My sister was approved upon first app back in 2008. As a teen, she was raped and assaulted. Has ptsd from that, fear of people, and a multitude of health problems. She's in her 20s now, has scoliosis, arthritis in hips and wrists, has already had hip and wrist surgeries and will need more eventually. Will need her wrist fused directly to her hand eventually. Severe depression from the pain, insomnia. I'm sure I'm leaving some out.
Anyway, she has had kids since then. A 3 year old, and a newborn. She also does a dog sitting and reported like 5k to IRS. I think this is what triggered a CDR.
We helped her fill out the long form already, and my father is her rep payee and he filled out one for her also. We did an excellent job explaining that she still suffers everyday. About 2 or 3 days a week my family takes the kids for entire days to let her sleep and rest, since she's in pain and can't sleep at night. They also alternate taking the kids on the wknds for the entire wknd. My parents also have to take her son to his classes and out for recreation because most weeks her fear of having to interact with people is too much for her. She also needs help handling money. My dad has to pay a couple of her bills with her ssdi money. Her husband helps her in the bathroom a couple times a month because she will be in so much pain that she can't do what she needs to do on the toilet. She cries almost daily. Most likely she will be balling her eyes out in the mental exam. My father is going to go with her for support.
We also explained that the dog sitting thing for her in our opinion isn't work, and it's therapy for her. Just our point of view, knowing it's still considered work in SSA eyes. She finds great comfort from dogs. She has several dogs and has trouble leaving home without one of them because she is so scared. She's in the process of certifying one of them as her service dog.
Anyway, like I said, we've already done the long forms, and then there was a second set of forms I forget what they were called, and now she has a medical and mental exam this week. She has been pretty consistent seeing her drs. She definitely did see her primary and her mental health drs within the last 12 months. She did go off her meds for a bit during pregnancy but is back on them after having the baby.
I had read somewhere that they usually have already made up their mind to deny at this point, and the exams are just to cover their rear ends. Is this true? Would you say most people who have to do the exams during a CDR are approved to continue benefits, or do most lose them?
PS: will they let either of my parents go back into the exams with her for support? She won't be capable of it without one of them with her.
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