BARBARA'S TCHATZKAHS

In the late 1980s, two friends of mine died waiting for SSDI benefits from AIDS related cancers. They were hard working, smart people who had savings but blew through them... waiting. I, myself, had a good nestegg when I fell ill in 1995. It was two years before I finally got SSDI. Only then with the help of attorney because I was too gravely impaired to fight for myself. My nestegg was gone to medical expenses. My group disability demanded I pay them back every penny when SSDI kicked in finally. This is not unusual, people - check your policies - that is STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE! You have to pay it back! EVERYONE does ! I have never applied for State Aid, Food Stamps or Section 8 Housing help. Nor would I. I only applied for what I put in for the 22 years I worked and only because I needed it. I am now surviving on less income than I made in 1979. I can't sit up too long, it's painful to walk for long, my hands hurt and I have severe headaches. I still ...

When you are told you have cancer, the diagnosis affects not only you, but also your family and friends. You may feel scared, uncertain, or angry about the unwanted changes cancer will bring to your life and theirs. You may feel numb or confused. You may have trouble listening to, understanding, or remembering what people tell you during this time. This is especially true when your doctor first tells you that you have cancer. It is not uncommon for people to shut down mentally once they hear the word "cancer." There is nothing fair about cancer and no one "deserves" to have it. A cancer diagnosis is hard to take and having cancer is not easy. When you find out you have cancer, your personal beliefs and experiences help you figure out what the diagnosis means to you and how you will handle it. As you face your own mortality and cope with the many demands of cancer, you may look more closely at your religious beliefs, your personal and family values, and what's mo...

You may be a victim of domestic violence (also known as interpersonal partner abuse) if you have some or all of the following characteristics: 1. Over functioning or overachieving : You may tend to take on more than a reasonable share of responsibilities. You may have a high need to please others. Your abuser's failure to accept responsibility for the abuse forces you to compensate for his/her behavior. 2. Feeling powerless : You may feel as though you have no control over your life. You may be immobilized by fear and feel that you "have to take it." Decisions about family, friends, and activities are based on how the abuser will react. 3. Feelings of guilt or shame : You may feel guilty over failure of a relationship. This is often reinforced by the abuser who blames the victim for all that goes wrong. Guilt over failure may be accompanied by shame for "putting up" with the abuse. 4. Continuous hope : You maintain hope for positive change in the ab...