Illinois woman receives SSDI benefits

She cared is more to their students as she took care of their health. That is why, two years passed before she was treated for breast cancer.

Donna Alvarez had a warning that she may have breast cancer in 1997, while in the school, many years teachers. She felt pain in her left breast after one of their special needs students hugged her. She saw a doctor, but the diagnosis was an infected milk gland, so she continued to teach.

She credits of the student's hug with what they see, that they might need help. She believes that the young was again the favor of love and attention, which gave them all to their students. "God, that special spirit on this earth to help sent," said Mrs Alvarez. "I wanted to help, and be sure to teach and love." "This child is the one who really saved my life."

She wanted to take the treatments, with another teacher because her students leave and was not acceptable to disrupt their lives and routines. "I was also concerned about the children and how she would manage it without me," she said.

Mrs. Alvarez had in 1999 during a break in the school a week a mammogram and ultrasound and phase IV was diagnosed with breast cancer.

"That's when the panic and fear in the Middle," you. "I ignored what wanted to tell me for two years my body." I believe that would accept the fact that I myself had to take care. I was always the children first set not knowing, the gravity of what progress was. That's when the nightmare began. "

Her breast and 38 lymph nodes were removed. Six months of chemotherapy, she received four days that daily injected medicine is per week, and they with chemo. "I don't think that she thought I was going to survive."

Mrs. Alvarez, now 52, cancer free 11 years. But after the chemo treatments and five years cancer therapy, a string not associated health problems followed. Her appendix burst and she was diagnosed with graves. To over activity of the thyroid gland is an autoimmune disease, graves, leads the body hormones metabolism, critical for regulating mood, weight, and mental and physical energy control releases.

Constantly ill, Mrs. Alvarez suffered heart palpitations, trembling in their hands and feet, and diarrhea. Today, their vision is blurred; It has double vision and pain in the eyes. She is blind. She has headaches and pain in the joints and muscles. She can not apply make-up or their hair comb. It has limited eye movement and, occasionally, it is in the walls. You need help with the cooking. "I not things can do that, I'd like to do for me," she said.

Last year, Mrs. Alvarez received radiation treatment for their graves and their eye and she plans to have eye surgery. She was hospitalized for cellulitis and a staph infection in April in the hospital. You believe the graves and thyroid problems are always with you.

But the former teacher said, they complain about the pain and ended their health issues. "With you and you learn life, tolerate it", said Mrs Alvarez. "My life was a trial and tribulation after another." What has made me strong, are my faith and my religion. "For everything bad, what happened to me, have I it positively and learned from it."

You and her husband, Tony, a meat cutter, celebrates its 35th anniversary in November. You have three adult children and 12 grandchildren. Lost rent their house four years ago and now a motor home.

Mrs. Alvarez works not for five years. She know not the amount of their medical bills, because they are still arriving. During the bankruptcy proceedings she pawned their jewelry, pay medical bills and buy food to help. "I felt like a member of the society-the cruel remarks [about their Granaria eyes] and the financial burden." We had no Christmas. "We did not have birthdays."

Their medical maladies caused emotional problems, "up to the point where I took pills and I wanted to call it quits." My hormones were out of control. "I felt like I was half mad."

Mrs. Alvarez had no social security disability insurance (SSDI) use, but then they Allsup from a son-in-law learned about. In December 2008, she appointed Allsup guide you through the complicated application. She was twice denied services.

Their case progressed, the next step, typically a hearing before an administrative law judge. But their Allsup was able, sufficient medical evidence, a judge to convince that an oral hearing was not necessary. SSDI she received benefits in March 2010.

"I guess really Allsup's efforts and what they have done for me." They worked diligently to help with my case. "You were very good for mich-- and patients."

"Allsup very serious and honest,", said Mrs Alvarez. "they work with you to fight for your rights and needs." They were very sympathetic with my disabilities. "You worked around my aches and pains."

Despite the pain and physical challenges, Mrs. Alvarez is confident that she will be persistent. "I am grateful for that to be," she said. "I have these trials and tribulations could conquer emotionally and physically." "There are support groups, your Härten--to share only talk about it."

And this little boy, that long ago, hug is divided, responsible. "If you look at special needs child, they look through the eyes of God and give them love and a smile," said Mrs Alvarez.

Jim Allsup Allsup founded in 1984. Now, Allsup is one of the leading providers of social security disability representation of the country. Allsup provides also a Medicare plan selection service.