Skip to main content

Going to Work During Cancer Treatments

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.


Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Replace the 3 Lumen Pic Line with a Port

Mathew's 3 Lumen Pic Line was replaced with a Power P.A.C. Both Mathew and I were given Medical I.D. cards to carry at all times. I have mentioned before that texting from the DRC is almost impossible. The staff told me it used to be the X-ray department so the walls are leaded. Again, the phone tree would have helped so much. I texted the following information to my niece, my sister and Mathew’s Dad and Stepmom. And probably Joseph and Carlos. I know that could have been reduced to two texts, three at the most. At the time  I didn’t know about group messaging as my phone was an old Android. Texts Between me and Diane Hi. We are at the hospital early because Mat is in a lot of pain.  We think the bill stent may have moved. Sent 3-31-14 Because he was NPO for other  procedure they should be able to fix today. Sent 3-31-14 In the DRC sending texts is almost impossible so if you don’t hear from me for a while don’t worry. If ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Thoracentesis to Remove Fluid on the Lung

2-28-15   From the Notebook Fluid on right side of lung Needs to be drained, done from the back Can be done bedside Send out for testing CAUSE? could be a bodily reaction - most likely this because fluid wasn’t present when he arrived or could be tumor has entered the lung. Mathew had been complaining about his right shoulder hurting (this was from the fluid on his lung). He thought it was from the previous October when he was taken by ambulance from work when they thought he was having seizures. He wondered if the EMT's had hurt his shoulder when restraining him. He will reference this in his music and writing. A local oncologist is brought in who says he will be starting Mathew’s treatment. More news on the diagnosis: -Neg for lymphoma -not traditional carcinoma -uncommon sarcoma -pancreas -looking for rare cancers Again my ignorance, I thought that a rare cancer would get more results. Backward thinking. Here is a photo of t...
Post a Comment
Read more

A Cancer Poem by Mathew Rodgers 2014

From Mathew’s Journal 4-5-14 “I lie awake in my pain bed metallic noises chirping from my strange computer  companion”
Post a Comment
Read more