Stress, Stress, and more stress

As if dealing with Joe's teeth isn't enough, I just got "reviewed" by Social Security (their doctor's) and they've decided I'm not in enough pain to continue receiving my disability benefits. I feel so much worse now physically and emotionally than I did when they first approved my benefits that I don't understand how they came to their determination. I spent exactly 20 minutes with two different doctors - one to question the physical, another the emotional aspect and apparently their opinion matters more than the team of doctors I've been seeing for the past few years.

So now I have to go through an appeals process - a letter stating why I feel I am still considered disabled, fill out some SS forms, get copies of all my doctors records, get letters and/or personal statements from friends and relatives that can verify my decreased capabilities physically and mentally, etc. Can you say stressful? I can - STRESSFUL.

I am already so tired, don't hardly sleep even with sleep medication, have difficulty turning my mind "off", and now I have this to deal with. Larry says we can get a disabiity attorney to fight this for me, or with me, but then they get a percentage of my benefits and we can't really afford that.

It pisses me off because I know people who receive benefits and are not really injured or ill, and here I am doing my best with the limitations my body places on me and I'm the one being denied benefits that I've paid into since I was 15 years old. It's just ludicrous.

Please send your positive vibes my way because I'm gonna need all the help I can get to get through this ordeal.