by Rebecca
(Ohio)
My son has Crohn's disease. His employer found out about it and fired him. My son said the employer's secretary told him their employer said he had to get rid of him because of the drain he was going to make on their health insurance and attendance. He now has no health insurance and could not get unemployment because the employer made up some falsehoods when he fired him. Son has appealed and lost. Then in addition to the diahrea, etc. he developed fisures in his rectum that will forever bleed. These fisures tunnel out from the colin to the surface and get infected. Sitz bath every morning and packing and bandages. He then developed a valve leak (heart) from an aneurysm that developed via connective disease in his aorta. Aneurysm and valve has been repaired and valve replaced. Now has a lump on other valve. Has to take Humaira, Pentase, or Remicade. Or course these medicines are not free and he tries to get them thru special programs. There is no cure for Crohn's and his youngest son has inherited it. My son has been turned down for unemployment and disability because some fool somewhere thinks you can work when you have constant rectum bleeding, diahrea and related colitus. My son was married and had three children until this (with all the expenses and lack of his income) too much for his wife to take. There also is no chance of a normal sexual relationship. He now lives in a absolute shack and exists on the bare necessities (what help I and his church can give him) He has appealed the disability and lost as they feel he could work somewhere. Someone who looks at these disability requests doesn't understand.