Hi Betty,
My husband applied for SS Disability and yes, the process is tedius, but as soon as you get all the information together, the rest goes quickly. We used a Disability attorney which cost us nothing because we were turned down. My husband has been self-employed for 30 years and did not pay enough into SS. However, if you are approved, the attorney gets a small percentage of the back pay due you (which would be from when you quit work). I hope this helps...if you have any other questions, just ask. Also, they say most people are turned down the first time, but can re-apply soon thereafter and then get approved. Guess the government has to make sure we know they are tough and in control! Karen