Main causes of obesity

.Gigolo_Aunt

pathtofreedom wrote: »

Esa is either 102 or 109 a week depending which group you get put in. It can take years for a claim to go through, so before that it is 73 if you're over 25 which I am. That wouldn't pay my utilities, let alone my health costs, or car costs, even with claiming pip as well.

I moved to a bungalow recently to try and be in the best position for when I need a wheelchair full time, so I can make this place as accessible as possible too. Trying to get the same from the council can take years or just never happen.

My story isn't unique millions of people live this way in the uk. Media stories of scroungers which just aren't true, or are twisted our of context means there is a lot of hate against sick and disabled people assuming they get free houses, cars and cash and it isn't as simple as that at all.

If you are healthy I highly recommend income protection insurance if you can afford it. As everyone is one car crash or cancer or ms diagnosis away from being in poverty, as the welfare state and nhs is dismantled more and more each year. Closing the independent living fund for example has been deviasting to so many, but they don't have a voice to protest and bake off and celebrity divorces sell more papers than the reality of the poor sick and disabled. People being left for hours in dirty adult nappies instead of funding the care they need, isn't as interesting as who is shagging who or that week.

So yes I am obese but it doesn't actually impact my health yet, and if anyone reading this wants to help me, or your neighbours, you are very welcome to ask what you might do to help, even little things make a huge difference like taking the bins out or offering to cut their hedge when you do yours, but you won't. You'll just carry on judging when you see someone fat in a mobility scooter, or someone using disabled parking with an invisible illness, and in your world of good health and energy judge rather than see how you might help. Then troll on some website to make yourself feel above others somehow. I hope you are proud of yourselves and the country you are creating, as when the tables turn and you or your family are hit by illness / disability you will soon see the reality isn't the big screen TV and free money and adapted housing you'd been led to believe.

Claims are dealt with in weeks.

I agree regarding media stories about scroungers, which people seem to swallow hook line and sinker.

But the last paragraph, attacking others, does you no favours.

pathtofreedom

.Gigolo_Aunt wrote: »

Claims are dealt with in weeks.

I agree regarding media stories about scroungers, which people seem to swallow hook line and sinker.

But the last paragraph, attacking others, does you no favours.

ESA claims aren't processed in weeks, the initial claim to get the reduced rate might be, but not the full claim that can take 18 months or more with lost paper work, assessments, even longer if you have to appeal about being put into the wrag etc. Pip claims also take months, and you might have to still appeal. Depending on your problems the stress of just claiming is horrific even if you do get it, it isn't enough to live on with the extra help you need, especially if you're single or in need of housing benefit too and the rules surrounding that. If you're not single then some of these are means tested and you'll get nothing if your partner works, so having to be a full time carer as well as possibly looking after children and working full time with no support then goes to ruining the health of the well person too.

I don't see anything wrong with attacking trolls though? Why let them keep spreading hate rather than try and spread the truth and help people.

For example on the housing side, did you see diy sos this week? Do you think that family would have let their son live somewhere with no shower facilities if they had some way to get help all the years he was disabled like that? Not everyone who needs help can get on diy sos either, so what do you think happens to everyone else? Look at where you are living now, is there step free access? Ground floor washing / toilet faculties? If you were in a car crash what would you do? If you live in a flat you can be trapped inside for years with no way out. This is reality for millions, of people in the uk.

I am lucky I suppose, I have a job where I can work from home sometimes, my employer has no clue how ill I really am. If I did they would probably want me to stop working, but then where would I live, how would I eat etc? So that is why I live like I do as I don't really have a choice, not unless I win the lottery.

Mrs_Ryan

.Gigolo_Aunt wrote: »

Claims are dealt with in weeks.

I agree regarding media stories about scroungers, which people seem to swallow hook line and sinker.

But the last paragraph, attacking others, does you no favours.

Really? Is that why my re-assessment claim for end of award still hasn't been dealt with after just shy of five months? Hardly weeks- yes it's nineteen weeks if you want to look at it that way but hardly a couple of weeks as you appear to be insinuating.

fireblade28

Just because you work a lot is not an excuse. Theres always time you just have to prioritise. Health comes above everything in life without that you can't do much.

I spend my whole sunday cooking so I don't cook during the week and I know exactly what I'm eating. Do I like doing that? No of course not.

I fully understand that people have illnesses and have it much harder than me. I won't lay into these people overly. But there is a very fine line between not being able to do anything and not wanting to do anything. You must always take responsibility. Its up to us to play the cards we are dealt as well as possible.

Anoneemoose

fireblade28 wrote: »

Just because you work a lot is not an excuse. Theres always time you just have to prioritise. Health comes above everything in life without that you can't do much.

I spend my whole sunday cooking so I don't cook during the week and I know exactly what I'm eating. Do I like doing that? No of course not.

I fully understand that people have illnesses and have it much harder than me. I won't lay into these people overly. But there is a very fine line between not being able to do anything and not wanting to do anything. You must always take responsibility. Its up to us to play the cards we are dealt as well as possible.

