~February 2012 Make £10 a day Challenge - everybody welcome ~

fairyclicks

nat21luv wrote: »

Oh, forgot to ask, I did a cat survey back in October and was later contacted by a reporter who used my answers for an article in the People. The story was printed middle December and I had emails from the company asking which flavour food my cat preferred so they could send out the prize but I've never received it. I keep emailing and get no reply. Quite annoyed as they took up so much of my time and asked for loads of pictures. What should I do?

I would contact the People reporter and complain to them about it saying its bad for their reputation to work with such companies etc - see if they can gee them up on your behalf

mama7

Please let me be lucky I hope you heal quickly, sorry you have had a rubbish day.

Received my quarterly electricity bill today £577 :eek: I pay £50 a month direct debit which has now shot up to £117. I have been doing an access to midwifery course for ages which cost £50 a month so emailed my tutor today to withdraw as I just can't justify the money right now (circumstances were a lot different when I started ) so that will help some but I just don't need this right now. Really fed up of having no money, having to say no the kids all the time and new debts appearing Sorry to be so down on a friday night.

durham_mim

theres an active swagcode worth 5sb on facebook

durham_mim

fairyclicks wrote: »

Good evening everyone! I have just woke up LOL! was obviously exhausted after the appeal - thanks for all your lovely messages about it - it is a completely nuts system and now they are changing DLA as well - I know they have to do something but it always seems to be the genuine people who lose out when they change things :eek:

I have given up on DLA. Have applied several times. Got to Appeal tribunal last time but was advised by Welfare Rights rep to withdraw application due to insufficient medical evidence. Trouble is I can't get any medical evidence as I'm no longer under a consultant. There are no consultants in NE who specialise in ME for adults. My GP's report was of no help whatsoever. The welfare rights rep suggested I and OH keep a dairy of how Me affects me day to day and submit it to the GP. OH agreed at the time but has done nothing since. Trouble is I'm too forgetful and inconsistent to keep up a diary and OH is too busy keeping down a full time job and caring for me and the home.

please-let-me-be-lucky wrote: »

Well today has not been a good one Slipped and fell on black ice on my way into work this morning & I've broken my elbow :eek: Also heard today that Santander are not going to meet the mortgage shortfall amount that was paid out on our critical illness policy after OH's accident last year :mad:

On the upside I've had my Neilsen scanner delivered today which will help with future money making.

Sweets, good luck to your daughter Xx

PLMBL - so sorry to hear about your fall and hope you will get plenty of help in day to day things.

Monkeynut

durham_mim wrote: »

Trouble is I'm too forgetful and inconsistent to keep up a diary and OH is too busy keeping down a full time job and caring for me and the home.

I notice in your signature you are keeping a track of vouchers, and totals for this challenge etc - was just wondering how you keep up with that? Like if there's a particular method you use to help you keep up with that, I'm wondering whether you could transfer that over onto keeping up a diary for how your ME is affecting you?
Maybe doing it on your computer, and having a word document would be easier for you to keep up with than trying to actually physically write things down in a diary?!

Aesop

mama7 wrote: »

. Really fed up of having no money, having to say no the kids all the time and new debts appearing Sorry to be so down on a friday night.

(((((((((((mama to 7)))))))))))))))

we all know how hard it is, that is why we are here on MSE.

Hun, that is an awful big bill for a quarter. Is it right? Do you only have electric in your house or gas too?

Have you checked around to see if you can get it cheaper? Which are doing something with another company to get collective energy cheaper for whoever signs up through the collective. Maybe you could look into that?

Seems such a shame you need to give up such a great and worthwhile course

Have you looked into if you qualify for a grant for doing the course?

Aesop

Durham_mim - I hate hearing people give up on DLA, particularly those who actually deserve it! and you need to start getting it, so when they change over to the PIP or whatever it is, it will be less work for you.

Does anyone else help care for you? Does anyone come in daily/weekly to help out or just to visit to keep an eye on you? Do you have any carers coming in/home helps? Anything?

If so, get them to keep records, or keep a jotter, and they can write in it every time they visit and how they assisted etc.

Also, as you have trouble remembering to write down things, how about a dictaphone? This can be transcribed at a later date. This means you are not writing things, but as and when things are happening, you speak and it records. The same for DH, to save him having to write in a diary, he could just record what he does to help you, how you are that day, etc?

Have you tried posting on the benefits thread for help?

Has anyone suggested anything for you? ie Home help/assistance around the home from the council or the welfare people?

Do you have specialist equipment in the house or modified equipment? ie instead of having a bath, you have a shower? You have hand rails in the bath to support you in and out of the bath? You have non slip mats in the bath? Anything like that?

durham_mim

Monkeynut wrote: »

I notice in your signature you are keeping a track of vouchers, and totals for this challenge etc - was just wondering how you keep up with that? Like if there's a particular method you use to help you keep up with that, I'm wondering whether you could transfer that over onto keeping up a diary for how your ME is affecting you?
Maybe doing it on your computer, and having a word document would be easier for you to keep up with than trying to actually physically write things down in a diary?!

What a good idea! I hadn't thought of using the computer. What I find difficult is assessing myself. I tend to keep to a fairly similar routine each day. Most days I have little energy but most of all it is getting motivated. I just have to be more disciplined. To be honest though the whole applicaton process for DLA has put me off and now with the new stricter controls I doubt I would get it. I keep thinking there are people far worse off than myself who need it more.

Aesop

durham_mim wrote: »

I keep thinking there are people far worse off than myself who need it more.

and there are people who do not qualify for it at all, who receive it....

anyway, please do not take offence,but these may help you:

http://www.radar-shop.org.uk/Detail.aspx?id=55

http://www.disabilityalliance.org/help.htm

durham_mim

Aesop thank you for your helpful suggestions. I have no other help. OH is in a fairly good paid job and so we don't qualify for council home help etc. If we asked for any we would have to pay ourselves but we can't afford it( this is one of the reasons for applying for DLA). In April this year OH will have a salary reduction, our eldest daughter is in 3rd year medical school and no longer has a part-time job so we are having to support her. In October our 2nd daughter is also off to Uni. The fact that the children are gradually fleeing the nest means there is less work to do, so that helps.

I do no look ill - to look at me you would think I was a perfectly normal healthy person. I do however have trouble remembering words, holding conversations etc. I find it easier here on the computer as I can take my time and I only really 'chat' when I'm feeling up to it.

I did get help from ME North East ( a charity). One of their workers gave me a lot of support during the DLA Appeal Tribunal and has visited me from time to time to give moral support. This however seems to have stopped since the tribunal. I think that she is inundated with work as there are so many of us needing help.

I do not really need help with washing and dressing. I can manage them myself, although I hate to admit it I do not shower/wash hair every day, 2-3 times a week is what I manage. This is largly down to motivation and time. I have to share what energy I've got over the various things I have to do in a day. It takes me most of the morning to 'get going' , if I add in a shower as well then most of the day has gone. I still do all the cooking. I manage to do the shopping, ironing and change the beds when they need doing. I have an allotment which I go to in summer time. This is very therapeutic for me but I only potter about and usually just once a week. A couple of years ago I did see some improvement, but then I had a relapse and it has been hard to improve again.

Sorry for the long winded reply, I have now forgotten what I set out to say...lol

Oh yes, I meant to say one of the questions on the application form is, Can you walk 100yds? I can walk 100yds but not everyday. I can probably walk up to a mile very slowly but it would take me 2-3 days to recover from this and I would be unable to do anything else that day. The problem is not many people understand the nature of ME and how it affects sufferers.