Social Security and guilt - Epilepsy Message Board

Karapeters · 05-05-2005, 06:05 PM

Does anyone else that is on social security for Epileptic seizures ever feel guilty? I have been on SS for 5 years now, and I feel like I am committing some grave injustice by "being dependent" on the money. When I was working I was asked to step down or be fired because of the frequency of my seizures, and for the mistakes I would make due to absence seizures. For some reason when someone asks me what I do for a living, I don't want to say I am on Social Security. I am too ashamed. I always tell them the bare bones, which is that I am a stay at home mom. I guess I really shouldn't feel guilty, but I do.

Travis from MN · 05-06-2005, 07:51 PM

No. My meds would cost me 1100/month if I had to pay out of pocket. I never made enough to cover that amount PLUS cover living expences (meaning: housing, electrical, phone, other utilities, and food ONLY).

It took me over 2 years to be approved on SocSec, and as you must know, it was NOT an easy battle.

I am not ashamed. What I am upset about is being split between Disability and Supplimental and THAT causes a problem in being ABLE to get work if I could ever find any. Once I start work I lose one side of the income from the government; or atleast would start to. So I am stuck. I would need a full time job (i.e. be ABLE to work) or stay or disability... it's a tangle.

--Travis

tiresome · 05-06-2005, 09:01 PM

I am trying to get Social Security Disability and believe me, when I do get it I am not going to feel guilty at all. Not after working my adult life and struggling this last year to survive. I had a job until my Partial Complex seizures started getting so bad. I was a cahier and people thought that when I was having a seizure I was being rude or unfriendly. I was head cashier worked full time and got bonuses for good work and sales. All of that went out the window when people started complaining and the word "epilepsy" was used, all of sudden I was called into the office all the time, tried to write me up for being late once even though another employee was late everyday and nothing said to him.
I think if you stop to think about how hard it would be to work full time and how unfortuneatly epilepsy is still not understood by many, you would realize you don't have a lot of choices. So keep your chin up, you would not have got SSDI unless you were qualified to receive it. Have a good day!!!!

cattieos · 05-06-2005, 09:58 PM

Karapeters, I am not on social security, I probably could get on it, I have another health problem also, and everytime I do work, I am fine for a few months, then I end up really really sick again. But, I haven't ever tried, I would feel guilty also. I have worked my whole life, missing some time here and there due to illness, and am out now for quite a while, got a baby on the way! But, we have enough money to make it without me getting it, and even though there are sooo many people who take advanatage of the system, and you aren't one of them, adn I know that I wouldnt' be either, I just feel that it would be wrong of me to take the money when I don't really need it, and when I can work, just for short periods of time. I can do about 5 or six months, then i have to be out for about 4 or five months, sometimes longer. It is very very hard to get on SS it took my Dad over two years, he had polio and now has PPS, and somedays he can barely walk, but he feels guilty about it sometimes too.

tiresome · 05-07-2005, 09:22 AM

Okay I just had to jump back in. Social Security Disability Insurance is NOT charity or welfare. It is a insurance program that all working people pay into. The only people who receive it are disabled and cannot work.
I wouldn't say that very many people take advantage of the system since it is so hard to get disability. Why anyone would want to live on so little money if they were able to work is beyond me. Also, as the old saying goes don't judge a book by its cover, some peoples disabilities and how they deal with them are not all that obvious.
Cattieos, you are very fortunate that you can find work for a few months at a time now. After a few years of that work history I am sure it will get to be more difficult to find substantual work. Hopefully you will never have to apply. How wonderful that you have a baby on the way!!!! My daughter is the best thing to ever happen to me. God bless.