The fight to receive benefits

When someone has disabilities, either mental or physical, you must submit their life story to get any help what so ever. Granted there have been fakes who have stole benefits from others who actually needed it.
Mads gets SSI and was a military dependent. I say was because at 21 you have your child declared incapacitated by the branch off service the military member served in. Now if they are needing this ruling of incapacitation, they probably already have the state ruling of incapacitation from when they turned 18. It’s just now the Department of Defense wants you to prove beyond a shadow of doubt that the person is incapacitated and relys on the military member for over 50% of their daily living. There is a time period of how old the documentation can be. You basically have months to get a determination.
WELCOME TO RED TAPE USA!!!!!!!!!!!!
You as a caregiver along with the incapacitated person have fought every step of the incapacitated persons life. You haven’t fought each other. (Well maybe you have) You have most likely fought doctors, school systems, even family members who might think the incapacitated person is a bit to much. So you get to 21. The incapacitated person is an “older” adult and you must prove yet again that they are not able to care for themselves. Do you how demoralizing this is? You already know as the caregiver what the person with you can do. You’ve tried your hardest to get them to be somewhat independent if they are able too. But yet again another agency wants you to PROVE beyond a shadow of doubt that this person can not care for themselves. Well Thank you very much for reinforcing that in our heads. It is such a joy to know that someone you love is incapacitated.
So you go through this process of where they ask for everything except a blood sample. ( I cannot stress enough KEEP EVERY PIECE IF DOCUMENTATION!!) You need a decision by the day the person turns 21..Without it your incapacitated person is no longer a dependent and loses all benefits (insurance). Oh but hey you can buy this insurance and they “should “ reimburse you. Remember we are talking about a government entity, they do not give money back easily.
So you turned everything in, and now you wait and wait and wait. Get use to waiting we still are.

In the beginning............
This is actually very important. Madison came into this world a red haired little girl. She was quite beautiful. Her family was excited to welcome to her to the family. There is a mom and dad (dad is Active duty Marines), there is a 2 year old brother and a soon to be 5 year old sister. Sister was really happy cause she wanted a sister she could play with and share clothes with. Brother was very protected of this little being that entered into his family.
Mads was very different from then when her siblings were babies. One she was the only red head. The other differences were that Madison was very upset with the world. Not colicky but very nervous of all that was around her. Surprise factor was on over load for her.
To calm her she had to be wrapped tightly in a blanket, have a pacifier in her mouth and to be the happiest she would have the blanket or a burp rag over her face. She liked mom and dad. Sister was a little bit to much energy. Brother was quiet and intuitive of her.
Over the course of just a few months Mads could not tolerate noise, soft touch, and frequent activity around her. Things were not adding up and Mom was getting worried. Mom was a stay at home parent so her focus was always on the children. She knew when things were not going the way they should.
Mads developed ear infections at a month (even though the medical books say that that can't happen)(New doctor learns from Commander that yes she has an ear infection). Mads has never followed a book. She has been writing her own story the whole time. From ear infections to Reactive Airway disorder Mads was not starting her journey off well. Now her siblings had ear infections and Asthma, so it was not to shocking she was getting sick. The reasons for all 3 was mystifying. No one smoked, however there was no pets and Mom was OCD about dust. They lived next to the ocean and wondered if mold spores were an issue. Mom also had chronic ear infections growing up so a genetic factor was playing in.
At 4 months the family moved to Japan. Mads spent most of her time at the doctors. There didn't seem to be any break from her getting sick. She received all her shots on schedule, never having  had a reaction. Her sensitivity was increasing along with her avoidance of other people. There were 2 Mama-Sans at church who loved Mads so much in the nursery. (It was her red hair) They worked very hard to try to get her comfortable in the nursery at church.It took a good year and then she didn’t like to share the Mama-Sans.
Mads was not developing like that of her siblings or the medical charts. She was showing delayment in all area. Nothing was making any sense. What was causing all this? Moms pregnancy was different in the fact that she had been diagnosed Hypothyroid, she had to do kick counts for Mads in utero was not moving, Mom got pregnant after dad had come home from a tour in the gulf( this is mentioned for the reason dad was given many shots and all the anthrax shots) and lastly just like the pregnancy of Mads sister Mom was showing as having not had had the MMR vaccine. Mom received the vaccine as a child, after giving birth to sister and after giving birth to Mads.
Mads started her journey with a mountain in her way, however she was tough and she had a family that loved her. No one knew how hard everything was going to continue to get.

Mads is short for Madison. However, there is nothing short about her. Mads has spent 21 years creating an unbelievable journey. There have been great mountains that had to be climbed and there were quite a few falls. Her accomplishments are many but, not thought as of worthy by the masses. But rarely has the opinions of others made a difference to her. She has fought hard to keep her journey unique to herself. The fight in her journey is never ending and blood has been shed. She continues on for she knows no other way. To her life would be easier if people would just leave her alone. 
Isn't that true of all of us.