Great info! Im 42 and waiting my hearing date. I had a terrible herniated disc that was operated on emergency status as i was nearly a parapalegic.

I became disabled at 44 as an environmental chemist/EHS/PLANT PERFORMANCE chemist. After so many back surgeries, and other invasive procedures, I was able to easily qualify for SSDI after a work related back injury. Now a 54 and 9 months all these new rulings has gotten me worried as hell for my medicare and SSDI benefits. Putting shoes in a box is just stupid as hell. If I could do that why wouldn't I continue to work as a bench chemist making 5 times as much? Sitting too long is unbearable, standing too long over a few minutes is unbearable. Forget lifting and constantly sitting and getting up. Our system is stupidity at its finest. I can do any job and probably suffer through it if I can lay down every 15 minutes you pay for the pain medications I require and you pay me the 100K+ my experience and education qualifies me for!

Great information and thank you. I'll be 49 in a couple months and I've been waiting on a hearing date for almost a year now. My attorney thinks I have a strong case because I have multiple impairments but I'm still nervous. I was in an accident in 2007 and had cervical disc replacement surgery. In 2012 I had to have lumbar surgery and then again in 2022. During this time I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, Bilateral Carpal tunnel.CVI, PAD, carotid Stenosis. In January 2024 I was diagnosed with cervical facet joint arthritis and degenerative disc disease. Two weeks ago I was diagnosed with Lumbar Forminal stenosis and DDD. I am on pain meds and muscle relaxers as well as two Rheumatoid arthritis medications, heart medication and anti depression. All my medical records are up to date and have updated MRIs, X-ray, EMGs, ultrasounds etc. I've always been very strong physically and been able to recover quickly. Unfortunately my body isn't what it once was. Being grouped in with 18 and 25 year olds is a little ridiculous to say the least. I believe the system is broken in so many ways. I believe it's a neglected system and the employees are overworked and mistakes are made. I also think this Judge seems like a very nice level headed man and I hope mine is the same. In closing, I mentioned I'm on antidepressants. I was prescribed these a year ago because I went into a deep depression going through the disability process. I am still struggling till this day. I wouldn't be going through it if I didn't have to. Losing everything for so little. Good luck to everyone that is going through the struggle. God bless you all. 🙏

The next time you interview the judge can you talk about the recent guideline changes for judes and how they are pressured to meet denial quotas by Social Security or face performance reviews.

I am 59, had 2 heart attacks, second resulting in quad bypass. I also have type 2 diabetes. I have no strengh as you can probably guess and have trouble walking. I just had my hearing which went well and got declined

Why would an ALJ retire to go become a representative? If it is to help people he would make most impact as an ALJ