Penny Quirk Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 Good for her that she's able to stay awake long enough and concentrate long enough to work from her bed. The implication that everybody who has a disability is in a position to be able to work from their bed without assistance from someone else is not really fair to a lot of people though, is it? How about someone with a brain injury that is severe enough that they have aphasia, or someone with a spinal cord injury and who is entirely dependent on someone else for personal care and everything else, or someone who has a a condition that makes them unable to concentrate, speak to others, dictate typing to a speech recognition program- how do they work? Your circumstances are YOUR circumstances, and they don't necessarily apply to others. It's like saying that since Tanni Grey-Thompson can do a marathon in her wheelchair, everybody who uses a wheelchair can manually move their chair 26 miles a day. Quite plainly isn't true. I did not imply that everyone could, or indeed should work. What I think I said was that if people WANT to work, there is usually a way that things can work out. I put this so people realise there is another way, if you are in a position to take it. If my message gave just one person the realisation that maybe they CAN go back to work, then what is bad? I was being positive, encouraging and I'm very sorry that people instantly read it in a very negative light. I struggle badly every day, I have tears every day, I get angry with myself - it is not a walk in the park, believe me, but overall I am pleased I forced myself to do the **** things I had to do to be able to get to this point. I was at a stage that if I didn't do that, I would now be dead. I do not have any friends to support me (they all left when I got ill and tried to kill myself). I have a son who lives close by, he is tremendous, otherwise, I am alone. It is not a nice place to be and if I can help one person regain their pride and be able to work, then so be it, but please don't put me down for trying to help? I did a hell of a lot of work with the British Pain Society a few years ago, and it was fascinating to hear what doctors say about chronically ill patients when they know we aren't listening!! I did a series of workshops and lectures for anaesthetists, podiatrists, orthopods and the like - to help other people like me - not put them down or to be negative. I'm sorry some of you seem to have taken my message the wrong way... Perhaps I just realised why I normally read, not contribute. Too many doctors say things like "you'll never work again" - but why? Humans are resilient, resourceful, so why on earth do we believe that we can't work again, just because a doctor told us we can't? And that is back to my original message - if you want to work there is normally a way it can be done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zippy Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 zippy i hope you never have an accident. but please remember anyone can have an accident at any time. oh and by the way if this system is so great why is it banned in 15 states in the USA some of us have worked for years maybe even longer that you have been on this planet. why do you hope i never have an accident ? i know my way round these systems through work and a lot of what is being said by people on this thread demonstrates an utter lack of understanding and an unwillingness to be told things about how the system works, and of course knowing how the system works means you know how to get the best results , hence reference made previously to be people getting proper help in applying and renewing awards ... some of us have worked in healthcare for years and deal with these systems day in day out ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zippy Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 First point zippy, you don't know anything about my incurable disease, and neither does a registered health professional. Only a specialist,qualified doctor/consultant can assess my illness, and how ill I am. Are you are saying you are cared for 24/7/365 by a Consultant Doctor ? because guess what if that isn't the case a Registered Health Professional does assess you and your illness ... or don't you ever see Nurses, Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapists ? what about Practitioner Psychologists ? ever travel in an emergency ambulance with a Paramedic ? ever had an operation? ( which simply wouldn't be able to happen with Operating Department Practitioners and Registered Nurses as well as the Surgeon and an Anaesthetist - a doctor who doesn't specialise in your condition ) If diagnosis is irrelevant in functional assessments, then they shouldn't be included on the medical forms you have to fill in, nor should the been able to lift an arm or bend a knee. it doesn't really matter what causes a sign or symptom , what a functional assessment is interested in is whether that sign or symptom effects your activities of daily living and if it does to what degree does effect them and what impact assistive technologies have on sign or symptom ... an example of this would be paraplegia, it doesn't really matter from a functional point of view whether it;s becasue of spina bifida, trauma, spinal infarct or something else, what matters is the fact that you probably can't walk or stand and need to use a wheelchair with aspecialist cushion to get about and to protect skin with altered sensation ... I have worked from leaving school, up until being unable to work, still pay tax and NI, all my dental treatment, etc, anybody would think from your posts, benefits are actually been taken out of your own pocket. hate to break it to you they are, I am a tax payer , and I have little sympathy for those who adopt the sick role , because at the end of the day as someone with one type of long term condition working in health care rehabilitating people with life changing injuries or conditions I want my tax to go to those who need the support rather than it subsiding those who choose to live on benefits, and i suspect that many of my patients who hold down demanding jobs despite their long term conditions and the adapatations they need because of it feel the same ... I hope you or your family, or anybody close, has to suffer any illnesses that you have to go through what truly sick people have to do now. ad hominems what a brilliant way to win an argument - you have a long term condition this does not give you a free pass to be a pillock ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zippy Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 I did not imply that everyone could, or indeed should work. What I think I said was that if people