Greger

FACTS AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY

Greger applied for social security disability insurance bene- fits on January 30, 2001. He alleged that he became disabled GREGER v. BARNHART 11753 on June 25, 1998 due to triple bypass surgery, high blood pressure, a defective aorta, fibromyalgia, bad knees, and stomach problems. Greger’s disability insurance lapsed on December 31, 1998, and so he must establish that he was dis- abled and unable to work from the alleged onset date, June 25, 1998, to December 31, 1998 (the “relevant period”).

Greger was 49 years old, with a ninth-grade education, when his insured status expired. At his hearing on October 8, 2002, Greger testified that he worked as a truck driver until 1993 and was self-employed after that, doing miscellaneous carpentry-type jobs until shortly before he had open heart sur- gery in June 1998. Greger also had surgery in July 1998 to remove a perianal abscess with followup surgery in Novem- ber 1998. Greger testified that, during the relevant period, he experienced pain when sitting or standing for more than 30 minutes at a time, or walking more than half a block, short- ness of breath with activity such as…