Mary,

It's not giving up on your recovery. Just because you go on SSDI doesn't mean you can't quit it if you are able to go back to work in the future. My husband has been getting it for five years and he still gets a letter from time to time from the government asking if he is able to go back to work again.

Jean

Mary,

I don't know if it's earned, but you certainly paid into it during those 15 years you supported your family. It's like unemployment insurance has to be paid by an employer. Otherwise if you are fired, no reason of your own, it can and will be paid to you.

That's the reason I can't draw SS, I didn't pay into it while owning my business. The years I last paid was too far back to claim from the time of my disability. Crazy, but it's the law. You should get yours. How long depends on how much was paid in by you.

Mary,

The hospital case manager encouraged us to apply for social security almost immediately upon Rob's admission. If she hadn't and we didn't do it at that time, I doubt if we would have done it later. Rob's application went through and he qualified without question. Rob definitely associates his SS with defeat - and no matter that I explain it is simply early medicare retirement - he still doesn't like it.

-Karen

As a former Pensions officer I also would have said that you have earned it. Disability payments are a safety net so that people don't fall into poverty because of long term illness. We are blessed to be able to have money to live on and a place to live when in so many countries this would not be so.

Don't think of this as "early retiremnt" if you don't want to and would rather think that this is not forever, there may come a time when you are able to go back to work at least part time, no-one knows what the future holds. Look at the advances in medicine over the last ten years.

Ray's major strokes in 1999 put us both into early retirement. Seven years down the track I am happy we have an income and a reasonable standard of living. We keep on looking at the bright side of life, there is a lot to be said for just being alive and being able to find value in each day.

Sue.

Thank you all for your support!

Mary