HELP Pip

Colin wrote: Good morning bro58 after not sleeping again (that's the 2nd night of anxiety ) by Friday we are going to be fit for nothing! We have a question as your advice we took a copy of both our forms before we sent them some of the drugs hubby on means he forgets things alot and the rigrious daily diyalsis so will he be allowed to refer to them during his face2face or would that constitute as cheating also he falls asleep alot when on the machine how the heck do o keep him awake ! We normally diyalsis first thing in the morning as that's when hubby feels that's when he needs it im worried if he on the machine and they want him to get up and move around he can't he has two lines that go in to his jugular vein then across and directly in to his heart hubby couldn't have a fistula if he were to try and get up on the machine and he fell it could kill him ! Then they may fail him because he can't get up and move about and they want to check his mobility I know this all sounds very dramatic but belive me it's not this is our life or what is left of it ! I'm sure there are mor people out there worse than us but right now this is our living nightmare and we have never felt more alone I now know how people can get to the end of their rope and take drastic decisions on their life

Hi C,

I think that you are over worrying again !!

If they are aware that your Husband needs Dialysis, and if he normally undertakes it in the morning, they will have to make allowances for this.

Besides, the F2F is more of a Q & A session with a very limited Physical Exam, if one is deemed necessary.

Even if one is, the claimant does not have to carry out any actions that would cause them pain, discomfort, breathlessness or risk.

This being the case, the claimant should not simply flatly refuse, they should make it clear why they can't carry out the action.

Have a read through the relevant extracts from page 69 of of PIP Claims Guide which I posted you the link for in a previous response.

A lot of F2F assessments do not involve any Physical Exam at all, it depends on the nature of the claimant's conditions and their resulting limitations.

bro58

How quickly u have got to know me yes I did read it I think in my blind panic it was just words . I will read it again .

Hopefully Hubby will be allowed to refer to his original forms to answer some of the questions I'm so sorry I'm such a pain and you are being so kind I don't have anyone else I can talk to about things like this I don't want to talk to hubby as he has enough on his plate .

Hello bro58

Thought 8 would give you an update of Hubby's F2F assessment

Well I arranged for hubby Nurse to be with us so she duly turned up at 7.30 am
Assessor turned up promptly on the stroke of 9am .

Hubby was on machine as is normal in my house in the mornings 6 days a week the life of a home dailysis patient is soooo much fun (not).

Any way I digress she asked alot of questions (I did ask if I was allowed to offer her a cup of tea and she said yes) she asked me to print of some information on my printer which I did then I left them all to it , I felt if I was there answering all the questions on Hubby's illness she wouldn't get the true reflection of how unwell he really was and Hubby's Nurse was on hand to answer any really difficult questions about Hubby future . We also arranged for letters from his chiropodist , photo s of his Calciplhaxisis letter from a dear friend of 25 years saying how hubby had changed since being unwell a consultant letter .

The assessor did ask me a couple of questions and seemed genuinely concerned she even saw a weeks supply of Hubby's treatment which I store in a shed she helped me carry some of the supply in and after 1 hour she left as she left she said she was sorry I was having a hard time coping and hugged me I have to say I never needed a hug more than I did at that moment !

Hubby must have been one of the lucky ones are assessor could not have been nicer .

Anyway have just heard we are now going on to enhance rate mobility and enhanced rate of care for 3 years ( hubby unlikely to get a transplant altho on yhe list we have been told hus prognosis is gaurded)

If I had any advice for people I would say GET every bit of evidence from friends, medical people ,the Pope if neccasry your vicar ,photos anything that can support how difficult life has become for you
DONT be brave tell them how hard life is !

I think it atrocious that the system we have paid in to to help us most when we need it is putting us through this as we are seen as benefit scroungers I think it's the Government who srounge off US with their expenses !

Being disabled in any capacity is not easy but Do not give up its OUR money not theirs we have paid in to this system if they want to bring public spending down get rid of MP expenses let's see how many will do the job for the live of it then!

Ooo and IDS quitting what a farce that is ! I could tell you why he's done that but I won't go all political on you .

Any way thanx for all your help you were all amazing from ER indoors