Support Needed During Disability Appeal

Don’t worry nothing really tragic happened, at least not recently. Sometimes when your life ends you don’t actually die.

On August 13th 2007, I was in a serious car accident on my way to work. Although I don’t remember, I’m told I was attempting to cross the high way in my small car and was T-boned by an 4x4 pickup truck. The driver turned at the last minute so my leg took most of the impact. My car was pushed across the highway and into the ditch. The driver of the vehicle that hit me broke his arm but he didn’t find out until later. Fortunately, it was a slow Monday morning and we were the only two involved. I had left early so I wouldn’t be late for work. No one knows for sure, but we think I didn’t see the driver of the pickup truck because there was a semi in the turn lane.

I was thrown across the car and had a serious brain injury, Glasgow coma scale 7. The semi truck driver donated his shirt which was held by a nurse to stop the bleeding from my head. When I got to the hospital by airlift I was posturing and it was touch and go at first. I was in a coma for about a week. I had a subdural hematoma in my right occipital and parietal lobes and a smaller subdural hematoma in my left frontal lobe.

I also injured most of the left side of my body. i shattered my femur, broke my left tibia and fibula, had a crushing injury to my foot, and broke my pelvis in three places. I broke my clavicle and jaw. I had an exploratory abdominal surgery, a trach and a G-tube. I spent two months in the hospital and did two years outpatient rehab.

i pulled through and since I was 19 I had what is considered a “good” recovery for a severe brain injury… what that means for me is that my short term and working memory appear normal but my long term memory is still impaired. I’m extremely sensitive to sound and also developed rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia . I have a lot of pain. Developing all sorts of fun new problems with the leg/foot.

About half of people with a severe brain injury die. Of the half that live only ten percent recover enough to be able to live independently. Pelvic fractures are really dangerous as the pelvis protects internal organs. An exploratory abdominal surgery was done because blood had migrated from my leg and the doctors had to make sure I didn’t rupture an organ. I had a vena cava filter placed to prevent blood clots.

Statistically I’m a miracle and I’m still trying to figure out what my life purpose is. I do the best I can but it’s been really hard at times.

I’m currently in the process of applying for disability as I’ve found I can no longer hold a job with all of my limitations. I’m trying to raise money as getting approved for disability can be a long process. I’ve already been denied disability once and in the appeals process, I now have paperwork from my doctors that may meet “blue book” for disability, depending upon interpretation, and I’ve contacted a lawyer so I’m hopeful. I’m about a year in the process now, I’ve been told it typically takes three years for approval for most complex cases like mine, two appeals and then a hearing in front of an administrative law judge who has more authority to bend the rules.

What ever money I can raise will first be used for gas, food, medicine, phone bills, food and litter for my cat, and any vet bills. Anything above my immediate needs will be transferred to my MIAble account. This is an investment account for people who were disabled before age 22, which will allow me build savings without it jeopardizing any government assistance I receive.

I hope you will help if able, I’m out of ideas at this point for how to survive this process. Please feel free to share within your network!

Thank you for your support ❤️