Hello again. Thank you for sharing. When I have questions, it uplifts me. Has anyone had to not work after receiving an ostomy? I haven't worked since my surgery (Dec 2016), and I have applied for SSI. I already get benefits through the VA. Dealing with this gets a little tough sometimes, but I press through. I know there are a lot of people who bounce back quickly. I have other health issues, but I keep moving forward. Has anyone been approved for SSI? Does anyone struggle to go back to work because of this?
drfields24
May 14, 2017 7:00 am
Mrs.A
May 14, 2017 6:33 pm
Hi Dr. Fields,
Going back to work was scary at first, but as I got better at knowing my body and the appliances I chose, it became easier. Sure, I had some embarrassing times, but I survived and no one seems to remember them but me. I haven't tried to get SSI as I wanted to get on with the way things used to be before my stoma.
Keep moving forward.
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Posted by: Primeboy
Hi Mike and all. I am not sure how panoramic my perspective really is as my peripheral vision shrinks with each passing year. I can tell you that when I came to this website six years ago I was truly ;impressed by the positive attitudes of so many members, especially the younger folks who refused to let their ostomies define who they were or what they would become. I also came to appreciate that having an ostomy is not the same thing as having a disease. Pardon ;my pun now, but ostomies and cancer don't belong in the same bag. One is a solution, the other is a problem. Celebrating National Ostomy Day ;is also well outside my comfort zone. That's like celebrating National Wheel Chair Day. Come on!
I think there is a ;need for improved ;public awareness of ostomies, but I am not sure how that's best done. There ;remains ;some social stigma attached to our situation, and it's acutely felt among our young. We need to get out of the dark ages on this issue, but not by going 'in your face' to everyone else. I think Bill and NDY are 'spot-on' when it comes to telegraphing the right message to friends and family. People will know how to react when they ;see ;how we accept the cards we were dealt. I also appreciate the contribution some people here are making to this effort through their publications.
On a personal note, my son has been suffering from ulcerative colitis for years just like I did. I am very concerned because people with UC are at a higher risk for colon cancer. Years ago my GI told me to get annual colonoscopies to be on the safe side. I am glad I did because he eventually found pre-cancerous cells which led to several surgeries and my becoming an ostomate. Since then I have always ;conveyed a positive attitude to ;my son about wearing a bag because it has kept me alive to enjoy many more years with my loved ones. I think he got the message. We both go to the same gastroenterologist in NYC and get scoped on the same day. Father and Son moments!
Someone once wrote that our children are the letters we write to the future.
PB
MassMikMouse
May 15, 2017 1:08 am
I never considered SSI... I think all of the paperwork deterred me. And I really wanted to get back to work. I wish you lots of luck and peace.
MMM - going back to work on 5/22!!!
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becrhomat
May 15, 2017 6:37 pm
Besides having a colostomy, I have a permanent vocal disorder and can't talk, so I rely on disability, although I'm in Canada. I'd like to work, but am unsure what would accommodate issues of dealing with vocal disorder, colostomy, and hernia. It's conflicting. Hope you find what works best for you.
Teramis
May 24, 2017 11:34 pm
I've been on disability since I got an ostomy. That came in combination with being hospitalized long-term and being in rehab facilities for months, because I nearly died from a perforated colon and septicemia and was bed-bound for months. (Fun times.) Then for a year+ I had ostomy complications that made it difficult to sit upright (like in a chair, at a desk) for any length of time, and still have other issues, so I have stayed on disability. The downside of course is that it is such a small amount, and whatever you earn in income reduces the SSI benefit, so it is easy to lose the disability payment if you do work at all. Whether it's a blessing or a pain in the butt is a toss-up, depending on your circumstances and limitations. For me, it's been a blessing.
I'm also a vet and receive care from the VA. May I ask what kind of benefits you are receiving from the VA? I don't have a service-connected disability so I thought there was nothing I was qualified for, but maybe you know something I don't. :) (If it is too personal to share on the board, you're welcome to send me a private message.)
My Ostomy Journey: LeeAnne | Hollister
drfields24
May 25, 2017 6:12 am
Hello....I'm on 30 at the moment. I had a live hearing to get an increase and I'm waiting on a response. All my care is pretty much free. At the moment I pay $8 for my meds. 50 and above receive 100% coverage, which is why I appealed. VA did my colostomy and all my supplies are free, and my surgeon is my surgeon for life. Anything that goes wrong, he makes the corrections. I'm glad about that because he is a wonderful surgeon. I go to PT for my back, and I go to the pain clinic. I have to have knee replacement surgery, and they are going to do it. It will be free also. Hope this helps.