find my own Occupational Thearpist (spend my own money to go to the nearest sity which is hours away when I finally get an appointment, and sent a request off and after it goes through almost a dozen people I "might" get new tires.

Sorry for the long post, I've had it up to my ears with all this. If I could get enough money to actually get an apartment I could get into I could move to the city and find a job, and none of these people would have to worry about me anymore. That's what's getting to me the most!

[Joed]

It's maddening, the hoops one has to jump through to attain something that should be fairly straightforward. No matter the insurance, they all make it much more difficult than it has to be. I have a good friend in Canada who has serious spinal issues, so I know how convoluted that system has become over the last few years. Sometimes I truly wonder if they're trying to drive her insane. And I won't even start on my own HMO.

They almost always force you to become a real 'B'...sometimes it seems to be the only way to get results.

About drawing monies you haven't 'earned'....the way I look at it (US here), if you've ever worked before and they deducted taxes for SSDI, that's not much different from simply paying your premiums for any insurance you might have. That's why you're paying that money...in the event that you're physically injured in a significant way. I worked in a factory for many years, until I wasn't able to anymore...and although it was very difficult to take that step into 'disability/unemployment', I had to remind myself that this is exactly the circumstance that I was paying into that system for. To me, that's where the entitlement comes in.