Hi Everyone,

Some of you know I've been in the process of applying for Social Security Disability. Nina helped me a tremendous amount in the last few years when submitting the paperwork. I'd been denied twice and when that happens I can do a third appeal to appear before a judge. I wasn't expecting to even get a date for the hearing until February 2021 (next year!) so I was pleasantly surprised when I got the hearing date in March 2020, and the hearing date was set for today, 617W day, June 17 -- as a telephone hearing due to COVID-19. All four people on the call were working from home, including the judge.

The hearing went well and the attorney assigned by the insurance company to represent me believes the judge will grant my request. It could still be denied, but the attorney said the fourth appeal process would be a simple one.

The call started off a little nerve wracking because no one could hear me well, and the official person doing the recording said I was barely audible. The judge was preparing to cancel the phone hearing and switch to in-person... but then I cranked up the mic volume and the official person doing the recording said it was good and we could proceed. Phew! Glad this part of the process is over now, at least ten months ahead of schedule, because who knows when the court house would be opened for in-person hearings.

All for now,

Todd "I don't have the voice to sing for the judge" Andrews