I get SSI(as I said earlier), in California one does not qualify for food stamps, it's cause of a dispute between the state of California and the SSA/USDA(California wants to give Food Stamps to SSI recipients who live on SSI only incomes(like I do) and deny food stamps in Mixed income situations, SSA/USDA rejects this idea) that's why no food stamps for those on SSI within CA, outside CA people who get SSI get Food Stamps.

I get Medi-Cal(Medicaid in the other 49 states), Medicare I won't get until either I get My social security benefits in about 8 years or when I feel like filing there after.

The Medical Requirements according to the SSA for both SSDI and SSI are the same and very strict, from there on both programs differ.

Since most people on SSDI and SSI financially qualify for Food Stamps; I personally disagree with the decision to deny people on SSI Food Stamps. I hope, one day, that this gets rectified. Also, Food Stamps have their own requirements and regulations... I as an individual, on SSDI, at my income and medical expense level, qualify for maximum Food Stamp benefits; however, that only equates to $189.00/Month. That is a tight budget for one to live on, with food prices continually going up. Especially, (as I've mentioned in other Threads, before), since about half of my SSDI goes to Medicare and Medigap Insurances. I currently have no available income to pay rent; hence my need to live with my parents.

SSI budgets are, (I believe), even tighter than my SSDI. I don't know how you manage to pay rent, and get food every month, Vic. My hat's off to you for making it all work. Especially when dealing with Medi-Cal, too. Unless one's income is EXTREMELY low, there is usually a "Share of Cost" associated with those on Medi-Cal.

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TimeLord04
Have TARDIS, will travel...
Come along K-9!
Join Calm Chaos

Gordan, When my 2nd wife was in ICU for 13 days slowly dying. I got to know the day nurse that was watching over my wife. I to thought that the nurses seemed detached. They are not. Most time they get to interact with a patient. My wife was in a coma for the 13 days so they interacted with me. The feel the hurt when a patient dies. Granted not like the loved ones do. They they see it all the time. I cant imagein the emptional toll, That must take out of them. I would say the all have some degree of PTSD.

You have all our support and well wishes.

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Old James

Normaly I dont mind off topic posts as its natural in communicating. However I will not tolerate a debate about SSI and or SSDI or whatever else you call it in this thread.

Any of those posts after this warning will get my red X to have them removed.

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Old James

Gordan, When my 2nd wife was in ICU for 13 days slowly dying. I got to know the day nurse that was watching over my wife. I to thought that the nurses seemed detached. They are not. Most time they get to interact with a patient. My wife was in a coma for the 13 days so they interacted with me. The feel the hurt when a patient dies. Granted not like the loved ones do. They they see it all the time. I cant imagein the emptional toll, That must take out of them. I would say the all have some degree of PTSD.

You have all our support and well wishes.

My Mother's Oncologist was also her Primary Care doctor for about 4 years before she was diagnosed with cancer. Her previous doctor retired, and the oncologist is a family friend - a high school classmate of mine and the son of our family Pediatrician. He and his medical partner take a 1-2 week vacation with their families about every 2-3 months, to decompress and maintain their sanity. Of course they alternate, so one is always there to cover the other.

Couple of years ago I was at a dinner honoring local Veterans who had recieved the Silver Star for Valor in Combat. The Keynote speaker was Col. Crandall, USA Retired, who recieved the Medal of Honor for flying Medi-Vac helicopter missions during the battle of Ia Drang Valley in Viet Nam (See the book or movie "We Were Soldiers Once, And Young"). His wife had died a few years earlier, and he mentioned in passing that anyone who had lost a loved one probably had PTSD. I wouldn't argue with him.....

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Donald
Infernal Optimist / Submariner, retired

I kind of see now that what I initially thought of as detachment is just professionalism. I've had time to talk to these people in ICU, and they really do care about my mother as a human being and have told me things that a cold and detached person would not.

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The mind is a weird and mysterious place

I kind of see now that what I initially thought of as detachment is just professionalism. I've had time to talk to these people in ICU, and they really do care about my mother as a human being and have told me things that a cold and detached person would not.

My sister is a nurse. She's a very caring person. The people there know what they do I'm sure:) You can only do this job when you have the caring in you I think.

