So hard. Disability insurance is a good thing.

I don't have a story for this as I was not working outside the home when diagnosed. But I have lots of support for you. Hugs.

When was the last time you saw your Pulmo Doc ? A doctor could tell you if your present condition would qualify for Social Security Disability Benefits.

Hi Ladybug, If you go to the social security website they have the application for SS disability and the criterion to qualify with COPD. I applied online and qualified right away. There is a 3 or 4 month delay to get benefits as I recall.

Great advice here. Also your doctor will have to sign form saying you are disabled. Usually that is no problem with copd. It sounds like you are really running what health you have left in to the ground by wearing out !! Check with your doctor, if he can say you are unable to work, that should help . Then go online and apply. Sorry about your husband, but he is not alone, most folks who do not have this disease , do not understand it or us....Good luck with it

BJ

My doctor told me he has all the documentation for me and disability. In fact I think he's the one that brought it up. He said to let him know when I'm ready. At my work I have short term and long-term disability. I took short term when I had my lung biopsy. I've been told I can take that until I get to Social Security disability. I think I have to take the short term first until it runs out then long term i'm a little confused I have bronchiolitis obliterans which is on the list of compassionate allowances which is supposed to speed up the process. I guess I'm just having a hard time making the decision and don't have my husband to bounce it off of we barely make it financially now. Sounds ridiculous but I probably will wait until I get sick respiratory infection this winter or when I can't take the cold wind and have a panic attack in someone's house. Thanks for all the support. I just have to have confidence that what I'm doing is right.

I went on disability for copd nearly 4 yr. ago. I just went to ss office and pu forms for disability. I filled them out myself and included my dr. info. I then gave them back to office where I picked them up. I am sure they called my dr. I was approved and received 5 months back benefits for time I was unable to work. good luck

I know when I was ready, I could not do my job too well anymore. I went out on flma ( medical leave) this was so I dident get fired. I applied to ssdi 6 months later and received it within a month. my pulmonary function test numbers were within the ss guidelines. then long term disability that I had at work kicked in. human resource at work was a great help.

1st i tell people what I have & that i'm not contagious---(lesson for those still smoking.) i know i don't want a sick person coming to my house & exposing me to something; so be honest with them.

i also found that i spend what i make. when i first quit working i sat down and made a list of what i really didn't need to spend money on---it was amazing the crap i bought just because i had the money.
then i made a list of things i REALLY needed while working & bought those while i had the money

as gracnme brought it is really a good question to ask yourself if you are doing your job well any more? if not that could be a big deciding factor as a nurse, how would you want to be cared for.

SSDI is a process & you go without work or pay for 6 months & then it is 2 years until you get medicare.
these are things to think of, but can your husband put you on his insurance & you work out the no pay like gracenme or save to get by?

the biggest decision i had to make was what was more important to me in my final days/weeks/years.
I chose time with my family.
some people would chose work---it's a personal decision.

unlike some people, we know we have limited time....I want to make mine the best ever!!!

hard decision, good luck.
ps. I live on a very limited budget now & it's hard sometimes, but i wouldn't trade it for the time i get to REALLY live!
i was here to see my great-grandbaby & here to see twin great grandbabies soon---if i was working i couldn't do it as i'd be at work or too worn out.

sorry, long, but you asked for stories :)

In the last 5 years I've been a lot sicker than I am right now. There's no doubt in my mind that I should have went on disability then. I've had a pretty good stretch lately.

I didn't get to finish my thought. Oops. Jarca when you said Are you doing your job well anymore? That hardly ever happens anymore and my patients deserve it I know. I'd like to spend my energy on my family.

i wish you luck, it is a tough decision, but sounds like your ready.
is you BO work related?
BTW; are you on supplemental 02? or should you be?
also, i'm not sure how it works, but i think you can be on disability & still work some.
maybe if you got disability you could at least cut down the work---just a thought, maybe someone else knows more about it.

The work I did around chemicals & long hours, out in bad weather etc=I'd be 6ft under right now if i hadn't taken it when i did. Don't wait until it's too late. 1 respiratory illness can take us down fast.I'm not trying to be 'the grim reaper' here, but it is something to consider. (((HUGS)))

Jarca
I worked in a doctor's office for a year. We cleaned the exam tables daily with a germicide. I wheezed and coughed. Msds sheets didn't even require a mask. So I sorta held my breath and went on. That year I had trouble walking from the lower parking lot to my building had to stop a lots couldn't get up my steps had to start taking the elevator. Hiking the year before. Then in 2010 I could barely walk up steps. Sound sorta crazy but I'm not on oxygen and my o2 SAT and ABG's are good. I still get short of breath my lungs trap air. So I have a small area to actually breathe in. I was just talking to another lady with Bo. I got the reminder that is my car breaks down or get stuck in the snow this winter. I'm in a lot of areas with no cell signal and I'm in rural areas. It's a scary thought I would just have to sit there. Again I'm doing better than I have at times. Respiratory infections do knock you down and I am around sick people. I am going to check into my disability at work. I have short and long term and I think I apply for the SSI disability why I'm getting those. I have the papers for Work. Not exactly sure what I'm doing. I have decided if my husband gets the job he's interviewing for tomorrow I can make it happen. Thanks for last night thanks for talking it does help

Talking into my phone and all kinds of stuff comes out not sure what thanks for last night was supposed to haha got to get the computer fixed.

There are critical times when we need to be "more than" honest with ourselves. I vote for reducing the strain on your body i.e. what do you need to do to "feel more better."

Based on your health decision, then do the research to determine what resources can fill in to reduce the impact of your decision. I know that there's a great deal of foot dragging from many resources, so be prepared.

What I am trying to convey, I absolute know, feel the shortness of breath you're experiencing; and I'm hoping you'll do something about it, right now without including problems, concerns,etc to limit your decision.

"Breathe in, Breathe out."

Working at a major airport required a lot of on-the-job footwork and exact timing details (to meet on-time departure schedules). Certainly it was not a sit down job but...I loved it and miss all the airport activity.....However, I was starting to get SOB with all the walking to different parts of the airport.

My employer made an offer to certain employees to retire with benefits, that was the time for me to bow out of the business. The requirement at that time was, 55 yrs of age and 10 yrs of service. Heck, I was 55 yrs old when I started with the airline and at age 67 I had 12 yrs of service........ perfect opportunity to save younger employees from a layoff and for me to settle down to retirement.

Now whenever, I drive past the airport and look at the size, I get SOB just thinking about those long, long walks through the terminals every day.

After 30 some yrs of working (had a previous job for 21 yrs) it's time to settle down.....No Regrets !!................Go for it !!