Help applying for Blue Badge

clarissa

Hi,

I've just received my application form for a Blue Badge and would appreciate a little help filling it in and an idea of what supporting evidence to send with it. I haven't been able to find any posts with similar problems and don't know what parts fit the criteria. My heart failure nurse has said I should apply and to be honest I need it. It might make it possible for me to do more than go to work and sit at home and don't want to risk being turned down. Sorry the posts very long!

Firstly a bit about my ailments! In 2006 when I was 42 I was found to have a rare cancer of the appendix, which sounds pretty trivial but it has involved 3 very large operations (30+ hours in total and all non-essential abdominal organs removed). I had my 1 year clear scan in October. I returned to work full-time last Feb and was recovering reasonably well until June time. I started becoming breathless, swollen ankles, palpitations, occassional dizziness and fainting. I initially thought it was to do with my surgery but it turns out that I have some type of cardiomyopathy and heart failure. I've had several heart tests and I'm waiting for more. My cardiologist isn't sure what is causing it or what exactly it is, he says it's very rare and has not seen anything quite like it before, it looks as though it's completely separate to the cancer, ops and chemo. My echocardiogram and angiogram showed severe reduction in the pumping action of my heart with an ejection fraction of less than 30%. I've just started on medication. I've got a whole host of other tests lined up, ICD's and heart transplants have been mentioned.

Now to my symptoms. I get severe angina. It's brought on by walking, especially stairs or slopes. I can walk slowly but it varies when it starts, I would guess an average of about 50-100m, although sometimes it comes on at rest or even just pottering around the house, occassionally I surprise myself and have a completely 'good' day and only have chest pain 2 or 3 times. I have a GTN spray but it often doesn't stop it. I can't stand for more than about 5 minutes without my legs getting weak and tired and I get severe back pain because of the muscle wastage following my operations and can't do much to strengthen my back because of my ileostomy and risk of hernia. I get out of breath, normal flight of stairs or when I get angina. My legs ache very quickly because of the lack of oxygen being pumped round. If I do too much I get incredibly tired, get palpitations and go faint. If I walk much my ankles swell, I was on water tablets but had to stop them because of severe dehydration caused by the previous surgery to remove my colon. I rarely go out apart from to work, I certainly wouldn't even entertain going to Tesco's on my own because of the angina and literally dread going out now because it's so frightening. I haven't been proper shopping for months, I shop on-line or do without. I have difficulty doing all but basic cleaning because I have to rest between everything or I'm in a bad way for hours afterwards. I dread going to hospital because of the walk to the ward about kills me.

Reading that back I sound like I'm on deaths door! Which is part of the problem, I look the picture of health unless I'm having a fainting do or bad palpititations. I have difficultly accepting the way I am now and more so because I had recovered from the cancer part and I've now got something else. I can move everything fine, just have a little trouble getting up and down from the floor. I work full-time, I've felt pretty !!!!!! for the past 3 years and have just got used to pacing myself, adapting and getting on with it, I do struggle at times and when I was on the water tablets I really did think I'd have to give up work altogether.

I'm concerned that because I look fine and work in a job that appears to involve being very active but isn't that I will be refused a badge.

Horace

Hi Clarissa

Sorry I don't anything about the forms for the blue badge but after reading your post have you thought about applying for disability living allowance too (it easnt means tested and you may get help with your shopping etc).

Welcome to the forum and I hope someone more experienced in these matters than I will be along to assist.

sad_dog_lady

in my opinon the best person to go to is your gp, whilst the blue badge is usually administered by council their forms can be a little one size fits all....
my son had one until new rules means he cant.... oh joy! but having looked into this it would seem that a sympathetic doctor who is well disposed to telephoning or faxing either the ocupational psyio or council department will help enormously, also you can go and ask for someone in the council to help you to fill it in, i find that when asking the council to help you apeal to the council.... well it tends to work. i really hope that you get your blue badge still waiting and arguing for my sons.. he runs accross roads without a thought due to his add and aspergers he is fine at walking though !! just wish i could park closer again.

lukiesgirl

Hi
Have you considered applying for DLA? It is not means tested and I claimed it for a year after a cancer op even though I worked full time. Like you I was unable to walk very far and my nurse suggested claiming. How much longer will you be able to hold down a full time job? Even though you are quite young you need to be practical. If you can get higher rate DLA you are automatically entitled to a blue badge.
Dont let the forms put you off. Ask for help - maybe from the benefits forum on this site. I would give as much detail as poss on blue badge form. Give the name of your consultant because they will need info. Good luck but I would have thought that if you tell them everything you will be successful.

lukiesgirl

sad_dog_lady wrote: »

in my opinon the best person to go to is your gp, whilst the blue badge is usually administered by council their forms can be a little one size fits all....
my son had one until new rules means he cant.... oh joy! but having looked into this it would seem that a sympathetic doctor who is well disposed to telephoning or faxing either the ocupational psyio or council department will help enormously, also you can go and ask for someone in the council to help you to fill it in, i find that when asking the council to help you apeal to the council.... well it tends to work. i really hope that you get your blue badge still waiting and arguing for my sons.. he runs accross roads without a thought due to his add and aspergers he is fine at walking though !! just wish i could park closer again.

Sorry to change the subject but my son has ASD. Have you joined the National Autistic Society? I did and they have great resources to help us keep our benefits in particular the blue badge and DLA. DONT GIVE UP! As usual Autism is classed as normal and not a disability

clarissa

Hi Horace, thanks for your reply. I don't really need any personal care so to speak, I can do most things but everything just takes longer because I have to rest and watch how much I do in one go. Walking's my main difficulty, the rest's just frustrating because I've always been a busy person and everyday things I didn't use to think about take ages and have become major events.

clarissa

Thanks Sad dog lady and Lukiesgirl. I'll ask my GP for a letter and may be the nurse might be able to write something down for me.

Can you just get the mobility part of DLA?

black_paw

Hi yes you can get all or eitherparts of DLA , the form is quiet hard to understand and fill in , most people advise to get help with it CAB or DIAL or local disability help . best to say to doctor thinking of putting in for it , as they ask him for a report , + any hospital reports . most people get turned down first try but appeal you might win if don't get first time.
blue badge if get higher rate mobility rate you can have it , if not you can fill in to be asccessed , prob see doctor , you can send in medical reports with the app.form .
good luck

allydowd

If you say what town you live in I can probably give you your council's criteria for awarding Blue Badges.

clarissa

Hi Allydowd,
Thanks, that would be very helpful. I live in Bury, Manchester.

yangtam2

Hi Clarissa

If you get High Mobility DLA it is usually just standard that you may get the badge.
Whis i suggest like everyone else you try to apply for it is worth the effort and costs nothing.
Do you need a stick to walk with if so then you must put this down on the form as part of the mobility side.
Evidence from your nurse collaborating this is alwys helpful
Good luck