Posted by Bob Guidara on 2/25/2007, 9:40 am Eventually, after pumping my body full of vitamins, eliminating most saturated fats from my diet and sleeping an average of 16 hours a day, I began to recover from my first attack. Two years later, I suffered my second major attack which involved another area of my brain. That attack impaired my balance and vision. I have also battled the effects of several other less severe attacks to yet other areas of my central nervous system which have affected my cognitive, emotional and other physical abilities to various degrees. Unlike many other maladies, little is known about the cause of this insidious disease in which antibodies attack one's own brain cells. In the early stages, most MS victims suffer from what is called "relapsing-remitting" MS. What that means is that the disease strikes, often severely, and then subsides for months or even years. Depending upon the severity and location of the attack on the brain, patients often experience residual symptoms even while in remission. Over time, the attacks can result in permanent and total disability. Due to the chronic nature of the disease which strikes without warning, many MS patients in the earlier stages can function at near normal levels during periods of remission, and then be unable to take care of themselves, work, and carry on with a normal life while in relapse periods. Prior to coming down with the condition, I owned an advertising agency in the Boston area. Ironically, one of my clients was Biogen -- a major pharmaceutical company that offers one of the leading drug therapies in the treatment of the disease. I developed several promotional brochures and educational literature for them, so I was very familiar with the intricacies of the disease. After being stricken with MS, my entire lifestyle changed. I went from working 60-80 hours a week to having to close my ad agency. For several months after each of my first two attacks, I had neither the energy nor the ability to continue working. Immediately following my first attack, my short-term memory had been impaired so greatly that I couldn't even remember my own telephone number. Fortunately, our bodies are designed to heal. Over time, my memory problems and other physical challenges greatly subsided. Typically, MS victims suffer an attack or "exacerbation" about once a year. Often they come on without warning. So you can go to sleep feeling perfectly fine, and wake up the next morning severely impaired. The idea of a petition to amend Social Security guidelines came about as a result of my own experience in applying for early social security benefits. Unlike Social Security Disability Insurance, which is based upon the financial need of disabled individuals, regular Social Security benefits (normally received at age 65) can begin at a younger age if a person becomes disabled. However, the approval process generally takes 3-5 years. In my case, my claim was denied even though the neurologist assigned by SSA determined that I was, in fact, disabled. Fortunately, I had enough savings to live on. But there are many other people who don't and have been waiting for years for benefits approval. According to a former Social Security Judge I spoke with, anyone under age 50 is generally rejected by Social Security for the benefits to which they're entitled, until they file an appeal and challenge the decision in court. I find it amazing that businesses can be prosecuted The petition is designed to facilitate a much better and fairer solution. Instead of making it so difficult to qualify for permanent disability benefits, the system should be changed to allow for temporary benefits during times when they're actually needed. I'm sure many people on permanent disability would jump at the chance to return to work if they knew they wouldn't have to go through the several-year approval process all over again the next time they got seriously ill. The result of the current system is that many MS patients who are already on disability will never return to work out of fear that they won't be able to get help during future attacks. There is simply no incentive. At the same time, it is so difficult to qualify for benefits under the current system, many people with MS and other chronic disorders aren't getting the assistance they so desperately need. I urge our legislators to propose such a reform. It will allow those with chronic diseases to continue to contribute to the workforce as they're able… it will make it easier to extend assistance to those who really need help, if only on a periodic basis… and ultimately, it will cost the taxpayers less. So far, the petition which just went online last week has been signed by less than 100 people. However, I have just begun to promote it. Among the signature received to date are MS patents and their families, physicians, MS advocacy groups and a grassroots organization leader who is testifying before congress next week for similar reforms to Social Security. My goal is to gather signatures from 10,000 or more concerned citizens during the coming year. Ultimately, I plan to present my case and the petition to The House Ways and Means Committee. To sign the petition, please cut and past the following link into your browser. http://www.petitionthem.com/default.asp?sect=detail&pet=3685 Thank you for voicing your support! Bob Guidara
Link: Social Security Reform Petition
205.188.116.66
My name is Bob Guidara and I have MS. I was born in Lynn, Massachusetts on March 31, 1958. In January, 2001, I woke up with loss of feeling on the entire right side of my body. After months of tests from several doctors, I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. For the next several months, I struggled with a plethora of disabling symptoms, including loss of sensory perception, short-term memory loss, muscle weakness and motor function difficulty.
for age discrimination, but our own government widely practices such discrimination with no consequence.
Petition Author
ddremote@aol.com
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