Don't be afraid. I also couldn't sleep the night before my hearing. I was having a good day during my hearing and the judge never got to see me at my worst Any how, my judge had his mind made up about me before I even got into the room with him. He rushed me through the hearing, wouldn't hardly let my lawyer speak, and he lied on his decision. I decided that appealing the judge's decision and waiting another three years was not worth my time and effort. All of that for 700 dollars a month. It hardly seems worth it. I was treated like a liar.

Your case is different. You are older and you have way more medical issues than I do. As long as your disability onset date was before you took your early SS retirement, you will still be eligible to receive your SSDI and back pay. Take a deep breath! Everything is going to be fine. I have another online friend who just received a bench decision of fully favorable and she like you was a complete mess. The system does work sometime. Any how, I hope you have a good night and a fully favorable hearing tomorrow. Hugs!

They used that I shop for myself once a month against me. Even though it takes a lot out of me. In the end it all comes down to what the judge wants to do. Since you are already of retirement age, the judge might just let you slide. I tried to explain to the judge that I'd be walking through the super market and be all excited that I am going to be able to work again and then after I walked too far, the pain and mobility issues would set in. It never fails. But if you were to watch me on a good day, you would seriously doubt that there is anything wrong with me. Good luck.

I'm praying for you Sweetie

Thanks guys. Slept, but badly. On my way!

got you in my prayers....annny needs your love Lord....so she can get her SSDI decision to be positive....so we need your help Lord....hugs

I just got back from my hearing. My lawyer says it went really well and he thinks I will be approved. When the judge asked me if I could do this job, she said "no," and if I could this other job, she said "no."
The lawyer said that was what he was worried about, that they would come up with some job I could do. The lawyer said that I should get the letter in 4 to 6 weeks (I live in the country). I don't think I'll feel completely out of the woods, until I see the letter saying I was approved.

Thanks for your support, prayers and good thoughts. I had some good prayers behind me. When I get the letter, I'll post again.

I think you better post before you get the letter too...six weeks without my AnnNY I would be in high withdrawal anxiety...LOL

I hope it was approved and that the back pay helps you with something special you want to get yourself....hugs bill

Wow excellent. Good luck with everything !

Ann, did the VE say no to all the ALJ's hypotheticals?

None of that matters It's. It is from my own experience and from reading hundreds of posts from others who have been denied SSDI by their ALJ, that the judge will do whatever they want. If the Judge wants to deny you they will cherry pick evidence and deny you. I read one poster who the judge did not agree with the VE and still denied her SSDI even though the VE said that there were no jobs that this person can do. My judge denied my SSDI even though their own doctor said that I could not work. The judge said that the doctor couldn't determine my eligibility to work from one 15 minute examination and then sided with the SS claims examiner doc who had never even met me. They also denied my doctors rating my pain levels at an 8. Then I have friends who the SS doc said that their regular doctor was lying and that they were not disabled. Then that judge sided with the SS doc who had only seen the patient for 15 minutes and dismissed all of the treating physicians statements as being lies. So the CE doctor is only used when they say the client is disabled, but when the CE agrees that he client is disabled, the judge then all of a sudden doesn't give any weight to the CE doctor. It's all bullshit. The rules don't mean shit. The judge can d whatever the judge wants to do. I'm not saying that this is the case in your situation Anny, but that is the reality of the situation. You can have the best laid out case and meet all of the listings and the judge can still deny your case.

Just me--

That's what I was trying to say. There were only too hypotheticals and it seemed like the judge really didn't think they were possibilities either since she said them so quickly. My speech really was jumbled because I was so tired. But the VE said "no" to both.

Jeremy--

I know the judge can do what she wants, so that's why I won't really rest easy until I get the letter.

But I was resting easier, but then I started worrying about Medicare, and I have been on food stamps and Medicaid are they going to take money from the back pay, and even what am I going to do about taxes! I have to give my own self a break from worrying! Sheesh!

@Ann...

I know what you mean about worry! Sometimes in recent months I felt I was drowning in problems.

Apparently 67% of disability claims are automatically rejected, the advice here is plan to have to appeal.

The irony is I know 2 people getting the benefits who shouldn't be.
One is a mutual acquaintance of a gp friend, I asked her about it and she said she's seen people in agony denied and people capable of work get approved.
Seems to be quite random.

America is not a good place to be sick or disabled. The measures in place to support people have become a battleground of petty political agendas and greed.

On another thread you advised me Jeremy not to be uninsured since I own property. That used to be the American dream- own your own place, educate your kids, save for retirement. See a doctor if you are sick.

Insurance and social programs were supposed to back up these ideals, to practically support people when necessary.

Ann, don't worry about them taking any back pay from you. They only take back money if you were on what's called General Relief from the county you live in. Some people get General Relief and food stamps while they're waiting for their disability case to be approved. Did you ever sign a paper that you would have to repay any of the money that you received if you get your back pay? The rules are different for people over the age 50/55 on food stamps. When you are older, you can collect food stamps indefinitely whether or not you are disabled. They don't bother older people. Medicaid only makes you pay back any medical procedures you have had over the age of 55. And they only take the money back fro your estate/house once you've passed away. So you really don't have anything to worry about. I hope you're feeling better. Hugs!

You can look up what Medicaid makes you pay back by researching online. I was reading about that because some day I may inherit a few hundred thousand dollars and I was worried about the government taking the money because I would have been on disability for years before that. I also read that persons over the age of 55 can receive food stamps indefinitely without having to pay them back. They are really lax on older people. Please don't take my rant from yesterday to mean that your judge is not going to give you a fair ruling. I am just severely jaded by the inhumane experience I had with my ALJ. I tried t tell the guy I can make up to 10 in 11 weeks as a driver and why would I cash that in for 700 dollars a month. It doesn't make any sense.

Just keep in mind what I told you about my online friend Michelle. She has a judge that has a very low approval rating and she got her fully favorable decision right there in the hearing. You might not have gotten your fully favorable decision right then because you are already getting early retirement and you are not in dire straights. My friend was three months behind on her mortgage and she also had her local senator contact the ALJ to speed up her case. She has ME, a form of bone cancer. You are going to be fine. Hugs.

I meant to say that I can make up to 10k in 11 weeks of driving.