The (not so old) Crocks Cafe -Part 2

LameWolf

Careful_with_that_Axe wrote: »

Oh begger. Sheer panic then? Tis scary when you find you don't have something you really need. If it's Omeprazole you have, I agree! Take up far too much room in my meds bag *g*

They've actually made the boxes bigger, although the tablets themselves are the same as always. Go figure?? *confused smiley*

Ooh, the other thing I should've mentioned on my list of Really Useful Things Bought With DLA is my wheeled trolley, for carting stuff around the bungalow. I no longer have to make four trips between the kitchen and the lounge to serve Mr LW and myself a meal, nor do I risk dropping plates of food any more.:T

sunnyone

formaldehyde_perfume wrote: »

Thank you, not only am I over the moon that I actually got an award, I was gobsmacked to see that it was for what the CAB lady suggested I should be getting. I would have been delighted to get either on a low rate as any financial help is very much appreciated.

Thankfully I already have a mobility scooter, very essential for walking my dog. I'm very lucky to have been bought an ipad as a graduation present so that's what I use generally instead of a netbook (I agree, very useful) My arms (and general fitness) are very weak so although I've been considering getting a wheelchair it would have to be pushed by my mum and when we tried it at Disney it was almost impossible for her (luckily we went back and got the last scooter!) so I don't know if there's much point, or whether the wheelchairs there were just horrible and a better quality one would be easier for her, but either way she simply can't use all her energy trying to get me around as I need her the rest of the day to care for me!

Thank you so much for suggesting a Wii, I had thought about it a while ago but not seriously. Now i'm going to seriously consider it as it could be something to help improve my fitness. I have been reffered for a local gym and I'm not too fussed about looking a fool and people seeing me sweat etc but I might not feel able to get down there (even on my scooter) so I wouldn't be able to give myself an excuse not to exercise iykwim


Ooooo yay for doggy friends!

Time for breakfast :j

The NHS provide powerchairs and some limited aids to help you manage a manual wheelchair, have you asked about an assessment?

I use my powerchair to walk the dog, scooters take to much effort, theirs no way I could sit with my arms/hands out infront of me for more than a few seconds at most, there's a scooter in the garage and I tried it once and its just too hard although atm even using my powerchair is hard because Ive got the lurgee, Ive come to the conclusion the drugs for my hands is the culprit as to why every bug is making me so ill so I will have to talk to my rhummi about them, especially since they arnt helping my RA (but it isnt getting worse for the first time since diagnosis which is something).

Our doggy house guest has just gone home, I feel for our dog when hes here because he just helps himself to her beds, he steals her food and even tries to sleep on our bed, she just lets him because she was the bottom dog in a household before we rescued her.

It wouldnt be as bad for her if he would share her beds but he lies right in the middle making no room for her, even though her beds 4 foot by nearly 5 foot so that she can lie down easily on it.

sunnyone

formaldehyde_perfume wrote: »

Thanks. I feel really guilty when I hear everyone else's horror stories, I don't feel like I deserve it.

I meant to ask on here, what do people think I should do in regards to my ESA? I've got an appointment with the law firm on friday, I thought there was no point in them looking at my case again as the 'medical' was clearly flawed for me to get 0 points and thats what they would go on, but now I have been awarded DLA will that be enough to change their minds? Can I do both processes at the same time? How do I ask for them to reconsider, does it have to be in writing or can I phone up? I know the appeal has to be in writing. ...

*remembers to breathe*

phew, that was a lot of questions, but its all playing on my mind.

Your DLA award has no bearing what so ever on ESA, you should just appeal and they will do the reconsideration anyway before they send the papers to the appeal service.

For your own records send them a letter or GL23 saying that you are appealing and that you want paying at the assessment rate while the appeal is going through, make sure you tell them that you want paying because its not done automatically.

Careful_with_that_Axe

Ironic that there's been talk of dogs recently as had a bit of a shock yesterday. The last of our original greyhounds had to be put to sleep yesterday. It all happened very quickly but it was her heart and as she was approaching 11 years old, the vet said it ws the best thing to do. She had a day in her bed a week ago but when taken to the vets he couldn't find anything wrong with her. She had appeared slightly confused at times and we wondered if she had had a small stroke. Yesterday morning, she couldn't get out of her bed as her back legs couldn't support her, straight to the vets and that was it.
Having lost her mate Kates earlier in the year, it's been a bit of a bleak time.
This year has been absolutely carp and I can only hope that 2011 will be a happier and healthier year for all of us.

