Long Term Disability

My sick leave entitlement runs out in June, just a few days after I am due to complete my radiation treatment. While I have been able to work a little part-time, I can’t see me being ready for full-time employment by then.

i am grateful for the time - it’s a very generous 6 months at full pay, and we have a Long Term Disability benefit that I can apply for. I received the package on Monday.

The insurers requirements are that the forms are with them 8 weeks before my sick leave entitlement ends, not possible given that I received the forms less than 6 weeks before it ends, and I have to get them completed. There’s my employers statement (he had me write it today), my statement, and information from my family doc, and my medical and radiation oncologists. 

So so the past few days have been spent tracking down phone numbers and fax numbers to send forms to physicians. Firstly, I find it incredible that the medical profession still uses faxes. The idea that they are the safest form of transmitting patient details just doesn’t follow, and as a patient it’s really not that easy to find a fax to use (I went into work especially to do this today). Secondly, actually tracking down numbers was not easy. To get a fax number for my radiation oncologist took 5 phone calls with 3 individuals, and lots of wasted time trying to fax to a phone because the wrong number was given to me in error. 

I’m a fairly intelligent individual, with access to resources like phones, printers, copiers faxes, but not everyone is so lucky. I guess that’s where the Navigators at the cancer centre come in, and I could have asked for help (not easy for me).

I still have to receive the information back from these individuals and submit it (late of course), but step one is done.

And now I’m exhausted - good for nothing for the rest of the day 😴😴😴