Disability Claims... to SUCK

Let me tell you, I think the single most annoying thing I have had to do so far is set up my disability claims, which, coincidentally, I did today.  I thought it would be a simple "Hey, I'm knocked up, keep me in mind in the future when I need continued payment", but not so much. 

In an effort to stay "ahead of the game", I decided to forgo the whole "call 30 days before your due date" rule and just call now.  I mean, even though my official due date is 11/21, my scheduled delivery is 11/8, and all my doctors keep telling me the chances of my making it to 11/8 is slim (which really just makes me more anxious... if you can't tell, I really like to have things planned out as much as possible).  But try explaining that to a benefits center.  It went way over their head. 

Then of course, as soon as I get it through to the benefits center what my plan is, I get transferred to the company who covers my short term disability to explain everything I just did to an even more dense person, if that is even possible.  The whole process is two hours of my life that I will never get back.  But at least its mostly over and done (considering I still have to call both of them once the babies are here).


All these rules just drive me nuts.  After more than 5 years of working here, I am covered at 100% pay for 5 months STD, but then that pesky FMLA comes into play, which says regardless of how long I am covered or how much PTO I may have, I can only be out for 12 weeks and expect to have my job waiting for me.  I really want to come back in January (for mostly selfish reasons as I want to be out for the holidays), which means I cannot be out of work any earlier than 10/11, which is slightly less than 3 weeks away.  I have my fingers tightly crossed that nothing happens to put me out any earlier than that, but it would be my luck if it did.  I'm holding on tight to all the stories I have heard about twin mommas lasting until 38-39 weeks.  I hope I am that lucky (if that is the right word... because 6 more weeks seems like hell right now), but at the very least, I need to last until 35-36 weeks without delivery or bedrest to keep my original plan.