Take a look at the latest edition of The Advisor!
SEPTEM
BER/OC
TOBER
2023
HAUNTED BY STORMS HOW I TURNED FEAR INTO FIERCE FASCINATION
Halloween will be here before we know it. You’ve probably already realized this if you have visited a Walmart, your local home improvement store, or anywhere else that sells Halloween decorations in the past few weeks. While many of us view Halloween as a time for our kids to dress up in costumes and go door-to-door collecting candy and treats, others view the holiday slightly differently. They see it as a time to tackle their greatest fears by watching horror movies, going to haunted houses, and putting themselves face-to-face with whatever makes their knees buckle and shake. I’m no stranger to fear, and I’m incredibly thankful I overcame my greatest fear at an early age. I grew up in northeastern Ohio, where we had some hot and humid summers. It wasn’t uncommon for us to experience heavy showers and storms that started in the late afternoon and carried into the evening. Our area was also at risk for tornadoes, and we would have tornado drills all the time in school. By the time I turned 5 years old, I had developed an intense fear of thunderstorms and tornadoes. My fear quickly turned into an obsession. I constantly watched the weather channel to see if storms were approaching our area. Whenever I was outside, I spent a good chunk of my time staring at the sky, waiting for dark clouds to appear. When I turned 7 and started playing baseball, it became clear to my dad that my fear of storms had reached a new level. I loved baseball, but I would look up at the sky between every pitch, wondering if the next storm would start while we were on this big open field. Knowing this fear would hinder me in the future, my dad devised a plan to help me get over it. We had a covered patio with an old-fashioned bench swing that hung from the ceiling. From that swing, you could see our 7 acres and the cornfield just off our property. Whenever it started storming,
my dad would encourage me to go out there and sit with him. I would cuddle up next to him while he explained everything he knew about the science of thunderstorms. We did this for two summers in a row, and it helped me overcome my fear.
Dad
By the time I turned 9 or 10, my fear of storms had completely faded away, and it’s all thanks to my dad. Those are some of the best memories I have with him. Hearing his soothing voice as we watched the lightning flash, listening to the thunder boom, and smelling the rain splash around us revolutionized the way I viewed storms. These days, I actually love storms. Whenever it starts to rain, I’ll gather my kids in the garage to watch it with me. We’ll set up some camping chairs at the edge of the garage and just listen to the storm. It brings back good memories for me while I make some new ones with my kids.
It’s okay to have fears, but you have to work on overcoming them. It’s a lifelong battle. Surround yourself with people who provide strength and
encouragement, and you’ll have a much easier time overcoming any fear or challenge that stands in your way. And don’t forget to give that support right back. As others help you, you can find opportunities to help them.
1-877-9-DISABLED (877-934-7225) • KeefeLaw.com •
Get Your Home Fall-Ready Simple, Affordable DIY Projects You’ll Love
Housewares stores are currently full of cute autumn decor, but the cost of refreshing your house’s look each season adds up quickly. Fortunately, you can do a lot for less. Many DIY crafts are not as complicated as you might think. In addition to saving money, you’ll create personalized charm none of your neighbors can match. Repurpose your pumpkins. Small gourds are incredibly versatile. Just sprinkling a few around your dining room table or mantle makes it feel like fall. But you can quickly elevate them using metallic paint to add cute designs, phrases, or names. Another option is to wrap seasonal fabric around them like a pouch, gathered at the stem. If you feel more ambitious, you can also use pumpkins to make succulent planters. Cut a crater in the top of the pumpkin, pop in the succulent and soil, and press the dirt until snug. Light up the night. The soft glow of a lantern or candle is the perfect way to get the cozy vibes started. Instead of succulents in the top of your pumpkin, you can set wax and a candle wick to create something unique. If you’re bored with pumpkins, try the same with acorn caps. An even simpler idea involves glazing real or fabric leaves on the outside of mason jars with
craft glue. Then add decorative stones and a wax or battery- operated tealight for a seasonal twinkle.
