Sean McIntyre Disability Help

Hello everyone,

I am starting this campaign to seek support for my husband, Sean McIntyre, as his disability claim was suddenly and unexpectedly denied.

In December of 2020, my husband suffered with an ear infection for 4 weeks.  After multiple doctor visits and medications, it finally went away.  However, once it had cleared up, it left my husband with another issue; a neurological condition called Persistent Postural-Perceptual Dizziness (PPPD).

PPPD symptoms that he experiences are dizziness, vertigo, confusion, brain fog, and memory loss.  Due to these issues, he is unable to work, and was administratively terminated from his job of five years due to a prolonged leave of absence.  He and I were no longer able to pay for our apartment, and had to move in to his parents' house.  Despite living in this house for most of his life, there have been several instances where my husband does not know where he is, who he is, or who his family is, due to the confusion and memory loss caused by the PPPD.

PPPD is a type of Functional Neurological Disorder (FND).  FND is a relatively new diagnosis, and was previously called Conversion Syndrome.  The way it had been explained to us is that the neuropathways in the brain are not communicating properly, so in order to get better, Sean has to retrain his brain.  Unfortunately, there are only about three FND clinics in the US, and outside of those clinics, doctors have little knowledge of the disorder and how to treat it.  ENTs referred Sean to Neurology, who referred him to psychiatry/psychology, and soon on, but at the end of the day, FND does not fit neatly in any one box; it's not a true neurological disorder, nor is it a true Psychiatric disorder.  The sad reality is that people with FND just get bounced around from doctor to doctor, because FND doesn't fit under one specialty. 

We have seen multiple doctors, tried multiple medications, and had multiple therapy sessions, but have seen little to no improvement.  During our last visit to his neurologist, he suggested that my husband try to return to work, since he does not have a true neurologic disorder (like epilepsy), but also referred him for multiple types of therapies, and another specialist evaluation.  In June, the Disability administrator completed an independent medical review, and also determined that Sean doesn't have a true neurologic disorder, and is therefore fine to return to work.  Even with our doctor's notes and continued care plan, MetLife closed the disability claim, leaving Sean without any income going forward. 

Unfortunately, I am also disabled, and am just a little over a month away from my Social Security disability hearing, which, even if I am approved, will not see us with income for about 6 months.  Due to my situation, I cannot work, or I would risk losing two years of hard work fighting Social Security.  Now with the sudden loss of his disability claim, we are no longer able to pay for our bills or medical care.  The funds raised from this campaign will go towards covering our bills, the costs of therapy, medication, and other forms of treatment that could hopefully improve his quality of life.  Any amount, no matter how small, can make a huge difference in his journey towards better mental health.

We both thank you for donating to our cause, and sharing this campaign with your friends and family.  Your support means the world to us.

Thank you for your kindness and generosity.