Perhaps you thought you had asthma or just couldn’t shake a case of bronchitis. In any case, you went to the doctor who told you that the wheezing, shortness of breath, coughing and tightness in your chest mean you suffer from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which your doctor said would only get worse.
Over time, your COPD began keeping you from enjoying activities with your family and friends. Then, it became obvious that you could no longer work. While you await a determination regarding receiving Social Security Disability benefits, you need to adjust to a new way of life.
You can make your life a little easier
Living with your condition provides many challenges. The following steps could make it less so:
- If you smoke, it may be in your best interest to quit. Your doctor probably already gave you that advice, but it’s worth repeating. Even e-cigarettes could irritate your lungs and exacerbate your condition.
- You may need to make changes in your home to improve the quality of the air you breathe. Changing to natural cleaners, removing carpet and using HEPA filters may help.
- Do what you can to stay germ free. A cold or the flu could make it even more difficult for you to breathe. Research shows that washing your hands often may reduce the chance of getting sick.
- Eating large meals can raise your heart rate and make it harder to breathe. You may benefit from eating less, but more often.
- Reducing stress, practicing breathing techniques and doing whatever exercise you can safely engage in may provide you with more energy to get through the day.
- Don’t get too far away from your rescue medications. You never know when you will need them.
- Make sure that you get regular checkups with your doctors to track the progression of your condition and adjust your medications or aspects of your life.
These tips may help make your daily life easier, but they don’t address how you will pay your bills.
The SSDI application or appeal
Whether you already submitted an application and received a denial, or you are about to begin the process, you could have quite a challenge ahead of you. You need to provide the right evidence and the right amount of it. Any omission or mistake could result in a denial. You may want to consider working with a Michigan attorney experienced in helping people in your situation.