I just wanted to say there was a typo in my last post. It should read more than 25 years, my first dx was in 1981. There have been times when I've no doubt qualified for some type of financial assistance based upon my illness. But for me, it was a catch 22. If I had the strength and ability to jump through the hoops necessary for this assistance then I was able to work. In fact during the last dark age my doctor discussed disability with me, it was literally all I could do go in for the blood work to check my liver (because of drugs rx'd). I missed so many of those appointments he was not comfortable keeping me on that particular medication. Even if he had started the ball rolling by setting up appointments, I would have been unable to keep them.