Travis Disability

[Hound dog]

I got a call from SS yesterday concerning Travis' disability. The CW needed more information, and while I gave it to him......I explained that it is difficult to give exact dates because it's been so long since he's seen docs due to no insurance, so I have to guesstimate. (wow, that word didn't pop up on spell check, it must be a real word lmao) Then he wanted to know a typical day in the life of Travis. That was easy. He gets up, goes to his computer desk and works on the game he's been working on for several years, at the end of the day he goes to bed. And yes, I explained computers are one of his main autistic obsessions.

They'll be contacting us with appointments for him to see some specialists, which honestly I expected since it has been so long since his last doctor visit. He mentioned a neuropsychologist, and I smiled. There is only ONE adult neuropsychologist in the whole area for cincy, dayton, and columbus (maybe further). Travis got through half the evaluation with him before our insurance dropped him from the policy, and we couldn't afford to finish it out of pocket. I sat in with Travis during that evaluation..........and the doctor's reactions to Travis' responses.........well, let's just say he was a little stunned according to his body language and facial expressions. And yes, Travis did have some rather far out responses. lol But I'd told him to be honest.

So the process has started. I've warned both girls they may have to be called upon to help get him to appointments.......because I haven't a clue where these specialist will be located. And I'm hoping to find a full time job. But I think between the 3 of us we shouldn't have too much trouble.

I did have to laugh at one question. Does he drive? Seriously? Was this supposed to be a trick question? He's filing due to mainly the blindness. Oh......the next question was And is the reason he doesn't drive due to his vision? OMG Really? How many blind people drive? LOL

Although.........I do know a legally blind man who drove. (he had lost his vision in his 30s) He had an elaborate set up with his best friend. If he had to drive somewhere his best friend would drive in front of him, letting him follow him. He could see well enough to make out his friends car, especially at night with the tail lights. My mom dated this man for a year.....it took her 6 months at least to figure out he was legally blind.

 

[DammitJanet]

Lisa....may I make one suggestion to you with disability? Answer any questions for Travis's worst days...not his normal or best days. He is blind....he cant sort laundry with any sense of colors. He can fold towels but not tell what colors they are. He can figure out he has jeans yes...but not what color they are. If he isnt completely blind...then yes he can tell one is darker than the other so he can make out black from lighter blue but not if they are really dark blue.

You dont want them to think he can read on the computer. How on earth is he doing that? You have to explain that. Is it a talking program...braille keyboard? But still...how does he know what is on the screen. That sounds like he can do a job. And trust me, they will look for any job he can do even if that job doesnt exist in your area.

They tried to ask me if I thought I could be a toll booth collector. I had to think hard before I answered that one because in some cases I could probably work part time as one. However there isnt a toll booth within about 400 miles of me. How am I gonna get to that job? Some one else was told they could be a potato chip checker in a factory looking for bad chips. They make up jobs that are odd and even arent available within your locale. Its idiotic.

What I said to get around it was to tell them that yes, I could probably do it part time but I didnt know from day to day how I was going to feel the next day. Some days I felt good in the mornings and other days my best time of the day was in the mid afternoon. Other times I was best from late at night till early mornings. My schedule just varied from day to day or week to week because of pain and fatigue levels. I couldnt really control it.

 

[Hound dog]

Yes, Janet, I agree.

With the computer I specified that he could use it due to special equipment given to him by the cincy assoc for the blind so he can see the screen. When they asked about cooking, I said only on a small scale, he won't starve but can't technically cook for himself.

There is a job he can do. Only he can't do it not just because of distance but because there is no way he can get his degree in computer hardware/software and it's certainly not for lack of trying. He can't pass English now for the same reasons he couldn't pass it in HS. (they passed him due to his IEP) Without English, that degree is a no go. Without the degree, he can't work with computers even though he knows far more about them than Nichole's husband who is working with his degree. (he husband still comes to Travis for advice)

I listed BSVI along with his source of docs because they evaluated (and were on HIS side) him for the work force. He can't do factory, he can't do fast food, retail/grocery were only with strict modifications to the job description and neither walmart nor kroger stuck to them and actually put his life in danger by forcing him to bring in carts from the parking lot. I explained he can't read a newspaper due to both vision and brain damage, same with many forms, and that he's using his Nook thingie to read because he can enlarge it to the point where there is very little on the page and he can see it to read. With his level of autism, sales would be impossible......it takes intense practice just to "maybe" get him through the interview process.

