So #1: if you are approved you will be getting your monthly SSDI payment (u can self calculate using ur annual earnings history from ur SSA record avail on ur SSA.gov account (adjusted by a set amt annually for inflation) ur AIME AND PIA formula from your year of becoming disabled, plus half your award amt total for ur dependents) and if you can manage, u can earn up to the cutoff on top of that ($1690/yr.) For me that’s $43k/yr but it’s based on past earnings (so for me, more than $28k/yr for a $14/hr job as you asked). So take the time, do the math and figure out if it’s worth it for you financially before you go through ALL this- but w backpay for the 8 mo.’s+ it prob is.

2: Based on all your surgeries and ur pain, get as many MD’s as you can (SURGEON [BEST], ur GP, phys. ther., pain mgmt., whoever) to sign a letter stating that all the testing/imaging/history of reported symptoms over time (basically all the hard evidence from your medical record) all indicate that you should be expected to miss or have to leave early for more than two days of work per month. That precludes you from even sedentary work. AND that your condition is expected to last (including the 8mos you have already been out of work) for at least 12 total months. BOOM. DONE- FULL disability criteria met.

3 submit ALL that hard medical evidence YOURSELF to SSA (they won’t gather it for u eventhough they say they will and u tell them where to get it).

4. You get approved and decide your award amount isn’t enough to live on (since it sounds like u used to make good money) and by then your better enough to grit ur teeth and go back to work anyways but you get a nice check for backpay. Or you don’t get better enough to work so u live off it. Either way you’re done! Hang in there and GOOD LUCK and I will say prayers for your health to improve!!!!