SSD & Stage 4 lung cancer

[Stage4LC]

I was diagnosed with lung cancer which metastasized to the brain in Dec 1999. I attempted to work for one year but, had supreme difficulty reading, A brain tumor affected the optic nerve.
I am stable now but, unable to work due to the reading problem.
My neurosurgeon said from the outset I was 100% disabled but, I refused to accept that.
Is there any hope of getting disability? I have 2 children under 18.
Thanks

[tranquility]

I'm sorry for your struggle, I sincerely wish you the best outcome.

No one can tell from your facts. You would need to determine if you are disabled today as you will probably not relate back to your prior diagnosis. A problem is your unusual fact pattern. I have no real knowledge of medicine. Because my wife had cancer (albeit, not lung) which also metastastized to her brain, I have read a study or two, or three, or dozens on the prognosis of a person with brain mets. And, even though there are many predictive indicators of which I know none for you, you have well beaten the odds.

Well beaten.

Like in, I don't recall a study where *any* participant lived past five years where the brain met had resulted in physical symptoms. Any. Because of this, I think it will be unlikely for you to use some of the cancer presumptions regarding disability.

See a specialized attorney on the matter as I don't know the specifics of your situation or of how the disability system works. I suspect you will need their assistance as you are outside the bell curve. Government programs are only predictible when the presentation falls within the normal guidelines.

[commentator]

You should have applied for SSD, and have an attorney helping you, like yesterday. Because the application is complicated, and you have to have been out of work for a certain period of time, but in your case it sounds as though you will definitely have a wonderful shot at it. Don't go back to work and try that any more until you have at least applied and gotten your case started.

[Proserpina]

Originally Posted by Stage4LC

I was diagnosed with lung cancer which metastasized to the brain in Dec 1999. I attempted to work for one year but, had supreme difficulty reading, A brain tumor affected the optic nerve.
I am stable now but, unable to work due to the reading problem.
My neurosurgeon said from the outset I was 100% disabled but, I refused to accept that.
Is there any hope of getting disability? I have 2 children under 18.
Thanks

PLEASE pursue this!

The Social Security Administration is launching the second piece of their Compassionate Allowances program which allows for an expedited decision to be made on cases where the claimant suffers from an eligible rare disease or cancer. The commissioner of Social Security, Michael J. Astrue, stated that this initiative will allow them to make decisions on cases where a claimant fits the criteria in a matter of days, rather than months or years. Once the Social Security's Compassionate Allowances program is fully implemented and combined with their Quick Disability Determination process, it should result in 6 to 9 percent of disability claims being decided in an average of six to eight days. These types of cases currently affect 250,000 people annually.

The agency released their list of the 50 conditions that would render a claimant eligible to receive a compassionate allowance:


33


Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer - with metastases to or beyond the hilar nodes or inoperable, unresectable or recurrent

(I highlighted only the relevant part)

[Proserpina]

You would need to determine if you are disabled today as you will probably not relate back to your prior diagnosis. A problem is your unusual fact pattern. I have no real knowledge of medicine. Because my wife had cancer (albeit, not lung) which also metastastized to her brain, I have read a study or two, or three, or dozens on the prognosis of a person with brain mets. And, even though there are many predictive indicators of which I know none for you, you have well beaten the odds.

There should be no problem getting OP's case fast-tracked; stage IV lung cancer (small cell or large cell, or the rarer types) is virtually an automatic approval regardless of symptoms provided the condition is documented.

[tranquility]

Not to put too fine a point on it, but we'll probably need a current diagnosis. It is extremely unusual for a person to have lung cance brain mets with physical symptoms for a decade.

[Proserpina]

Originally Posted by tranquility

Not to put too fine a point on it, but we'll probably need a current diagnosis. It is extremely unusual for a person to have lung cance brain mets with physical symptoms for a decade.

I'm in complete agreement actually. Obviously I haven't read every study but it's unusual for stage iv/brain mets patients to survive longer than 12 months, let alone years. But hey. I live in hope, y'know?

Again, OP, I'm not referring to your case here, k?

[Proserpina]

Originally Posted by tranquility

Not to put too fine a point on it, but we'll probably need a current diagnosis. It is extremely unusual for a person to have lung cance brain mets with physical symptoms for a decade.

(apologies in advance - I don't intend to hijack or step on the toes of our OP, but I thought you may be interested in this; I was frankly astonished)

[url=http://ats.ctsnetjournals.org/cgi/content/full/75/3/1016]Development of brain metastasis 5 years before the appearance of the primary lung cancer: "messenger metachronous metastasis" -- Furk et al. 75 (3): 1016 -- The Annals of Thoracic Surgery[/url]


[url=http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=460026]Surgical treatment of primary lung cancer and solitary brain metastasis.[/url]


[url=http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/112672302/abstract?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0]Wiley InterScience :: Session Cookies[/url]

Anyway, again it's not my intention to hijack but I thought these might prove interesting