I agree and I want to! I have visions of my children coming home to a home cooked (by me), hearty meal...

Alas, I can be a danger to myself because I forget I have put things in the oven, or can spill and drop things. I make cakes now and then as a hobby, but my husband has to do a lot of it, including supervising oven time, rolling icing, making sure I am mixing the right ingredients (I can generally do those in my sleep as have done them for that long though and I have a mixer that does it). Sometimes I can just manage to pour the mix into tins, but not without pain. It is exhausting but I do it on occasion to boost my mental health as well.

Normal food, I try and help when I can - I will buy pre prepped veg, which isn't really moneysaving, but better than takeaway all the time. I do have some lightweight pans and some gadget which help but I cannot cook without supervision on the majority of days.

.Gigolo_Aunt

Mrs_Ryan wrote: »

Really? Is that why my re-assessment claim for end of award still hasn't been dealt with after just shy of five months? Hardly weeks- yes it's nineteen weeks if you want to look at it that way but hardly a couple of weeks as you appear to be insinuating.

I wish people would read my posts before throwing their toys out of the pram..

I certainly doesn't take 'years' as the other poster claimed it did, which is why I said weeks.

pathtofreedom

fireblade28 wrote: »

Just because you work a lot is not an excuse. Theres always time you just have to prioritise. Health comes above everything in life without that you can't do much.
.

I take it you haven't read my other posts. That or you are just trolling.

I'll try and explain again. Perhaps read about spoon theory here first too and you might understand. http://www.butyoudontlooksick.com/articles/written-by-christine/the-spoon-theory/

It is not that I don't want to eat healthy, but I do not have the energy to batch cook.

This weekend I've been especially bad. I haven't had a shower since Thursday and I've washed the same load of washing 3 times as i don't have the strength to hang it out. I've been in bed all weekend and I am going to work from home tomorrow. My only aim for this weekend was to have a shower, and hang the washing out so I have work clothes for Tuesday. I don't normally bother with clothes when I'm at home, as no one sees me, and it is more energy to waste to wear them and wash them.

If you can honestly think of ways to help me I'd be interested, but apart from trying to use the slow cooker some times that's as good as I get. As I said before the iceland meals are better quality that what social services recommend. I don't qualify for personal care and I can't afford private care. I have a cleaner for 2 hours ever other week but I can't afford more than that really.

If it gets to the point I can't work anymore I'll probably just do a trip to dignitas when my money runs out.

I just want people to understand not to judge people on appearance as invisible illness can be a killer. So if you know someone struggling maybe offer to make an extra meal or two for their freezer when you're cooking. I'm sure they'd pay for the ingredients if you need it, but you have no idea how hard simple tasks can be when you have no help.

fireblade28

Anoneemoose wrote: »

I agree and I want to! I have visions of my children coming home to a home cooked (by me), hearty meal...

Alas, I can be a danger to myself because I forget I have put things in the oven, or can spill and drop things. I make cakes now and then as a hobby, but my husband has to do a lot of it, including supervising oven time, rolling icing, making sure I am mixing the right ingredients (I can generally do those in my sleep as have done them for that long though and I have a mixer that does it). Sometimes I can just manage to pour the mix into tins, but not without pain. It is exhausting but I do it on occasion to boost my mental health as well.

Normal food, I try and help when I can - I will buy pre prepped veg, which isn't really moneysaving, but better than takeaway all the time. I do have some lightweight pans and some gadget which help but I cannot cook without supervision on the majority of days.

Thats good! As long as you feel in yourself that you are doing the best you can then that's all that matters. You are not here to live up to anyones expectations, you are here for your own.

I use pre prepped veg. Honestly in life its either time or money. I know we are here to save money which is great but if its gonna make you eat better then I don't care spending more.

pathtofreedom

.Gigolo_Aunt wrote: »

I wish people would read my posts before throwing their toys out of the pram..

I certainly doesn't take 'years' as the other poster claimed it did, which is why I said weeks.

It can do with appeal and tribunal which is what I originally wrote. Having that hanging over you for that length of time is soul destroying too.

Anoneemoose

Re: the ESA. I claimed in mid may as my SSP was to run out 1st June. I have been receving the assessment rate since then. My assessment is Wednesday, so about 16 weeks between being paid the assessment rate and the actual assessment. The first 13 weeks are at assessment rate of £73.10 anyway, regardless of the outcome of your assessment.

My cousin, same area for assessment claimed in March 2015 and didn't have an assessment until January this year. She got nothing, had to appeal and then tribunal and was only just awarded around four weeks ago. So, yes, it can take an extremely long time. I am also on a fb support group and there are people on there who have waited even longer.

I do feel for you, Pathtofreedom. It must be so difficult. I know I am lucky to have the support I do. I struggle to do the showering etc as well, but my hubby does it for me. Do you have any friends who may be able to help in any small ways? I don't mean to sound patronising, but it makes me so sad that there are people who suffer without help, like yourself.