Illness, Pain, Misdiagnosis & Denial
Gayle DeVilbiss, a 54 year-old woman in Arizona, was originally diagnosed with fibromyalgia back in 2007. She applied for Social Security benefits and was denied. Then, after various treatments and further study, Ms. DeVilbiss learned that she was actually suffering from Non Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, a serious form of cancer requiring chemotherapy and other long-term treatments.
|
|
After starting her regimen of routine treatments, her immune system became depleted and she needed more medication to keep her healthy while the chemotherapy went to work destroying the cancer cells. Soon the pain set in. Nausea, fatigue and other physical ailments only added to the mental and emotional anxiety and constant worry.
Understandably, Ms. DeVilbiss was completely unable to work. Once again, she applied for Social Security Disability benefits, but within weeks she received a notice indicating that her disability benefits were denied based on the fact that her regimen of treatment is not expected to last more than 12 months.
The law as currently written states that a person is eligible for Social Security disability benefits if that person suffers from a severe impairment, is unable to work because of the severe impairment, and the impairment is expected to last for at least 12 months or result in death.
In her video to the president, Ms. DeVilbiss states, “I just don’t understand what [diagnosis] you have to have to get Social Security disability. I can’t work right now. I may be able to work in a year, I don’t know. I may be able to work six months from now. But right now I can’t work. “
“I don’t feel 100 percent. I don’t feel seventy five percent, and I don’t feel even fifty percent of what I used to feel. I just need some help now”, she contined.
The sad truth is that there is no employer that would knowingly employ a person with the current diagnosis and set of symptoms displayed by this woman. In an interview with a local news station, Ms. DeVilbiss pointed out that she’s constantly fatigued and most days has to be on oxygen; a result of her treatment program for the cancer.
There are no easy answers, it’s true. However, we can’t ignore situations such as these. Confronting flaws and shortcomings in the Social Security programs is the only way to really incite change and improvement in the government services that we all sacrifice to support.
#1 by Tara Moore at July 24th, 2009
| Quote
I was in tears when I saw this Video because I’m going through the same exact problems with Social Security Disability! I’m 45 years old but have been working and putting into the System since I was 15 years old! It’s truly Ashame! for people like Ourselves to have to go through what the Social Security Administration put Us through for the help that We are suppose to be entitled to! God Bless You! I’ll be Praying for You and I really Pray that the President or somebody who on his Staff get to here this message and do something about this situation! Also, Please keep me in Pray too as I continue to Fight for My Rights with Social Security Disability too! Thanks
#2 by Hal LaPray at July 27th, 2009
| Quote
Thanks for your comment Tara, and I hope everything works out alright for you as well.
#3 by Kaye - SandwichINK at July 31st, 2009
| Quote
Thanks for this update. We have a couple of friends who are trying to work thru the system due to similar circumstances, also with little avail. It’s definitely a frustrating situation and it doesn’t look like there is any improvement coming any time soon!