A new 'tougher' thread... and so it continues

BitterAndTwisted

Penny-Pincher: don't London buses all have ramps these days for chair users? I thought they did, so maybe it would be cheaper to travel by a couple of buses rather than the train plus an expensive cab?

The single fare by Oyster in the bus now is £1.35 and the cash fare a ruddy whopping £2.30. I don't know how those transport executives sleep at night, I really don't.

Is there any way you could speak to the hospital about your transport arrangements for your appointments? I see hospital patient transport buses around here regularly and I don't even live near a hospital.

There is an answer. There is an answer. There is an answer. If I type it enough times I'll come up with one.

greenbee

short_bird wrote: »

I knew somebody would be along to say "is there enough ventilation under the bed".

Aren't conkers supposed to have spider repellant properties or did I make that one up?

Apparently... I have them around the place just in case and I also have electronic spider repellers. I also have a horse chestnut spray which apparently you put round door's and windows. I'll try ANYTHING! I do find reducing clutter and keeping things clean helps as there are fewer places for creepy crawlies to hide...

GQ - I'm with you on the memory foam. My physio tried to get me using memory foam pillows and I didn't like them, and they don't last forever either. I now have one feather pillow and one with spelt husks in.

I have acquired chocolate and a gardening magazine, and have now cleaned 3 of the 5 shelves in the study. So I have nearly finished cleaning the dust from decorating, two more shelves, the top of the wardrobe and the top of the chest of drawers left, and then the whole room has been washed down!

Penny-Pincher!!

BitterAndTwisted wrote: »

Penny-Pincher: don't London buses all have ramps these days for chair users? I thought they did, so maybe it would be cheaper to travel by a couple of buses rather than the train plus an expensive cab?

The single fare by Oyster in the bus now is £1.35 and the cash fare a ruddy whopping £2.30. I don't know how those transport executives sleep at night, I really don't.

Is there any way you could speak to the hospital about your transport arrangements for your appointments? I see hospital patient transport buses around here regularly and I don't even live near a hospital.

There is an answer. There is an answer. There is an answer. If I type it enough times I'll come up with one.

Thanks sweetie. All buses are equipped BUT there is rarely spaces as they're taken up with prams and pushchairs. OH nearly had a heart attack when they bus driver said £2.30:eek::eek::eek::eek: and he was moaning as OH only had a £5 note....he was having a problem working out the £2.70 change.

Hospital transport would take 4hrs+ each way, so I wouldn't do that as my illnesses cause me to need the toilet rather quickly or too late sometimes and Id get to embarrassed if I had an accident:o

Ive just remembered that I have a Taxicard, so could use this for the journey from the station there and back. That would be £5 for both trips plus OH's train price, so doesn't sound too bad as it should total just under £10 maybe? I will ask the hospital though if I can claim anything back, but I doubt I'll be able too.

Thanks for thinking of me though.

PP
xx

Byatt

Thanks Hester, don't tell Smiley I've ordered some fabric and ribbons, like B&T I couldn't resist, all I need now is a sewing machine.

There's plenty of ventilation under the bed, in fact even more since the mouse chomping mousy chomped through some floorboards! The noise of a mouse chomping wood, was in fact... a mouse chomping wood! :eek:

I am tempted by a humidifier, I have looked at a few online and will watch out on Freeg£e and CS, thanks B&T.

Greenbee, I have the spider repellent plug-ins, along with many other assorted items. I also have as a last resort, a spray which is quite unfriendly environmentally, so I use sparingly and carefully, but it lasts approx 4-6 months and rain doesn't affect it's potency. I spray the front door and around the windows, and didn't have any spiders on the front door. I don't mind the pod spiders either which is odd. I don't mind the incy wincy ones now, but those huge bu££ers...agghhhhhh.

I did find a huge slug in my bathroom, all that rain has driven them inside...:eek:

jpscloud

PennyPincher, you could also try a search for local volunteer driver services, community transport services, etc. (I think some of them operate on a donation-you-can-afford basis).

GreyQueen

Penny-Pincher, did you say that you have Tax Credits? If so, you should have been sent a NHS Tax Credit Exemption Certificate (white plastic card like a credit card)? You can use these to claim back travel-to-hospital costs.

You're expected to use the bus/ train rather than cabs but you take your return ticket, your appointment letter for the clinic you're attending and the plastic card to the Patient Services in the hospital and then fill out a form and they refund your money.

You can call them on 0845 6099299 or email [EMAIL="tc1@ppa.nhs.uk"]tc1@ppa.nhs.uk[/EMAIL]
Website is www.nhs.uk/healthcosts. Office is open M-F 8-6 and Sat 9-3. HTH.

Penny-Pincher!!

GreyQueen wrote: »

Penny-Pincher, did you say that you have Tax Credits? If so, you should have been sent a NHS Tax Credit Exemption Certificate (white plastic card like a credit card)? You can use these to claim back travel-to-hospital costs.

You're expected to use the bus/ train rather than cabs but you take your return ticket, your appointment letter for the clinic you're attending and the plastic card to the Patient Services in the hospital and then fill out a form and they refund your money.

You can call them on 0845 6099299 or email [EMAIL="tc1@ppa.nhs.uk"]tc1@ppa.nhs.uk[/EMAIL]
Website is www.nhs.uk/healthcosts. Office is open M-F 8-6 and Sat 9-3. HTH.

We did have a card but I get free prescriptions anyway so thought it was only for that:o Don't get much in TC's but it all helps. Didn't think we'd qualify as I thought you had to be on Income Support or JSA?

There is no other way to get to the hospital other than the cab from the station as the station nearest the hospital isn't accessible for wheelchairs and states this on the train website, so you have to get off at the stain beforehand, so hoping that they will cover the cost as its something that cannot be helped for any disabled person.

I will email them and ask so I can get in black and white.

Thanks for your time.

PP
xx

BitterAndTwisted

Penny-Pincher!! wrote: »

Thanks sweetie. All buses are equipped BUT there is rarely spaces as they're taken up with prams and pushchairs.

And? People in chairs are a priority over lazy bints who can't be @rsed to move their kids and fold their fancy schmancy "travel systems". There are signs which say so in plain English on every single bus. I had a very full and frank discussion about that very issue only recently when a poor woman, well past middle-age, was pushing a very old lady in a chair. The bus-driver refused to close the doors and leave them standing on the pavement until the chair-user was aboard. And quite right too! Pity about the abuse which was hurled by the selfish pram-pusher with the filthy mouth and no consideration for anyone else! Just as well I have the skin of a rhino.

I'm glad that you may have lighted on a solution to get you to the hossy. Once I've got the bit between my teeth I never let go. I''d be round to yours and would take you there myself given half the chance.

Penny-Pincher!!

jpscloud wrote: »

PennyPincher, you could also try a search for local volunteer driver services, community transport services, etc. (I think some of them operate on a donation-you-can-afford basis).

Thanks for the reply. Its not really the cost as such but the amount of time one of these services actually take from A to B. I used it at a local hospital about 5 years ago and we are talking less than 5 miles and it took 3.5hrs to get there:eek::eek::eek: I paid for a cab back. I also need OH or someone with me and very often now, its only for the disabled person.

PP
xx

BitterAndTwisted

Byatt wrote: »

I am tempted by a humidifier, I have looked at a few online and will watch out on Freeg£e and CS, thanks B&T.

Where in England are you? If you'd rather not say on this thread send me a PM. I'd be happy to have a scout round here for a second-hand one if I could get it to you. HOORAY for the British Heart Foundation shop in Walthamstow! I bet they have one.