A question.

[misdirectionx]

I have a severe to profound hearing loss from 90 and it slopes down to 120 dB. Now, Audiologist said I should be able to hear ONLY in a quite environment with hearing aids. The assessment said I have difficulties understanding speech at all due to progressive hearing loss and bilateral tinnitus.

So I wore my hearing aids and the 2 months later my left ear got shut down for good.. but tinnitus is interfering with my right ear. I can't understand hearing people for sh1t.

Does wearing a hearing aids disqualify Deaf people from applying for SSDI even if they earn 20 credits or more? When they take medical records into consideration after 20 credits are earned.

I submitted the following medical record:

- I was born very ill which lead to my Deafness at birth
- I developed PTSD from the road test for the last 12 years due to discrimination as vouched by my psychologist.
- I got into a bike accident when a Chevy Trail Blazer hit me on my left side. Yup, got flipped 360 degrees two times and only managed to get away with minor abrasion but I will suffer from arthritis when I get old.
- Submitted my recent audiogram.

I also will get my survivor's benefits (DAC - my mother died when I was young and I am the only sole survivor.) reinstated -- requested to get reinstated in expedited manner. Dual benefits I guess :p.

What do you think?

 

[Anij]

What makes you unable to work?

Lots of people were born hoh/deaf or acquired it from illness in early childhood.
Lots of people have PTSD and still work
Lots of people will develop arthritis when they're older

I don't really see any of these as reasons you shouldn't be able to be employed and self sufficient. SSDI is meant to be a last resource - meaning you are so disabled that you are unable to work. It pays almost nothing and certainly isn't a "living wage".

I'd look at vocational rehab or other ways to become educated in a trade etc that would allow you to support yourself.

JMHO.

 

[Reba]

The only things I would add to Anij are, how old are you, and what is your current educational level?

BTW, I AM old, and I have arthritis, and I plan to continue working (in a different field).

My daughter has had juvenile rheumatoid arthritis since she was 12 years old, and she is almost 40. She still works.

I don't understand what you mean about developing PTSD from a road test. What is that? Is that like when soldiers get blown up by roadside IED's in Afghanistan and see their buddies die, and get grievous wounds?

 

[Anij]

I guess I should mention that in addition to being born totally deaf on my right side and having progressive HL on the other as well as APD, I also have osteoarthritis in my neck, back, shoulders, hips, knees, and fingers (and have since my early 20s) and a number of other medical issues.

I worked with ALL of this for a number of years - full time and a demanding, highly skilled job. When I was in a car accident in '04 I ended up with a c4-6 injury, chronic debilitating pain, FMS with CFS, as well as a number of other conditions - and have been back and forth between being able to work since that time (I also attended 2.5 years of additional University and have done a lot of volunteer work during this time). I'm still not on SSDI (or our equivalent) because I chose not to be.