Decorate your door. Wreaths are a DIY staple for several reasons. They’re easy for beginners to make and can set the
tone for your home by offering visitors an autumnal focal point. You can buy a variety of starter wreaths at the craft store, so find one that suits your taste. Then pick up other supplies like leaves, pine cones, dried corn, and ribbon. Now you’re ready to hot glue to your heart’s content and create something distinctive. If you need further ideas, look closer the next time you shop. Many of the fun fall items for sale aren’t very difficult to make yourself with a few minor adjustments and a little creativity.
A CRUCIAL LINK TO SECURING DISABILITY BENEFITS MEDICAL CARE AND SSDI
Receiving medical care can help improve the chances that your Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) application is approved. The Social Security Administration (SSA) maintains a blue book of qualifying conditions. As part of your SSDI application, you must prove you are disabled. While you may have an initial diagnosis from a doctor, that might not be enough to qualify for benefits. If you seek treatment, you show the condition affects your daily life. Regular visits with your doctor can help as well, and they will help build a stronger SSDI case. A history of medical care serves as evidence in support of your disability claim since doctors and other medical staff can assess your health. Part of their reports can support the claim that your condition is so severe you cannot work. These include specific details about what you can and cannot do.
• Medical reports from specialists, like oncologists and psychiatrists • Letters of support from a disability doctor
Getting consistent medical care is essential, as it helps to show the disability continues to affect you daily and not just once in a while. Remember, the SSA needs proof of your disability. Paying for medical care can be challenging for some people. Even so, low-cost options may be possible. If and when your SSDI claim is approved, you may be able to afford treatment more easily. Just as seeking medical attention can boost your SSDI claim, avoiding treatment can hurt it. If you do not get medical care, the SSA may perceive that to mean you are not disabled. It can look like your condition is not that debilitating since it is not affecting your ability to go about your day. Thus, the SSA may believe you are capable of working. Filing for disability benefits can be stressful and complicated. You may believe you are unable to work, but you need to prove your disability to the SSA. This is why working with a Social Security Disability attorney is so valuable. Call us today to see how we can help with your unique situation.
Medical attention can take on several forms. Treatments that can help bolster your disability benefit application include:
• • •
Diagnostic tests, like X-rays and blood tests Treatment on a regular basis, like physical therapy
Medication taken for the ailment
• 1-877-9-DISABLED (877-934-7225) • KeefeLaw.com
Honey-Pecan Chicken Breasts
When Mount St. Helens erupted in 1980, it poured so much dust into the sky that the sun over Eastern Washington went dark. Ash drifted overhead, traveling into neighboring Idaho and forcing temperatures down by as much as 15 degrees F. Locals spent a few weeks scared and shivering under dull skies. They had no way of knowing it, but they were experiencing a tiny fraction of the horror humans felt back in 536 — a time that Harvard University historian Michael McCormick once called “the worst year to be alive.” 3 REASONS 536 WAS THE WORST YEAR IN HUMAN HISTORY
With summer over and fall here, pecan and honey reign supreme in this sweet chicken recipe. The honey provides a perfect caramelization while pecans pack on the crunch factor!
INGREDIENTS
•
2 6-oz boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
• • • •
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp butter 3 tbsp honey
• • •
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder 1/8 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp finely chopped pecans
DIRECTIONS 1. Pound chicken with a meat mallet to 1/2-inch thickness. Sprinkle with salt, garlic powder, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. 2. In a large nonstick skillet, heat butter over medium heat; brown chicken on both sides. Cook covered until chicken is no longer pink, about 6–8 minutes, turning once. 3. Drizzle with honey and sprinkle with pecans. Cook covered until chicken is glazed, about 2–3 minutes.