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I kind of see now that what I initially thought of as detachment is just professionalism. I've had time to talk to these people in ICU, and they really do care about my mother as a human being and have told me things that a cold and detached person would not.

My sister is a nurse. She's a very caring person. The people there know what they do I'm sure:) You can only do this job when you have the caring in you I think.

So was My Sister in law, She's a retired RN that was married to My Brother. And I agree they are very caring, especially when it's your ex who needs caring for as He lays dying from cancer/emphysema. :(

Sorry to hear Vic:(

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I kind of see now that what I initially thought of as detachment is just professionalism. I've had time to talk to these people in ICU, and they really do care about my mother as a human being and have told me things that a cold and detached person would not.

My sister is a nurse. She's a very caring person. The people there know what they do I'm sure:) You can only do this job when you have the caring in you I think.

So was My Sister in law, She's a retired RN that was married to My Brother. And I agree they are very caring, especially when it's your ex who needs caring for as He lays dying from cancer/emphysema. :(

Sorry to hear Vic:(

It all ended in 2005 for My Brother, His ex and His 3 grown children have been closer with Me ever since then, just not in distance, at least not yet, I'm hoping in another 3.5 years(42 months) to fix that and live nearer to them and to the nearest social security office, the old office that served this area was closed due to mean budget cuts cause of certain insane people in Congress, I'm hoping Congress gets fixed in 2014, so until I am able to move, I will have to put up with a few more bugs, noisy neighbor who may have been evicted, etc, etc.

Will pray it works out for you Vic. It's better to live near to your loved ones. But you have to survive on your own, that's a fact.

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Bump

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Old James

The primary care nurses work 12 hour shifts in the ICU at the hospital my mother is in, and I've gotten to know 5 of them. Two in particular are super sweet and really truly care about how my mother is doing and getting her better. The other three are a little detached, but very professional. I think all of them are giving my mom the best care she can get.

For any of you who have kids, I am sure you look at them and you analyze and ponder and wonder about them all the time. I never studied my mother in detail like that until her illness, but now I see so much of myself in her, it makes me smile.

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The mind is a weird and mysterious place

The primary care nurses work 12 hour shifts in the ICU at the hospital my mother is in, and I've gotten to know 5 of them. Two in particular are super sweet and really truly care about how my mother is doing and getting her better. The other three are a little detached, but very professional. I think all of them are giving my mom the best care she can get.

For any of you who have kids, I am sure you look at them and you analyze and ponder and wonder about them all the time. I never studied my mother in detail like that until her illness, but now I see so much of myself in her, it makes me smile.

:) It made me smile too! I'm glad she's been doing a bit better in the last few days, and that you can trust that the nurses are wanting the same for her as you do. :)

Im glad you are getting to know the nurses. They have one tough job to do. Im thinking the ones who seem more detached have been in ICU longetr than the other ones?
And I wish your mom to be strong and well.

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Old James

The primary care nurses work 12 hour shifts in the ICU at the hospital my mother is in, and I've gotten to know 5 of them. Two in particular are super sweet and really truly care about how my mother is doing and getting her better. The other three are a little detached, but very professional. I think all of them are giving my mom the best care she can get.

For any of you who have kids, I am sure you look at them and you analyze and ponder and wonder about them all the time. I never studied my mother in detail like that until her illness, but now I see so much of myself in her, it makes me smile.

That's nice to hear Gordon:) I bet your mum is a lovely woman. I will pray for you guys.

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Im glad you are getting to know the nurses. They have one tough job to do. Im thinking the ones who seem more detached have been in ICU longetr than the other ones?

Yes, I hate to say it, but the younger nurses do seem more "into" the job. I can't fathom doing that job for one minute, but there is a certain youthful enthusiasm I get from the ones who I imagine are newer. One of the older nurses was kind of funny the other day... she was rattling on to the pulmonologist about this, that and the other, and generally being a negative nelly. The doctor pretty much blew her off; I could tell he was a little weary of that particular nurse's style.

On another note, it amazes me with all these millions of dollars in medical devices, the nurses and docs still have those old-fashioned stethoscopes hanging around their necks.

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The mind is a weird and mysterious place

Thanks for reading/listening to me. I've felt very lost and scared ever since this situation began last month, and I turned to this thread because well, the theme of PTSD seemed to fit what I was going through.

