As I was drifting off to sleep a couple of hours ago I remembered a small portion of a conversation I think I had with someone on a Social Security answer line. The sentence I remember was "We don't offset." If that sentence really was said by a Social Security rep (I'm not sure it wasn't a VA rep), and if the information was accurate, it means that winning my hearing next month is worth a new car and an apartment for me added on to the house, with money left over for hearing aids for Mom, a pretty wood fence across the front of the pasture, getting Dad's truck road-worthy again, and maybe a few more things. Back before I applied for benefits I used to receive annual statements telling my how much I'd receive if I retired at 62, how much if I retired at 65, how much if I became disabled, etc. I can't find the last one I got and it's been a while since I got one but I know the last one said if I became disabled I'd be entitled to a monthly check somewhere north of $1500.00. It's been 52 months since I last worked. Even with my lawyer getting $5K off the top and the IRS wanting some back taxes I didn't pay because I didn't have the money, that's still a nice hunk of change. Not trophy-wife nice, but at least enough to do some nice things around here.

I did a little poking around online without having much luck getting clear cut answers but I think the most likely scenario, since the VA doesn't consider my disability "Service Connected" is that when my Social Security checks start my VA checks will stop, which I consider reasonable, but I'll get the same Social Security back-settlement as if I'd never gotten VA benefits.

I know it's not productive sitting around stewing about the matter and making plans for money I may never see but I can't help it. I can do without the new car and some of that; mainly I just really, really want a place of my own again, even if it is attached to this place. It gets really old having to wait my turn to use the bathroom and kitchen, and having people walk past my bed day and night. If I can get out of that situation and have enough money to rent a decent car to drive to Texas now and then I'll be a satisfied old dog.

Clarification on the car: The only place to rent a car within an easy drive of Lawrenceville is Enterprise Leasing in Vincennes. When you rent a car from them you're entitled to unlimited mileage (just bring it back with a full tank) as long as the car stays in Indiana or adjacent states. If it leaves that area you get 200 free miles per day, then they charge a horrendous per-mile amount for every mile beyond that. That being the case, the sensible thing to do if I don't end up with enough money for another car is to spend what it takes to fix the air conditioner and put some new tires on the car I have now and plan on renting a car for my sister to use any time I leave for more than part of a day (such as taking off to Texas for a few days.)