formaldehyde_perfume

Careful_with_that_Axe wrote: »

Ironic that there's been talk of dogs recently as had a bit of a shock yesterday. The last of our original greyhounds had to be put to sleep yesterday. It all happened very quickly but it was her heart and as she was approaching 11 years old, the vet said it ws the best thing to do. She had a day in her bed a week ago but when taken to the vets he couldn't find anything wrong with her. She had appeared slightly confused at times and we wondered if she had had a small stroke. Yesterday morning, she couldn't get out of her bed as her back legs couldn't support her, straight to the vets and that was it.
Having lost her mate Kates earlier in the year, it's been a bit of a bleak time.
This year has been absolutely carp and I can only hope that 2011 will be a happier and healthier year for all of us.

Oh that's so sad. My heart goes out for you so much. I don't know what I'll do when either of my doggy friends go (Casper is my aunts dog, I am very attached to him, he is 12 and going down hill rapidly) but even thinking about it with Timmy feels like someone punching me in the stomach.

formaldehyde_perfume

sunnyone wrote: »

Your DLA award has no bearing what so ever on ESA, you should just appeal and they will do the reconsideration anyway before they send the papers to the appeal service.

For your own records send them a letter or GL23 saying that you are appealing and that you want paying at the assessment rate while the appeal is going through, make sure you tell them that you want paying because its not done automatically.

Thanks, I thought that was the case. I didn't know they would reconsider before sending to appeal though, that's good news. I also didn't know it wasn't automatic to be put back on the assessment rate. Should I write it all in one letter or send multiples? I am hoping at my appointment on friday will draft an appeal letter. Should I send a copy of my DLA award letter and entitlement certificate to them with the letter?

formaldehyde_perfume

sunnyone wrote: »

The NHS provide powerchairs and some limited aids to help you manage a manual wheelchair, have you asked about an assessment?

No, I haven't. I did read in my local carers booklet that they are available but it didn't say how, how would I go about getting one of these? I was thinking and perhaps a wheelchair would be of some use because my dad (under much duress) pushed me round universal so I know he can do it but I don't know how much I'm going to be seeing him when I move out. I heard that getting a powerchair is incredibly difficult, it sounds like you fit the bill exactly but my arms appear fine, they are not among the most painful joints in my body but pushing myself 30 metres on tarmac would probably exhaust me for the rest of the day, and be quite painful for a few days after. Also, having a small scooter that comes to bits might might make them think I don't need anything else.

Ohhhhhh I just had a thought, a power wheelchair would be amazing as I could go on the bus - Scooters are at each drivers discretion and I suffer with anxiety when out and about and the thought of being stuck somewhere because the bus driver wouldnt let me on (or it was too crowded) scares the hell out of me. Buses in my town are only once every hour from near my house, once every 30 mins from the centre of town in to Cambridge. Ohhhhh I could go christmas shopping on my own next year (yeah ok so I know it'll take longer than that due to waiting lists, but i can dream) I love browsing round the shops but my town is small and a bit boring, and cambridge on my feet is just hell on legs so I did almost all via the Internet this year. This is something I must apply for, the thought alone has me mentally doing this --> :j

sunnyone

formaldehyde_perfume wrote: »

No, I haven't. I did read in my local carers booklet that they are available but it didn't say how, how would I go about getting one of these? I was thinking and perhaps a wheelchair would be of some use because my dad (under much duress) pushed me round universal so I know he can do it but I don't know how much I'm going to be seeing him when I move out. I heard that getting a powerchair is incredibly difficult, it sounds like you fit the bill exactly but my arms appear fine, they are not among the most painful joints in my body but pushing myself 30 metres on tarmac would probably exhaust me for the rest of the day, and be quite painful for a few days after. Also, having a small scooter that comes to bits might might make them think I don't need anything else.

Ohhhhhh I just had a thought, a power wheelchair would be amazing as I could go on the bus - Scooters are at each drivers discretion and I suffer with anxiety when out and about and the thought of being stuck somewhere because the bus driver wouldnt let me on (or it was too crowded) scares the hell out of me. Buses in my town are only once every hour from near my house, once every 30 mins from the centre of town in to Cambridge. Ohhhhh I could go christmas shopping on my own next year (yeah ok so I know it'll take longer than that due to waiting lists, but i can dream) I love browsing round the shops but my town is small and a bit boring, and cambridge on my feet is just hell on legs so I did almost all via the Internet this year. This is something I must apply for, the thought alone has me mentally doing this --> :j

your GP or any consultant can refer you to the wheelchair services, make sure that you push for a complex needs assessment and not any old wheelchair just delivered to you which they do sometimes try to do.

