Don't Pretend

My disability insurance company called yesterday. Their vocational rehab coordinator wanted to make sure that the State had scheduled me for an evaluation. I told her that they had. She then launched into a long winded, chipper, explanation about how great vocational rehab will be in helping me learn new skills and get a new job.

I told her that I'd been dealing with my disability for sixteen years and I doubted there was adaptive technology that I didn't know about. What I wanted to tell her was, "Stop pretending this is for my benefit! You're forcing me to attend rehab in hopes that you'll move me off your books." That's it. That's all this is about - money.

My insurance company knows that, as a white collar worker for the better part of two decades, I'd rather die than go work a job I consider beneath my dignity. I'm not calling out people who have those jobs, especially not visually impaired and blind people. I just can't do it. My insurance company wants to force me to a decision point where I turn down 23 years of future payouts because I won't humble myself to work at Taco Bell.

In the meantime, SSDI is paying me specifically to be a caretaker to my children. My insurance company wants me to take part of my meager funds to have someone else watch my kids. Money that I won't make up working. 

I have no idea how these people sleep at night.

Vocational Rehab

It's going to be an interesting week. I've been on long term disability for the past two years because of vision. My employer's insurance company is sending me to get evaluated by my state's Services for the Blind this week. I'm not against working, I just don't want to end up in a job that I'd hate. Just because I'm blind doesn't mean I have to be miserable, right?

Some people think everyone who's on disability and not working any level job is a deadbeat. I think that's insane. I raise children. This allows my wife to work.  There's a whole lot of value to be brought to the world that doesn't include working for minimum wage. How much is happiness worth? I guess I'm going to find out.