CW did seem to understand that with Travis, it's not just vision (although that is a large part of it) but he has neuro issues which also complicate the vision ones......and then the autism that just complicates it more.

He's pulling in (at least this is the way he made it sound) a neurologist, MD eye doctor, neuropsychologist, maybe a hematologist/oncologist although other than the worry of blood clots.....this diagnosis is the least of his worries concerning work.

But I'll coach him to always answer using his worst days as reference.......and it will take coaching because he always focuses on what he can do, not what he can't.

 

[witzend]

Lisa, how blind is he? Blindness is an automatic disability.

http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/10052.html#a0=0

As far as the questions about cooking, for example? Be ultra-specific. "He can (or can't) make toast." "He can not boil water because he forgets that the pan is on the stove." Like Janet said, worst day only. He may make a great bowl of Top-Ramen 9 times out of 10. It's that 10th time that he burns the house down that's a problem.

With his eyesight, I'd be surprised if he gets turned down, but if he does go immediately to a disability lawyer. By law they are only allowed to charge 33% of the first check. The sooner they get it settled, the sooner they get their money. And it behooves them to make sure that benefits go back to the first day that Travis is eligible, which I would imagine would be his 18th birthday. Now, 33% may seem like a lot of money, but when you consider that you may get a check next month instead of waiting years for them to hash this out and give you the runaround? It's worth twice that.

 

[Hound dog]

By those standards..............now keep in mind my memory because the boy was like 19 or 20 when cincy assoc for the blind last checked him............I think he qualifies. Even back then. Now? I know his eyesight is much worse because then he used to fight the aides and cane and refuse to use them unless I really insisted. In the last oh about 2 yrs I've watched him relying on it more and more. Not in the house where it's familiar, but when he is out and about.

Seems today we got some more forms I have to fill out about the jobs he worked (what specifically he did) and again what he can and can't do. It will be easier for me to be more specific this way I think. I'll work on them this weekend and get them mailed off on monday. The jobs thing will work in his favor. Walmart he got fed up with because they insisted he do carts which put him in danger from cars in the parking lot.......he quit after nearly getting hit a few times. At kroger he did floor maintenance, store manager was major peeved because he couldn't see well enough to do it right.......made him bag and do carts, knowing it was a danger to him........and hounded him until they fired him. Ok technically "let him go" because they refused to accept the note from his doctor that he could return to work.

 

[InsaneCdn]

But I'll coach him to always answer using his worst days as reference.......and it will take coaching because he always focuses on what he can do, not what he can't.

And if he slips up? tell him to catch him self with "well, that's on one of my best days", or "once in a while, I can..." etc. Make it clear that the "best" days are no where close to "average" days.

 

[DammitJanet]

I think the max that a lawyer can take is $5200 in total. At least that is what I was told. It took me over three years to get my disability and that was less that a third of my check.

 

[witzend]

I think the max that a lawyer can take is $5200 in total. At least that is what I was told. It took me over three years to get my disability and that was less that a third of my check.

You might be right about that, Janet. Either way, it's in the lawyer's interest to get it taken care of ASAP because it's less hours for the same amount of money because it's a flat fee.

 

[witzend]

Any update on this?

 

[Hound dog]

Sorry. It's been a bit crazy here.

Travis has an eye appointment on the 25th in cincy. Lucky for me it's easy child's day off because I do NOT drive in cincy, nor will I ever. It's not me, it's them.

I have more forms to fill out that we're working on concerning jobs ect, some home life stuff.

I'm sure more appointment notices will continue to arrive. Although maybe not if he qualifies under the blindness. Would they even bother in that case?

 

[susiestar]

Cincy driving is NUTS. Esp that Reagan Cross Cty hwy. Two directions, sharp curves with little banking, NOTHING but a small median between them - the accidents there are unreal. At least they were when we lived there!

I hope that this goes through, but if it doesn't, go with the atty. he is clearly unable to work and Kroger should be ashamed of themselves as should Walmart. Drivers in your part of thw world are NUTS. Here if people know that a worker is unable to see well everyone watches out for them. I have seen drivers get out and literally chew other drivers out for not being careful enough around a bagger who is going out with someone but cannot see well. but this is Oklahoma and people are just that way here. Esp as i have seen it in the big cities here too!