For decades, the year 536 was a historical mystery. Records showed that it was a terrible time, stricken by the triple threat of:
1. Unexplained, unending darkness 2. Unseasonably frigid weather 3. Crop failures and famines
Inspired by TasteOfHome.com
Those horrors and the economic and political instability they brought ravaged the globe from Ireland to China. Although 536 was arguably the worst year, things didn’t get better for more than a decade. In fact, they got worse in some areas! In 541, the Plague of Justinian — the first bubonic plague pandemic — appeared in Egypt and spread through Europe, killing roughly one-third of the continent’s population. For decades, archaeologists and historians have puzzled over the tipping point in 536. “What went wrong,” they wondered, “to make the sun go dark and trigger snow in summer?” It was a head- scratcher until 2018. That year, researchers finally solved the mystery with help from, of all things, a Swiss glacier! The glacial ice was riddled with volcanic glass. Further study revealed enormous volcanic eruptions in 536, 540, and 547 likely caused “The Dark Ages.” It wasn’t just metaphorically dark — it was literally dark thanks to ash blotting out the sun and coating people’s homes, skin, and clothing. Scientists have traced the 540 eruption to Ilopango, a volcano in El Salvador that’s currently inactive, but they’re still hunting for the source of the 536 eruption. As we write this, volcanoes in Iceland and Alaska are the most likely candidates. We’ve already survived a pandemic this century, so for everyone’s sake, let’s hope both regions stay quiet until at least 2100. We all deserve a break!
1-877-9-DISABLED (877-934-7225) • KeefeLaw.com •
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Share Your Story! Do you want to share a story about your disability claim, experience with Hartwig Law Firm, or just a funny story in general? Contact Andrea at (508) 732-8989 or via email at Patrick@KeefeLaw.com, and you could be featured in our next newsletter!
385 Court St., Suite 210 • Plymouth, MA 02360 1-877-9-DISABLED (1-877-934-7225) • KeefeLaw.com
inside this issue
1 2
The Most Exciting Event of the Season
Simple, Affordable DIY Projects You’ll Love
How Medical Care Supports Your SSDI Application
3
Step Into 536: ‘The Worst Year to Be Alive’
Honey-Pecan Chicken Breasts
4
Unsinkable Sam: The Feline Hero of WWII
HOW A WWII CAT SURVIVED 3 SHIP SINKINGS: THE STORY OF UNSINKABLE SAM
The British destroyer HMS Cossack found Sam floating on a board hours later, and they promptly scooped him up and welcomed him aboard. Sam had officially switched sides to the Allied forces. Now on the right side of history, Sam lived with the British crew for the next few months as they performed convoy escort duties — until a torpedo struck the HMS Cossack in October 1941, killing all 139 members aboard. Except for Sam. Once again, Sam clung to a wooden plank and floated safely to the nearby shore of Gibraltar, a British Overseas Territory. British service members who found him ashore put two and two together and realized the cat — the very one their fellow servicemen saved in 1939 — was the only survivor of HMS Cossack, earning him the nickname “Unsinkable Sam.”
The group in Gibraltar was from the HMS Ark Royal crew, and of course, they loaded Sam aboard when it was time to launch. But as Sam’s luck would have it, a torpedo struck the HMS Ark Royal just a month later, leaving him once again clinging to a floating plank near a boat launch back in Gibraltar. Luckily, Sam’s boating days were over, and he was honorably transferred to the position of “mouse hunter” in the building of the governor-general in Gibraltar. Eventually, the British restationed their favorite floating feline to a “home for sailors” in Belfast, where he lived for the rest of his days until his peaceful passing in 1955.
You’ve heard the saying, “Cats have nine lives,” and while there are countless tales of cats falling from trees or high-above windows, one cat put this theory to the test, earning himself the name “Unsinkable Sam.” Sam’s original name was “Oscar,” and his legacy began aboard the Bismarck, one of the two first-class Nazi battleships in World War II. The Bismarck (with Sam) was launched on Feb. 14, 1939, and soon after engaged in battle with The Prince of Wales, an Allied battleship. The Nazi ship was severely damaged in this battle and ultimately sunk. Only 118 of the 2,200 crew members survived, plus Sam.
Sam’s story may not officially prove cats have nine lives, but it makes at least three seem likely!
• 1-877-9-DISABLED (877-934-7225) • KeefeLaw.com
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