Winter fuel payment petition

TOBRUK

=krisskross;28946613]Still if you guys want to see yourself as 'so disabled you can't live a normal life when you perhaps could if you modified your expectations then that is up to you./

I'm sorry but I had to respond to this which I find quite offensive as many people on this board will be who are struggling with a condition, illness, disability - whichever you wish to call it that prevents them living a 'normal' life.

Speaking for myself, my illness and 'disability' does prevent me from living a normal life, and no modification as you put it will change this! Some are born with dreadful illnesses or conditions but for others it will strike them later - for me it was the latter and my life was turned upside down. I just try and keep positive and make myself as comfortable as possible with some not so bad days and some really bad days.

I really think krisscross if you could just read back the posts you have written today, would you perhaps see how bitter and unfair they are and quite nasty?

You have said in many posts that you have a 'disabled' husband (who hasn't claimed DLA) and you understand illness and disability more than people here so why are you attacking people here who have disabilities/conditions who are trying to cope with their lives the best they can?

pipkin71

krisskross wrote: »

I would have been happy about something for mobility issues as that is what costs quite a lot. A cab to our nearest town is £26 return, but AA is only for care needs

Taxis are a big expense for us, as I can't get around like I used to

We live quite near our town, but travel a fair bit, when the girls do their things, so we rely on friends or taxis.

I haven't been out the house for so long though, I've saved a fortune [can go towards the heat ] Hoping to go out tomorrow though

pipkin71

TOBRUK wrote: »

Speaking for myself, my illness and 'disability' does prevent me from living a normal life, and no modification as you put it will change this! Some are born with dreadful illnesses or conditions but for others it will strike them later - for me it was the latter and my life was turned upside down. I just try and keep positive and make myself as comfortable as possible with some not so bad days and some really bad days.

I think it comes back to the coping mechanisms that krisskross mentioned in an earlier post.

When you have a disability, you come to a stage where you cope with your limitations and have your 'normal' days, which aren't the same as another person's normal days - as you say, some not so bad days and some really bad, but your not so bad becomes the norm.

My good days would be a bad day for someone who doesn't have my disability because I talk about good days where I can manage and bad days where it's difficult, very bad days where I can't.

I try to live a normal life, within the confines of my disability, which, although it wouldn't be a normal life for someone else, it is my normal life ISWIM.

krisskross

TOBRUK wrote: »

I'm sorry but I had to respond to this which I find quite offensive as many people on this board will be who are struggling with a condition, illness, disability - whichever you wish to call it that prevents them living a 'normal' life.

Speaking for myself, my illness and 'disability' does prevent me from living a normal life, and no modification as you put it will change this! Some are born with dreadful illnesses or conditions but for others it will strike them later - for me it was the latter and my life was turned upside down. I just try and keep positive and make myself as comfortable as possible with some not so bad days and some really bad days.

I really think krisscross if you could just read back the posts you have written today, would you perhaps see how bitter and unfair they are and quite nasty?

You have said in many posts that you have a 'disabled' husband (who hasn't claimed DLA) and you understand illness and disability more than people here so why are you attacking people here who have disabilities/conditions who are trying to cope with their lives the best they can?

But there are degrees of 'disability'. some people are severely disabled, others not.

My husband keeps positive and he has mostly lousy days. I am not bitter, although i suppose I could be as here I am fit and healthy but with a husband who isn't so both our lives have changed dramatically from what we expected. Do you think his life hasn't been turned upside down? And mine with it. I never saw myself as his carer but basically that is what I am. I would hate my husband to just be the sum of his illnesses, to let what he can't do rule his life totally.

Trouble is like all these boards no one likes anything but wholehearted agreement. Disagree and you are labelled bitter and twisted, whilst the little clique cling together claiming semi martyrdom.There is never any middle ground and of course those who are 'disabled' are always right.

TOBRUK

pipkin71 wrote: »

I think it comes back to the coping mechanisms that krisskross mentioned in an earlier post.

When you have a disability, you come to a stage where you cope with your limitations and have your 'normal' days, which aren't the same as another person's normal days - as you say, some not so bad days and some really bad, but your not so bad becomes the norm.

