Hi everyone, the brown envelope arrived today, enhanced rate awarded for both parts hooray!!!to be reviewed in 3years. With a good amount of back pay.
Then I went low this is probably the first real acknowledgement that I am really now Disabled & do need help, what a moaning sad person I really do need to up my anti-depressants.
P.P. xx
Hi Pauline,
well done, so pleased you were awarded high rate.
sorry it was a stark reminder of what has happened, chin up! I am sure you’ll soon be back on track.
those days hit us all from time to time, regardless of how long you’ve had MS.
sending you hugs,
Nina x
Hi Pauline… well done you!!! Fantastic news!!!
You know over the years I’ve been using this forum I can’t tell you how many times I’ve read the same thing (with the old DLA)… suddenly hits you that you really are disabled.
I know I felt it too. At first I was awarded only low rate care so that felt ok… but two years later I had to reapply and got high rate mobility and middle rate care. Yes it was fab… but also it meant I was really disabled… and that didn’t feel so good.
The point I’m trying to make is that your feelings are perfectly normal and many of us have felt the same.
Those feelings will go… and then you’ll see the huge benefits of having the extra income. Out of my DLA I pay for a cleaner, a hairdresser that comes to the house, I can take taxis whenever I need to and if a friend or my sister accompany me somewhere I can pay as a ‘treat’. So it’s a benefit that really can make a difference to your quality of life.
Well done for getting it… it’s a horrible process to go through and now you can relax.
Pat xx
Hooray for Pauline!
Don’t be sad, nothing has changed between pre- and post- brown envelope Pauline. You are still you, and you have just put an important struggle behind you. The only difference is the extra income. Time for a treat!
Kev x
Polly that’s great news about your awards. The higher rate mobility has been a huge help to me as I was able to get a reliable little car, living in a tiny village in the middle of nowhere you can imagine what a relief that was since I’m not able to walk into the next village for milk and bread any more. We have no resources at all in ours. If you receive ESA you’ll get an increase too if your care rate is higher than basic which allows for those little extras such as a cleaner. I’m only on basic care as it was reduced after my surgery, but the little I get pays for a cleaner an hour a week to do the jobs I can’t manage.
I felt exactly like you do when I had to retire from work and my benefits kicked in but it does fade. It still hits again every once in a while but I’ve finally accepted that I’ll never live my old life again and I have to remind myself of the things I can do and enjoy doing now. You’re not on your own.
Take care
Cath xx