Hi, I just registered with this site, but chronic pain has been a major part of my life for 32 years.  I have had doctors from general practitioners to pain management specialists say that I'm too disabled to work yet I got denied for social security disability.  I was told that I haven't worked enough thus haven't paid enough quarters into the system to draw any out.  (I think they said I need 4 or 5 more quarters).  I'm working now after not having the need to for 13 years and my pain is excruciating.  My job in a jiffy store (one year) is too physical for me to keep up much longer.  I rely on a cane when not at work and I'm at the end of my rope.  I was told by two different lawyers that I need to apply for social security income instead of disability.  I neglected to state the factors for my pain so here they are in a nutshell...scoliosis ( approx.  47% curvature in lumbar, not sure how much in cervical ) diagnosed at the age of 13, no surgery.  Fibromyalgia, degenerative disc disease, both lumbar and cervical, COPD, chronic depression (go figure), disociative disorder, arthritis in back and both knees and bursitis in both hips.  I'm also almost 5 years out from breast cancer (double mastectomy) and pretty darned proud of that.  I'm 51 and am jealous when I see people 20 years my senior taking brisk morning walks or walking through Wal-mart unassisted.  Now the doctors are giving me meds to " keep me comfortable" until the need for a wheel chair is nessesary.  We used to get along all right on my husbands' income but with the economy in the state it's in, I have to supplement his income and I can't keep this up much longer.  I actually had a pain management specialist tell me that after reviewing my reports and MRI results that if it were him, he'd have put a bullet in his head long ago.  How encouraging is that?

So...if anyone out there has any ideas for me or suggestions on how to get my foot in the door with social security I'd surely appreciate it.  I know people who have never worked a day in their miserable lives and brag about drawing over a thousand dollars a month because they knew somebody who knew somebody and I'm legitamately needing some kind of help here.

Thanks for any response,

Jeannie