The one size fits all is alright for some disabilities but not when you have body wide conditions or multipul conditions, I turned down a powerchair for years until I had to get one and now I wonder why I didnt get one sooner but they arnt a fit it all in the same ways as a manual wheelchair or anyother walking aid but they do have very definate advantages, buses as youve said are perfect for powerchairs but cars less so because of the weight.

What you have now shouldnt come into a wheelchair assessment, I have a few manual wheelchairs but I still got a new NHS manual one at the same time as I got my powerchair.

I would write one letter and send it registed for your ESA, they still might lose it but a bit less likely, you can track it online and then ring them a few days after the website says it was delivered, you need a new sick line too because your last one was cancelled when you "passed" the medical.

When my husband failed the medical he was put into the support group on reconsideration, we gave our MP the evidence for his appeal and that was enough proof that hes very ill.

The medical isnt fit for purpose when a man as ill as my husband gets no points, Im severly disabled but at least my organs work!

formaldehyde_perfume

sunnyone wrote: »

I would write one letter and send it registed for your ESA, they still might lose it but a bit less likely, you can track it online and then ring them a few days after the website says it was delivered, you need a new sick line too because your last one was cancelled when you "passed" the medical.

When my husband failed the medical he was put into the support group on reconsideration, we gave our MP the evidence for his appeal and that was enough proof that hes very ill.

The medical isnt fit for purpose when a man as ill as my husband gets no points, Im severly disabled but at least my organs work!

Thank you, I didn't know that either. Annoying as my latest one was for 3 months. I feel like I bother my doctor too much, but realistically I'm not there more than once a month on average and I've heard stories of what other people go in for, what most GPs see on a daily basis, and that makes me feel like a genuine reason for seeing the GP (anything from mothers who have babies with the sniffles and haven't even tried calpol, to adults with a cold or flu who want antibiotics) Also, it gives me a chance to ask for an NHS wheelchair complex needs assessment, so I suppose I should make an appointment today.

sunnyone

formaldehyde_perfume wrote: »

Thank you, I didn't know that either. Annoying as my latest one was for 3 months. I feel like I bother my doctor too much, but realistically I'm not there more than once a month on average and I've heard stories of what other people go in for, what most GPs see on a daily basis, and that makes me feel like a genuine reason for seeing the GP (anything from mothers who have babies with the sniffles and haven't even tried calpol, to adults with a cold or flu who want antibiotics) Also, it gives me a chance to ask for an NHS wheelchair complex needs assessment, so I suppose I should make an appointment today.

If you need to see a GP, you need to and some people need to go often like my husband does and if he was wasting her time our GP would tell him so!

Normally the doctor just does a form noting your weight and hight to refer you to the wheelchair services and they take it from their. They sometimes decide just to issue a manual wheelchair without even seeing you and if they do that its then that you ask for a complex needs assessment and why you need one, their are so many wheelchair options available and if you need something more than a basic weight, standard wheelchair you need the assessment time to talk to the therapist so that you get something that works for you and your life (its an hour appointment here)

We have a disabled services center based at the James Cook hospital in Middlesborough (certainly not local, they do have a clinic in the local hospital but they cant bring many wheelchairs out with them) and they have dozens and dozens of wheelchairs (both manual and powerchairs) that you can try to see whats best for you and Im impressed after each visit because I honestly thought that they might try and force me into getting something unsuitable (cheap!) the first time I went but they are great and they order my wheelchairs straight away with the only wait being the time it take for the orders to be filled.

Its important to have a cushion assessment at the same time, I dont have a booty because its a muscle that dosnt get used and my pelvis was smashed into 6 pieces which have never healed so a decent cushion is vital and decent cushions cost a fortune (my current pair would be @£300 to replace) and Im greatful that the NHS funds these alongside my wheelchairs, even if you dont have a NHS wheelchair you are still entitled to a cushion assessment and I always tell people to have one to reduce the risks of side affects from prolonged sitting.

There is a three phase powerchair assessment here, you cant be epilectic or have eyesight impaired enough to prevent you having a drivers licence which is phase 1, phase two is a home visit and stage three is test driving powerchairs to prove that you are caperble of controlling one.

The only cost to me is insurance, its recomended because you are responsible for a very expensive pieces of NHS equiptment but you arnt forced to take it out.