Below is a link I found in my quest to find out more information on SSD benefits.

http://www.socialsecurity.gov/applyfordisability/adult.htm
 
Apply for Disability Benefits - Adult (Age 18 or Over)
Updated: July 2005

To apply for disability benefits for an adult, you will need to complete an application for Social Security Benefits AND an Adult Disability Report. The report collects information about your disabling condition and how it affects your ability to work. You can complete the forms online, or you may call us to schedule an appointment and we will help you in person or by phone.
   
How to apply
Please follow these steps:

Step 1. Review the Adult Disability Starter Kit. This kit answers common questions about applying for benefits and includes a worksheet that will help you gather the information you need.

Step 2. Fill out the online application for Social Security Benefits. (If you've never worked, skip this step and contact us after you complete Step 3.)

Step 3. Fill out the online Adult Disability Report. At the end of the report, we will ask you to sign a form that gives your doctor permission to send us information about your disability. We need this information so we can make a decision on your claim.

NOTE: If you previously started an online application or online disability report but did not finish it, you can:

Use your confirmation number to return to your online application.
Use your re-entry number to return to your online disability report.

Contacting Social Security
If you don’t want to do this online or need help, call us toll-free at 1-800-772-1213. If you are deaf or hard-of-hearing, call our toll-free TTY number, 1-800-325-0778. Representatives are available Monday through Friday between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.

Hope this helps.. ;)

Take care,
Shan

Shan,

I have SSD although I went through hell and back to get it.  I too advise that the BEST way to go about getting it is to obtain a SSD attorney.  They, by law, can't charge over a certain amount and, in my case and most others, just take their fee out of your back disability payments that they get for you.  I paid nothing out of pocket for my attorney.   I fought for over a year to get SSD, just banging my head against a wall for most of that time, but when I obtained an attorney, it took less than 2 weeks before I was approved! [smiley=thumb.gif]  Wish I would have known to do that sooner and saved myself a lot of grief!

In addition to hiring an attorney, I have some other tips off the top of my head:

Get letters from your doctors explaining your situation to "whom it may concern".  Tell your doctors what you are trying to do and stress to them the importance of making you sound as bad off as possible (without lying of course!).

In the forms you fill out (and believe me there will be endless forms!), where they ask how well you do certain tasks etc., make yourself out to be in as bad condition as possible.

Include (even though they don't require it) printed information about MM from reliable sources, such as from the links here.  I say this because MM is not listed on SSD's list of automatic qualifying diseases/disorders and they don't know much about it.  If it isn't on their list and they don't know about it they will just automatically turn you down (instead of doing a little research themselves!)You can inform them so they have no excuse to drag your case on and on.

Make copies of ALL of the forms you fill out before sending them in.  Save yourself a lot grief- you'll see why later! [smiley=rolleyes2.gif]

That's all the advice I have for the moment but let me think on my experience some and I might come up with more.  

Just FYI, here's a newspaper article that was done on me while I was fighting for SSD and Medicaid.  It's not exactly accurate (reporters never get EVERYTHING correct it seems) but you'll get some idea of what I went through.
Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or

I'm more than happy to help you with this process or if you have any questions along the way.  Hope this helped and, most of all, GOOD LUCK!  Don't let the process drive you crazy! [smiley=gocrazy.gif]

Lisa

Lisa,

Thank you so much for the tips.  Lore also strongly advised me on getting an attorney to assist me.  I was worried about coughing up $ to pay for an attorney, but I was glad to hear that you both did not have to pay anything upfront.  Sounds like I definitely have a task ahead of me, but if there's a will...there's a way!  Thank you for your guidance and support.  I will let you all know how my journey goes...  :-/

Until then... ;;D

Take care,
Shan

In my personal opinion, the SSD process was a nightmare and I don't believe I am alone in that opinion!  I think most people either 1)give up, 2)die trying to get disability, 3)go beserk (hence the armed guards in the Social Security Administration offices! ;)) or 4) succeed because they hired an attorney.  Everything I read suggests getting yourself a lawyer in order to be successful.

Here is just one wonderful resource to guide those applying for SSD including all the "insider" tips- be sure to check out all the links too!  The person who wrote this suffers from chronic heart failure not MM but the steps are still the same.  

Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or

Hope this helps,
Lisa

Lee,

[smiley=thumb.gif]That is just awesome news and I'm sure a great weight off your mind!

How's it going on the doctor/surgery front?  Does getting  SSD mean that, in time, you will be getting Medicare too as I did?  If so, I have to warn you that at this time Medicare will not pay for any of the bypass surgeries so, if you will be going on Medicare, try to have your surgery(s) before then.  Just a little FYI.

Anyway, I'm very excited for you!  In my opinion, getting SSD (when obviouly needed and one is qualified) is a huge accomplishment!  I've heard too many horror stories so it's nice to finally hear a happy ending to the SSD saga!  Way to go! [smiley=headbanger.gif]  

Hope you are feeling well,
Lisa

Goodness,  I must be very blessed!!  Either that or some of you paved the way ahead of me.  I applied for SSD in Dec.  and was approved in April.  I  live in Ia.  

I also live in Iowa. Maybe an hour away from you. I have thought of seeing about trying to get SSI but did not know about SSA. I was diagnost with mm in 2002. Had bypass surgery in 2003. I have not been able to work since then because of mm. Have to have a dictionary on hand at all times just to remerber how to spell simple words.

Skay

To everyone:

Yes, SS Disability can be done, it just takes time & alot of paper work.  It took me one year to receive mine, without the use of an attorney.  I had one surgery EDAS on the right side back on April 5, 2005, here in Alabama by Dr. Winfield Fisher @ UAB.   At this time I am in the process of all the necessary testing for my upcoming second surgery on the left side for April 2007.  
Don't give up hope, keep on Social Security Department in your state.
Dana

I had my 1st surgery on New Years Eve 1998 applied for disability the end of Jan. and my ssi started 6 months later and was backed to Jan. 1st and Medicare came 2 years later and my oldest son done everything over the phone.......So Next month will be 10 yrs since I was DXed but it was 11 years since my 1st Stroke :(

The real problem with Social Security is that they don't know anything about MMD and they just deny you right off. I guess they can't be blamed for not knowing - heck, it seems most neurosurgeons have never heard of MMD, but still, they won't have the resources at SSA to investigate, they'll just mark the "no" box, and send you the "no" letter.

My sister applied for disability after her MMD diagnosis and  Xrays revealed she'd had "hundreds" of small strokes (as well as two large ones) and she began to suffer TIA's and crippling anxiety attacks caused by low oxygen in her brain. She was immediately turned down. She appealed and was turned down again. She had the surgery and applied again, but this time with the assistance of a lawyer. She received SSA benefits within three months with the lawyer's help. Thank God Medicare kicked in just as her COBRA insurance stopped, and with her SSA she was able to enjoy the good days during the last several years of her life without having to get up and go to work everyday with the migraines and the numbness.

I would definitely recommend a lawyer who is a Social Security specialist. It's a sad state we've come to in this country, but there it is.

~deb

The lawyer will get it done faster, I'm lucky because I been on my work insurance disability, and they have a group of lawyer do all paper work and I just got accepted last week.