BiPolar on Texas SSDI and want to work

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I am thrilled to find this forum as I really need guidance.

I have been diagnose with Bipolar Disorder and Temporal Lobe Epilepsy since 1996. I Had been working as an RN for 6 years, doing really well, was actually a DON. But I did not know what was wrong and i crashed and burned.

I have been under a doctors care since then, go to my appts. and take my meds as ordered: Topamax, Lamictal, Trileptal and Seroquel. I have been on these meds for a long time with no changes and feel very stable. I'm a very good patient. I live in poverty now, live off the land raising goats and other animals to sustain us. I raise our food. I recieve a tiny tiny SSDI check and I want so much to earn my own money and to help people and feel like a person again.

I want and need to work. I have kids and grandkids and responsibilty. Also, I LOVED nursing and the comraderie. I was doing what I was supposed to be doing. When I stopped working, and it was my choice, I was not fired and I did not lose my license, I was in good standing. Actually, I was DON at one facility and working part time ER at another. I loved nursing and people were shocked when I quit. I guess I hid my anquish well.

I have let my license go delinquent for over 10 yrs now and have to jump through hoops to get it back. In Texas if you are BiPolar you have to do the whole TPAPN thing and I HATE the idea of that.

So I would have to contact TPAPN and go through at least 2 yrs with them...meaning i could not even drink a cold beer on a hot day in Texas...what the heck??? They lump you in with drug and alcohol abusers and I did not abuse substances, I am Bipolar. So why random drug screens and why would i get kicked out of TPAPN if alcohol showed up in my UA? And I rarely drink, just want the freedom to. The whole thing seems scary and invasive. I am a private person, that's why I live in the remote woods.

Also, I would need a refresher course...a whole semester to a year. Also 20 hrs CE and CPR of course.

I no longer have a drivers license, it was surrendered by me, not taken away. I was diagnose with epilepsy and was trying to be "good" as I was an ER nurse and saw so many victims of motor vehical accidents. But I no longer have seizures. I need to get my drivers license renewed and the case worker at MHMR is very willing to help me. I have no car and live very rural and remote.

I have no scrubs or nurse things anymore.

It is an uphill climb and I want it so much.

I know I can do it but would love to hear from others who have faced the same....particularly Bipolar Texans who may have gone through TPAPN. Thanks.

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Thanks Liddle.

I want this and know I can do it. I love reading this forum and have also read everything I can about PHES online in Houston.

I am still very confused about the order of events. The refresher courses vs TPAPN. Don't know how those work together.

[RN1263]

It's been a few mos since the last post to this thread, but maybe I can help somewhat.......

I have multiple sclerosis, sz disorder and Bipolar II..... I was on SSDI for many yrs for my MS and then started feeling better. When you're on SSDI and want to work or go to school to work they will help you through the "ticket to work program". I wanted to go to nursing school so they had me go to the vocational rehab in my county and they paid for most of my schooling at the university and kept track of my progress (while still receiving ssdi checks and NO ssdi reviews are done at this time). After that, you have 9-11 mos to earn as much as you can (still no reviews) and still keep getting SSDI, after that you still have 36 mos where you can go back on SSDI for any mos that you can't work.

I worked for two yrs then had a horrible MS attack...I took sometime off of work but was still not getting any better so I had to quit . I was just dx Bipolar II last yr and had trouble getting stable as it was, let alone the MS attack. BUT, now I'm feeling better and I don't want to live on disability forever, plus I'm bored to tears...so I'm going to try to get a job doing what I was doing which was home health nursing. If you don't know where to start...then call social security and have them help you.

Good Luck