| Disability is defined by the Social Security administration | | | | oftentimes prevents one from working, performing |
| as the "inability to engage in any substantial gainful | | | | normal daily tasks and socializing, albeit not one that is |
| activity by reason of any medically determinable | | | | static and unchanging. |
| physical or mental impairment which can be expected | | | | This 'ever changing' form of disability poses problems |
| to result in death or which has lasted or expected to | | | | within the system. Once a person has obtained |
| last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months". | | | | disability benefits, they are unable to work at all. If they |
| While it seems that definition would cover most | | | | do decide to try and exhaust the nine month trial |
| disabilities, many who are disabled due to a chronic | | | | period of work and then continue to perform |
| illness feel that this definition of disability does not cover | | | | 'substantial gainful employment', they lose their benefits. |
| them. They are quick to point out that the definition of | | | | For those with chronic illness it is not this cut and dry. |
| disability found in most dictionaries state it is "the | | | | They may be able to work easily for months or years, |
| condition of being unable to perform as a | | | | only to be struck with symptoms of their illness and be |
| consequence of physical or mental unfitness". | | | | bedridden for weeks. While there is a 36-month |
| The largest problem those with chronic illness seem to | | | | extension period that allows them to obtain benefits |
| have with the Social Security administration's definition | | | | when they need to, three years can come and go, |
| of disability is that it is set up to take care of those | | | | leaving them without benefits after the extension |
| with a 'static', unchanging disability, such as blindness, | | | | period. |
| mental retardation, learning disabilities, and those with | | | | The system does not have any specific guidelines that |
| serious disabilities, such as being a quadriplegic. Those | | | | cater to those with ever-changing chronic illness. The |
| with chronic illness are disabled, yet it is not static. | | | | best those with chronic illness can do is apply for |
| Some days they can work, while others they cannot, | | | | benefits and not work, which leaves them with a very |
| and there is no way to predict when they will be | | | | small income. Hopefully this will change in the future. |
| healthy or sick. Chronic illness is a disability that | | | | |