contacting the hivemind plus state of the liz update

[untonuggan]

hello friends!

i have to do this documentation for my insurance company to prove that I still qualify for this special disability exemption thing. (Note: I will still have insurance if they reject it, just less good insurance. so don't worry on my account.)

the documentation I need relates to how, specifically, my conditions impact my daily functions and thus prevent me from working. the fun thing is my brain fog has been crap lately so I had to read their letter five times to figure that out. /o\

Request for links:

I am getting assistance with writing letters and contacting doctors, but I'm looking for help finding a comprehensive list of "Activities of Daily Living" or prohibitions to working or something of that nature. Preferably something in checklist/numeric form so I can tick of boxes and then pass it to people who can Word right now. something like "Can you open jars without assistance?" and "How hard is it to dress yourself?" and all those fun questions that are just...annoying as crap.

General announcement:

Note: I've also been less present on dreamwidth because my "mental energy" spoons are really fucking low right now, and so it's "do I catch up on dreamwidth OR write some words for campnano OR talk to friends OR read a chapter in this YA novel OR knit in stockinette stitch OR operate a stove OR schedule an appointment." It...is really really annoying. Like, *possibly* the most annoying thing I have dealt with in this whole disability experience, though that could be some sort of retrospective haze thing making other things feel less shitty. Anyway, I have feelz, which...will maybe share when I have more brains.

Also note: I have been around on Twitter (@ untonuggan) more often because 140 characters are something my brain can *mostly* handle (except when I get aphasia or reading comprehension issues and misread crap or can't type).

Comments

what I wish I could tell the insurance company

[untonuggan]

dear insurance company,

I would love to give you lots of documents, but those are many steps and I can't actually do those things and also shower and get dressed and pick up my meds from the pharmacy. I am actually struggling to do those things anyway. which is why I actually can't work, because being able to shower without needing a nap afterwards is kind of important. also being able to read a goddamn book or feed yourself reliably.

thanks for making me feel capable and helping me keep up a positive attitude in the face of all this inspirational adversity! here is a picture of a kitten!

snarky crip who's sick of filling out fucking forms

p.s. instead of getting a note from the doctor, would it help if I just videotaped myself on a bad day? seriously it's going to take so much energy to get to a doctor, I think the video might be easier. plus now that you've seen multiple results of my stool samples, I feel we're at an intimacy level where you can see me unshowered and in pajamas crawling up the stairs.

[alexseanchai]

pages six and seven of this PDF? If that's an accessible format? It's designed for people with dementia, but I think it's probably close enough for this purpose.

[indywind]

Here is a short checklist of daily living activities, on a website:
https://www.payingforseniorcare.com/longtermcare/activities-of-daily-living.html#title4

Here is a copy of the form that the Social Security Administration uses to determine disability. It has multiple choice questions and short-answer prompts that address most common limits to independent living in an organized way. You could fill out this form and give a copy to your insurance provider, or give it to someone who could re-organize the information in the way the insurance provider wants.
https://www.ssa.gov/forms/ssa-3373-bk.pdf

Good luck.

[jelazakazone]

<3 <3 Sorry, can't help with your documentation thing. Just wanted to pop in and say I've been crazy busy AND I had a pretty bad panic attack on Thurs, so I've been trying to do self-care and distract in equal measure. I finally broke down and took about 12mg of Xanax today.

[lilysea]

Note: I've also been less present on dreamwidth because my "mental energy" spoons are really fucking low right now, and so it's "do I catch up on dreamwidth OR

Just wanted to empathise and sympathise with this. I get really frustrated and grumpy/sad when I'm too mentally tired to read dreamwidth, which happens way more often than I'd like.

Good luck with the Forms of Doom.

[raaven]

I so get the this OR this OR this thing, especially right now. I feel like in posting today, I have done all I can manage. More, even.

::brain fog commiseration::

[geeksdoitbetter]

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OGoYMr4fOYg/VGmMr18EeqI/AAAAAAAAAVk/ODWztGha0lM/s1600/spoonchart.jpg

i like this colorful graphic

from this blog post - http://kindofbroken.blogspot.com/2014/11/the-spoon-theory.html