Advise please...

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Help needed times three…
Does anyone have advice on any of the following…
Going to the dentist? I usually get to scared or have to be tranked. Other options?
Personal space? My fiancé says I take up to much room but the truth is I don’t actually have a room of my own. Any tips for sane sharing?
Disability payments/SSI – anyone know how to reapply or request reassessment? My payment is 400 USD and it goes to my rent. I’d like to eat and play as well, although hopefully my new book (See random discussions/Wow I published my book – for details) will provide some income.
D. Elaine Calderin

Have you considered going to a Dentist that gives you anesthesia...to put you to sleep...while the Dentist performs the work on you? There are many Dentists that do their best to alleviate their patients' fears. Ask your current Dentist...if he/she doesn't do
any such things to alleviate a patients' fears and anxiety, look for one that does.

Ask for your Social Security benefits...when you have limited income, your only option is to look for a less expensive apartment,
unless you want to go without other things you feel you need. Or look for a government subsidized housing complex that serves
the elderly and disabled individuals of any age in your community. These subsidized apartments are often for very low rents but,
there are waiting lists. If you can wait it out...and live in your high rent apartment for awhile, fill out an application for one of the
government-subsidized, low rent apartments in your community. The wait is usually about six months, sometimes longer, sometimes less.

As for sharing such small areas, simply learn to compromise...compromises are a part of life.

Best of luck to you!

I got on SSDI, not for AS but for physical disabilities, and after I was accepted my social worker got me on the waiting list for a Section 8 Voucher; have you gotten on that waiting list? They supposedly (I dunno, I'm still on the waiting list) have a dollar amount on the Voucher and they'll pay 70% of the rent up to that amount, and you pay 30%. If you want a more expensive apartment, they pay 70% of the face value of the voucher and you pay the rest. The website for more info is http://www.hud.gov/offices/pih/programs ... _sheet.cfm
If your SSDI is only $400, you should certainly qualify. I had worked for 28 years before becoming disabled, so my check is more, and the Social Worker was sure I'd qualify.

She also looked on http://www.health.state.nd.us/dhs/foods ... ulator.asp
and figured out how much I'd qualify for in food stamps, that should help with your grocery bill if you pay rent or utilities. I don't, I live with my disabled father, so I didn't qualify, but you probably will.

Also, have you looked into SSI (I don't know if you can get that if SSDI leaves you impoverished) or welfare? You probably should, $400 is really too little to live on if the cost of living where you are is as high as it is here in Boston.

Good Luck!

-I see a guy out of town because he is tolerant/flexible about my odd special needs (unlike those of usual special needs).
-Shrink at mental clinic rx'd Ativan for me to take before dental visits.
-Bring unlit incense stick with me, to sniff from time to time, as counteraction (competing stimuli) for bad medical smell of the office.
-I bring my support person onto exam room with me, and keep them nearby all throughout the horror being done to my mouth. As a witness, to tell me what happened (since I'm so terrified, I can barely recall anything that wasn't traumatic). As an interpreter/translator between self & the others (staff)-because my mind is peculiar & it helps to have an intermediary/buffer. As protection, though can't explain how I mean that.

None of these work that well alone, even together they only make dentistry slightly more bearable-but it's best I can manage. Too panicky to be put under anaesthesia, so must deal with how to tolerate being awake/aware, enduring something I desperately don't wish to do. It evokes my "fight/flight/freeze reaction, intensely-I feel like (and my body is behaving as if) the dentist is trying to kill me, even though intellectually know that's ridiculously untrue...

$2000/month for RENT!?!? WHY SO MUCH? If you are paying less than $2000, have you looked into Section 8? A $1000/month apartment could cost $200/month! Don't tell them about the extra income, or you may find it will negate other income.

my rent is $400 a month
My disability is $400 a month

There is secton 8 you can apply for. Food stamps too and LIEAP, those will help lower your bills.


Sorry I don't have any other advice to offer.