Mathew had always been a worker. He worked 1 1/2 jobs while attending Junior College. He worked at a local video store and at Dean Johnson’s Music Studio, where he had taken guitar lessons for many years. You can see a picture of Mathew from these recital pictures. There he is, 5 pictures down on the left.
His second two years at St Leo University He worked one full-time job, was Editor of the school newspaper, the Lions’ Pride, in addition to writing, researching and his music.
So sometime in that first week or so at Moffitt, Mathew asked Dr. Gonzalez when he would be able to go back to work. The doctor’s response was “You won’t be working anytime soon. Not with the treatments you will be given.”
A few weeks later, once we had a diagnosis and Mathew was moved to 5 North for chemo, the Social Worker helped him apply for Social Security Disability.
**TIP** Mathew was approved for disability in two weeks. I was under the impression from the Social Worker that it was important to file while an inpatient.
I don’t know if he was approved so quickly because he had a cancer diagnosis. Or if it was the type of cancer and his prognosis that qualified him.
He received enough money each month to help with groceries, buy any games, or books he wanted for entertainment and maintain some semblance of independence.
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