My good days would be a bad day for someone who doesn't have my disability because I talk about good days where I can manage and bad days where it's difficult, very bad days where I can't.

I try to live a normal life, within the confines of my disability, which, although it wouldn't be a normal life for someone else, it is my normal life ISWIM.

I understand what you are saying as I too have coping mechanisms, but you can find that life gets more difficult when other illnesses or factors are thrown at you which are out of your control. You then have to adapt to another situation and if you live alone can be extremely difficult.

krisskross

Just in case anyone is interested I would really recommend P&O cruises if you want a cruise holiday. Their disabled cabins are huge with adapted bathrooms, hoists etc. there is loads of wheelchair assistance to get on and off the ship and the coaches they use for excursions have wheelchair adaption. The only thing a wheelchair user couldn't do is use a tender to get ashore unless they could self transfer. But tendering to shore is quite unusual. We didn't have to do it once in our 3 weeks.

there were always very pleasant young men taking over the wheelchair pushing from me and ensuring my husband was found a nice spot in the restaurant etc.

Priority embarkation and seating in the theatres for wheelchair companions etc.

pipkin71

TOBRUK wrote: »

I understand what you are saying as I too have coping mechanisms, but you can find that life gets more difficult when other illnesses or factors are thrown at you which are out of your control. You then have to adapt to another situation and if you live alone can be extremely difficult.

It is difficult, I agree.

My original disability was a bad back, but all the other things that are wrong because of that, means that my life is a lot more difficult than just putting up with back pain.

The thing is, we manage because we have to. Sometimes it is so hard. I try to keep the level of pain I'm in, secret from my children, because I don't want to upset them, but when all I want to do is cry, it's hard keeping things 'normal'.

However, it is better to live a 'normal' life than to be consumed by your disability, however hard it is, and I try to live by that. It doesn't always work, but I try

mellc

krisskross wrote: »

Just in case anyone is interested I would really recommend P&O cruises if you want a cruise holiday. Their disabled cabins are huge with adapted bathrooms, hoists etc. there is loads of wheelchair assistance to get on and off the ship and the coaches they use for excursions have wheelchair adaption. The only thing a wheelchair user couldn't do is use a tender to get ashore unless they could self transfer. But tendering to shore is quite unusual. We didn't have to do it once in our 3 weeks.

there were always very pleasant young men taking over the wheelchair pushing from me and ensuring my husband was found a nice spot in the restaurant etc.

Priority embarkation and seating in the theatres for wheelchair companions etc.

now i know you are nuts, are you having a laugh???? we are discussing on here if disabled people should qualify for 250.00 WFP and the difference it would make to our lives and your saying which is the best cruise company!!!!! :mad:

krisskross

mellc wrote: »

now i know you are nuts, are you having a laugh???? we are discussing on here if disabled people should qualify for 250.00 WFP and the difference it would make to our lives and your saying which is the best cruise company!!!!! :mad:

Not everyone who is disabled is unable to afford a holiday. There were loads of wheelchair bound, obvious stroke victims, people on permanent oxygen, people with learning disabilities on our last cruise.

I thought the issue of the WFP being extended to those on DLA wasn't necessarily on a financial hardship basis but on a fairness one.

I am sure there are many people claiming DLA who have holidays and pay for their heating.

mellc

krisskross wrote: »

Not everyone who is disabled is unable to afford a holiday. There were loads of wheelchair bound, obvious stroke victims, people on permanent oxygen, people with learning disabilities on our last cruise.

I thought the issue of the WFP being extended to those on DLA wasn't necessarily on a financial hardship basis but on a fairness one.

I am sure there are many people claiming DLA who have holidays and pay for their heating.

i think this was just rubbing salt in the wound. there are people on here who are admitting that they have to turn the heating off even when its freezing outside as they can't afford to have it on. its not the place to discuss your latest cruise. i for one will no longer post on this thread as it has gone totally off subject and nothing you have to contribute now, will in my opinion, have any substance to it as you are totally out of touch with the hardship some of us have to endure. you and people like you are the very reason WFP should be means tested.