Shirley Ferguson, 57

Disability: Ferguson has had severe chest pain since a November 2004 heart surgery. She also suffers chronic knee and back pain from degenerative joint disease, as well as other impairments.

Her story: Shirley suffered a lot of wear and tear as she worked as a waitress and bartender for many years. She suffers what she describes as daily chest pains that leave her gasping, sometimes balled on the floor. She filed for disability in January 2006 and was approved the following year for 10 months of benefits. Social Security mistakenly overpaid her benefits and now demand repayment.

Status: Ferguson seeks ongoing disability benefits, saying she now suffers more disabilities than before.

Her case has been stuck in Social Security’s Appeals Council in Virginia for more than a year. Her lawyer, Kim Tucker, plans to ask Social Security to waive recovery of the overpayment.

— Video by Faith Cathcart/The Oregonian