breast cancer and dla

broadis_2

Breast_Cancer_Survivor wrote: »

Having been through the experience myself I know how traumatice it can be, I feel like ive lost my womenhood & my self esteem has disappeared.

She probably hasn't had time to come to terms with exactly what has happened to her with all the treatments & stuff she is going through.

((Hugs))

You are an inspiration. Dont forget you are a woman always have been and always will be. Nobody or anything can (or has the right) to take that from you. Does your local hopital have a Maggies? Apparently they do look good feel good days. They do mini make overs etc and you go home with a goody bag. Come on all us girls like a freebie! Or get the girls round and do your own. It will give you a boost. Also, look out or alternative therapist who offer free treatments to those recovering from cancer. Ask the physios in the lymph clinic.
You have got this far feeling bad, imagine how much further you can go feeling good about youself again.

I will go to bed tonight feeling more confident.
Thank you all so much.

broadis_2

cherisong wrote: »

Sorry, I didnt want to read and run. I think that your Mum does need help in the application process. When my Dad was ill the nurses at the hospital helped with his application for DLA. I am almost sure that it was the Macmillan Nurses who helped complete the form. Ask them again for some help. Also you can phone the CAB and explain the situation that your Mum cannot get to the office. They will be able to advise how you can get somebody along to help. You should have a welfare rights adviser in your area who can also help with the appeal process. They can often act on your Mums behalf if she wants them to. You can usually find them via your local council. Your Mum should also be applying for help with council tax benefit. If she has applied for ESA then this will probably all be sorted out at once. You mention that your Mums husband was disallowed for IB. Has he tried to apply for ESA since then? He may be entitled to that in his own right but either way they can claim as a couple. Also ask the Macmillan nurses or the hospital that she goes to if they have a volunteer ambulance service. My Mum used this. A gentleman used to come and pick her up everyday as well as another lady on the route, and take them to and from the hospital. They can also take a friend or relative. My Mum found this great as she made a new friend who was going through the same thing as her. The "ambulance" was the gentleman's own car. He had also had treatment so was giving something back.

I hope that things get sorted out soon. You take care of yourself too. Having both of my parents suffer with cancer I know how hard it will be for you. Focusing on practical things can help but you also need to take time to deal with your own emotions if you are to stay strong.
Good luck.

Thanks, will contact our local council tomorrow to find out whats what. The ambulance is a great idea.
My mum doesnt like to "bother" any of the medical team. And constantly tells them shes great. Which is probably what they told dla people in their report. Ofcourse she isnt and really needs their help.

Indie_Kid

http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/ is another useful organisation.

broadis_2

cherisong wrote: »

Sorry, I didnt want to read and run. I think that your Mum does need help in the application process. When my Dad was ill the nurses at the hospital helped with his application for DLA. I am almost sure that it was the Macmillan Nurses who helped complete the form. Ask them again for some help. Also you can phone the CAB and explain the situation that your Mum cannot get to the office. They will be able to advise how you can get somebody along to help. You should have a welfare rights adviser in your area who can also help with the appeal process. They can often act on your Mums behalf if she wants them to. You can usually find them via your local council. Your Mum should also be applying for help with council tax benefit. If she has applied for ESA then this will probably all be sorted out at once. You mention that your Mums husband was disallowed for IB. Has he tried to apply for ESA since then? He may be entitled to that in his own right but either way they can claim as a couple. Also ask the Macmillan nurses or the hospital that she goes to if they have a volunteer ambulance service. My Mum used this. A gentleman used to come and pick her up everyday as well as another lady on the route, and take them to and from the hospital. They can also take a friend or relative. My Mum found this great as she made a new friend who was going through the same thing as her. The "ambulance" was the gentleman's own car. He had also had treatment so was giving something back.

I hope that things get sorted out soon. You take care of yourself too. Having both of my parents suffer with cancer I know how hard it will be for you. Focusing on practical things can help but you also need to take time to deal with your own emotions if you are to stay strong.
Good luck.

Her husband retrained (with no income) and now works p/t as a care worker with the severally disabled - he was a trucker! Although they both only work p/t with quite low incomes they were told that any other benefits werent applicable.

bertiebat

I feel for you broadis and your mum really I do, but I don't want you to get your hopes up as DLA is not normally given in the current circumstances of standard breast cancer treatment.

The reason for this is that the rules DLA require that the care needs have been needed for 3 month and are expected to continue for 6 months or more. This therefore cuts out most breast cancer suffers (including me at the time) from claiming DLA (however difficult it is to manage). I suspect from the time-line, that your mother has either completed or about to complete her chemo cycles (6 x 3 weekly or at most 8 x 3 weekly) and will soon go onto radiotherapy for 8 weeks. I'm not saying this is fair, but it is the way it works.

You have had some helpful suggestions from other posters on possible other benefits that your mum may be entitled to, but can I also suggest contacting MacMillans who can provide additional funds for cancer suffers in need.

You say that your mum has limited use of her arm. Has she been assessed for lymphodema or is it temporary post surgery problems. I was left with lymphodema in both arms after 2 mastectomies but was turned down for DLA (which I thought was unfair as I fitted the can't cook a proper meal criteria for lower rate care). Now entitled to DLA HRM and LRC but that's for a completely unrelated condition.

I hope you manage to get some financial support sorted and of course that your mum makes a full recovery. I think that once she's stopped having chemo she should begin to feel a bit better and this hopefully will improve her state of mind. I found radiotherapy much easier than chemo (though a bit of a drag going every day).

Good luck with it all