[mc id=”96″ type=”audio”]Good Days Bad Days and Disability[/mc]
I received the following condition from a young lady named Sarah, who is living with a blood disorder called Diamond Blackfan Anemia. This condition requires blood transfusions about every three weeks and results in good days and bad days over the course of a month.
She writes: I have Diamond Blackfan Anemia, which is a bone marrow failure condition that requires chronic blood transfusions as my blood levels continue to drop each day. Additionally I am on many medications for other complications from this condition. I am 30 years old and have always worked, but it is now getting to the point where I can no longer do so. My doctors have recommended I apply for SSDI and not work anymore. My boss has cut my hours and I begin the process soon.
I am concerned about the kinds of questions I will be asked: “How far can you walk?” “How long can you sit?”, etc. The truth is, right after I have a transfusion, it’s not a problem at all. I am even able to exercise during those days. But I get transfusions every three weeks. In the 10 days or so before a blood transfusion, I can’t do much of anything. I miss work frequently due to fatigue. The transfusions themselves take a day or two to recover. My question is, how do I answer these questions without hurting my chances of getting on disability?
I think that this question is relevant to any number of conditions that produced “good days” and “bad days.” I think that the best strategy is to discuss the limitations that arise from your condition as they would affect your performance of work functions over the course of a month. For example, in this case, Sarah might say “my condition requires me to obtain a blood transfusion approximately every 3 weeks. Immediately after the transfusion I feel fairly good and I have sufficient energy to perform my job duties. But by the end of the 2nd week after my transfusion, my energy level drops dramatically, I become extremely fatigued and I have a difficult time concentrating or getting through a workday without taking numerous unscheduled breaks.
In this particular case, Sarah should also reference Listing 7.02, which provides that a person who requires a blood transfusion once every 2 months or more often would qualify for disability on the medical record alone.
Jonathan Ginsberg represents clients in disability claims filed with the Social Security Administration.
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