Deb, I don't know where you live, I live in Missouri so I can tell you about how I applied here. Contact your local Social Security Office and tell them you want to set-up a telephone appointment/interview. They will assign a time when someone will call you and go through the application process with you. One of the fasted ways to be accepted is to collect your husbands medical records from his onc and have them ready. They also required a copy of my birth certificate. If you take his birth certificate to the SS Office after the application process, they can take a copy and certify it otherwise, you have to send the original to them and they will send back. Anyway, I applied the first week in December and got quite a large check on Christmas Eve "what a early Christmas present". They paid me back pay for one year from the date I applied. I was dx June of '06 but filed in December so they back paid me from December '06. Because it's cancer and we have specialty doctors, it usua lly goes through really fast.
I hope this helps! I was on Gleevec for 1 1/2 years then it stopped working. I started Sprycel in November of '07 and so far so good. My thoughts are with you and Rusty. Hang in there...there are a lot of clinical trials out there that are going on. You might want to check out some of the major universities in your area or ask your onc. I would not want to go through a BMT if I was weak. I think you need all the strength you can get to have the best results, at least that's "my" opinion. Also, contact or 1-800-532-5247 or go online to the Patient Advocate Foundation Co-Pay assistance. www.patientadvocate.org They pay up-to $500 a year to go towards co-pays, doctor bills, medication. All you need to do is fill out the application and have Rusty's nurse or doctor sign. I believe their year starts in either June or July, so if you have old statements/receipts back to then, you need only to send in once you apply and they will reimburse up to $500. I hope this helps...every little bit has sure helped me. God Bless, Lenda Coleman -------------- Original message ---------------------- From: Deb <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > My husband of 32 years, Rusty (age 53), was dx in 2001. Gleevec was > very successful until Dec. 2006, he was then put on Sprycel and was > making good progress until a few weeks ago when the CML got nasty and > took a vicious turn. He is now in the hospital about 60 miles from > home. They are planning to start chemo Friday in hopes of keeping the > CML at bay until a BMT (mini transplant) can take place in a month or > so. I know many of you folks out there (both patients and spouses) > have been through this ordeal and was hoping that you could offer some > words of advice, comfort, tips, prayers, etc. for helping our family > to get through the rough months ahead. This all seems so overwhelming! > We will be without his income (fortunately I carry wonderful health > insurance) and have already found that the trips to the hospital are > draining - physically, emotionally, and financially. Can anyone offer > tips about applying for Social Security Disability, etc. Any advice > would be greatly appreciated! Thank you. > Deb (wife of Rusty) > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ [CMLHope] A support group of http://cmlhope.com ------------------------------------------------- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "CMLHope" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/CMLHope -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
