overwhelmed

[torikat32]

hey all well I finally decided that I just cant do my job anymore physically and cognitively, my last cognitive function tests a month ago showed a moderate to severe decline in processing speed and in visual spatial areas. I work as a pharmacy tech and I struggle every day some days I am fine and others more often than I wish I struggle to just to count to 10 between the phone ringing and patients waiting at the window I lose concentration I have great difficulty with multi tasking. so I have decided to go on temp disabilty my state of RI offers tdi for up to 30weeks if qualified medically heres the problem I am now facing my employer will terminate me after 3 months if I cant go back thats ok cause I can still collect the TDI and they offer a 90 day extended plan I will be covered under both the state tdi and my employers disability however after the 3 month mark I will have to pay cobra and it will be about $1100 a month my god I cant afford that it will be all my check we are already behind in our mortgage waiting for the great Obama home plan for help . so now I am looking at either staying at work which will ed up eventually behing terminated and end up in the same boat or going ahead and leaving and filing for sdi asap but i know its a 5 month waiting period but  I may get thru with the temp dis abd pray I get ssdi  imediatly  and then go with out health ins. this system ***** you work hard all your life pay taxes and when you need the govt help they laugh in your face. thanks for letting me vent just dont know what to do

lost and confused
Kat  

[torikat32]

well my PCP wanted to stop working a few months ago but I said no I cant leave work in the mess that it is in see there are only 3 of us so if I leave since I have been there the longest so far and thats been only 3 years its a small private pharmacy for mental health patients. So we are now looking for my replacement and once they are trained I will be leaving . I called hr and they said I either work 40 hrs a week  with benfetits or I work 20 hr with nothing. I go see neuro on thurs and I am going to tell her that I am leaving work and I hope I have her help with disability but my primary md is all set to do what needs to be done if she isnt willing to step up to the plate. I know about the medicare thing which I believe if your disabled you need healthcare and I know so many people are losing their homes and the shirts of their backs because of health care soory I am about to step up to the soap box and dont need to cause a stir on the forum but the system ***** and needs to be fixed .

[Sumanadevii]

Another thing to consider is how supportive is your current neuro?  Is he or she willing to give a good fight to help you receive SSDI?  or do you just need this time temporarily?  If permanent your primary doctors can make all the difference in the world as to how fast things move.  With SSDI there is a two year waiting period after receiving it to be eligible for Medicare.  If they back date it, the wait is a year.  

[sllowe]

Hi Kat,

So did your doctor write you out 1st? To collect short term initially? Or, temporary (think that's what you are mentioning)
Hate to see anyone have to start cobra when many of us pay into SDI. That's what it's there for. Some employers also have donated time programs that can kick in to bide you over even longer. There are also reasonable accomodations that can be made, shorter work weeks (not too short that it will affect your insurance, etc).
Have you talked it through w/the doc and your HR?
-Shell

[poddy]

what a terrible situation to be in life can be so cruel.. I know here in the united kingdom
our benifits and benifits system can also be so unfair                                                
                                    kind thoughts poddy