The general consensus amongst the docs right now is my mother is making slow but steady progress, and they are going to move her out of the ICU soon, and into a hospital that specializes in respiratory care to get her weaned off the breathing and feeding tubes. It's amazing her back injury devolved into this, but as we all know, life is a very fragile thing.

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The mind is a weird and mysterious place

Thanks for reading/listening to me. I've felt very lost and scared ever since this situation began last month, and I turned to this thread because well, the theme of PTSD seemed to fit what I was going through.

The general consensus amongst the docs right now is my mother is making slow but steady progress, and they are going to move her out of the ICU soon, and into a hospital that specializes in respiratory care to get her weaned off the breathing and feeding tubes. It's amazing her back injury devolved into this, but as we all know, life is a very fragile thing.

It certainly is. Even minor problems can lead to a host of unforseen chain reactions... a stubbed toe leads to a funny walk which leads to a dodgy knee which leads to a bad back - often within just a few minutes of staggering out of bed :) Hopefully once she is back on the path to better physical health you'll see an improvement in other ways too. :)

Im glad you are getting to know the nurses. They have one tough job to do. Im thinking the ones who seem more detached have been in ICU longetr than the other ones?

Yes, I hate to say it, but the younger nurses do seem more "into" the job. I can't fathom doing that job for one minute, but there is a certain youthful enthusiasm I get from the ones who I imagine are newer. One of the older nurses was kind of funny the other day... she was rattling on to the pulmonologist about this, that and the other, and generally being a negative nelly. The doctor pretty much blew her off; I could tell he was a little weary of that particular nurse's style.

On another note, it amazes me with all these millions of dollars in medical devices, the nurses and docs still have those old-fashioned stethoscopes hanging around their necks.

Im guessing that the newer nurses in ICU havent seen the constant death of patients they have come to know and like. Or have seen the patients families grieve over a lost loved one.
I think Ive told part of this story in an above thread. But I will retell it.
My wife was in a coma right from her car accident. So the nurses that took care of her, Never had any interaction with her, Just with me. I thought at first the day nurse was cold hearted. I worked second shift at the time From 4:30 PM until 12:30 AM. I would go home grab some sleep and be with my wife about 5 hours before I had to leave for work. I did that everyday for 13 days straight.
I got to know that so called cold hearted nurse. We talked a lot.
I asked her how long she had been in ICU. She told me 7 years. I made a statement that it must be tough seeing patients die all the time. I didnt get an answer But I read her expressian. She did tell me that she was waiting for a transfer to the baby ward.
I was there on a sunday morning, So was that same nurse. She was the one who told me that my wife didnt have much time left. After it was all over and it was time to leave. I thanked that nurse for careing for my wife and me.

I still think about her now and then. My wife died back in 90. I was 39 at the time,The nurse was younegr than I was. I sure hope she got her transfer.
From watching people die to watching new life come into the world.

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Old James

I've nothing but admiration for the Macmillan nurses that work in Hospices here.

So do I Chris. But It sure has to take a toll on them. Being as I was in the fire service for close to 20 years. Ive seen my share of death, But nowhere near what they see weekly. My hat is off to them, And bless them too.

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Old James

Just talked to a doctor this morning who told me they see situations like my mom's all the time... an injury, in her case, the back, that sends people into a downward spiral and there's a 60% mortality in 6 months. Gee, thanks doc. I told him my mother was going to be in the other 40%. He just said, ok... and walked off.

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The mind is a weird and mysterious place

Just talked to a doctor this morning who told me they see situations like my mom's all the time... an injury, in her case, the back, that sends people into a downward spiral and there's a 60% mortality in 6 months. Gee, thanks doc. I told him my mother was going to be in the other 40%. He just said, ok... and walked off.

He was just trying to be truthful, not tactful.
The fact is that aged mortality often comes from an injury that the body can no longer heal itself from rather than from truly causes of age itself.
Please try to forgive your mother's physician. With all their training, sometimes they have a hard time defining things that others do not wish to hear.

I send all prayers and His healing powers to your mother nonetheless.

God bless, Gordon.

Mark

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"Time is simply the mechanism that keeps everything from happening all at once."