Question
Hi John,my sci occurred in 99 i'm a c7-t1,i seem to be very intolerant of the weather.almost no matter the condition.the only time i'm comfortable is around 65-75 degrees with little to no humidity,which isn't often here in MD;also i seem to be in a darned if you do darned if you don't situation.i'd like to work,however if i dothey will take away from the minimal benifits i recieve (560 monthly)VERY HARD!my meds are four times that amount.any help would be greatly appreciated.thanks for your consideration Earl

Answer
Hi Earl,
Thanks so much for your questions.

Unfortunately, most people with SCIs have a difficult time with temperature regulation.

As far as working, you are allowed to make a certain amount before your benefits (disability) is affected. You will have to check with your local office to inquire about the limit.

Unless you are already getting Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI), I would contact Medicare and Medicaid to see if you are eligible for both. This might help you with your medications. Also, check with Medicare about a Medication card that was just approved by the President and Congress for discounts for precription medications.

I hope this is some help to you and if you have anymore questions, please don't hesitate to ask me anytime.

Thanks again,
John McKinzie