WANT to work, there is usually a way that things can work out. <snip> spot on Penny ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zippy Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 Good for you, and good advice. I'd like to know what you do though, as not everybody has a skill that both survives disablement, and they could make a living from. doesn't mean people can't learn new skills after a life changing illness or injury ... again there is specific targeted support for people with disabilities ( as per the equality act definitions) to access training and education as well as all the access to work funding and advice ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pottedplant Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 I did not imply that everyone could, or indeed should work. What I think I said was that if people WANT to work, there is usually a way that things can work out. I put this so people realise there is another way, if you are in a position to take it. If my message gave just one person the realisation that maybe they CAN go back to work, then what is bad? I was being positive, encouraging and I'm very sorry that people instantly read it in a very negative light. I struggle badly every day, I have tears every day, I get angry with myself - it is not a walk in the park, believe me, but overall I am pleased I forced myself to do the **** things I had to do to be able to get to this point. I was at a stage that if I didn't do that, I would now be dead. I do not have any friends to support me (they all left when I got ill and tried to kill myself). I have a son who lives close by, he is tremendous, otherwise, I am alone. It is not a nice place to be and if I can help one person regain their pride and be able to work, then so be it, but please don't put me down for trying to help? I did a hell of a lot of work with the British Pain Society a few years ago, and it was fascinating to hear what doctors say about chronically ill patients when they know we aren't listening!! I did a series of workshops and lectures for anaesthetists, podiatrists, orthopods and the like - to help other people like me - not put them down or to be negative. I'm sorry some of you seem to have taken my message the wrong way... Perhaps I just realised why I normally read, not contribute. Too many doctors say things like "you'll never work again" - but why? Humans are resilient, resourceful, so why on earth do we believe that we can't work again, just because a doctor told us we can't? And that is back to my original message - if you want to work there is normally a way it can be done. What a fantastic attitude you have PennyQuirk -and no one sensible would have read your earlier posts as implying that every one with a disability can work. Thanks for sharing your tremendous achievement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brin56 Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 I would really encourage the OP and others following this thread to visit this website - it has valuable information on all the hurdles of the benefit changes (including the DLA merging into PIP.) There are many successful outcomes and a wealth of detail on how to manage the brain dead zombie world of Atos http://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/news/latest-news/1371-16-june-newsletter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penny Quirk Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 Good for you, and good advice. I'd like to know what you do though, as not everybody has a skill that both survives disablement, and they could make a living from. I sold loads of my personal belongings, some of them were very important to me too, and I retrained for a totally new career. At 50, and with disabilities it was difficult to get anyone to hear me, so I did it myself instead. Training for a new career at 50 isn't easy, but with a severe disability too, it was a huge challenge, and I had many down days thinking I wasn't good enough for this, or I wasn't clever enough to retrain. But I did, and I am so pleased I persevered through those doubting days. I am now an accident investigator, and I interview people who have been involved in accidents (at home/work/in public) and determine liability from evidence and from visiting the scene. My scene visits are fraught with worry because of the extreme pain and I find it so difficult to concentrate at times; thankfully, that seems to be when I am back at home so can rest up a little before writing reports etc. I also interview people who are involved in car insurance fraud (mainly theft) and staged accidents. This is on a self employed basis for some of the big insurance companies, and the work is fascinating! I really hope this gives someone stuck in the sickness loop/benefit system to urge to try it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamiet1991 Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 You've got the wrong end of the stick here. ESA is for people who can't work through disability. It's not a question of self-worth. Anyone who fails an assessment but who feels they can't work should send in a GL24 appeal form within a month asking for a review and stating that they want their ESA to be paid while the appeal is ongoing. Many win their review and others win their appeal if they lose the review. Some people dont want to work and will do anything not to work even if it mean lieing, am not saying all people do this but a good percentage do. I was on ESA for 6 months and you are suppose to go back to work when you feel fit, so ill take it you got wrong end of the stick thinking you carnt work, i went back and found a job when i felt fit and thats what were all suppose to do. people saying that discrimination is wrong but you dont mind when it comes to working and not having to work, we would all love to sit at home and still get paid. PS this isnt aimed at everyone just the lieing scum that take take take from the ESA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamiet1991 Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 Because according to Government Doctors, I am too disabled to work. If you do not believe me, go to Walkley House Medical Centre in S6 and ask to see my medical records. Oh and before anyone starts, the DWP knows all about my volunteering so no, I do not have to declare anything. How can you be too disabled to work when you are working it might be volunteer but its still work and go see my doctor he will tell you im not fit to work but i chose to work i don't want to be discriminated saying i am disabled because i know i am fit and can work same as you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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