Really worried about tribunal

booshka

Hello Everyone,

After reading a lot of your posts I don't feel so alone!! I feel for us all having Arthritis.......It sucks!
My story!...

I am a single parent of a very helpful 10 year old son!
I am 35 and waiting for a full hip replacement ! I am currently taking 40mg of zomorph morning and evening and in return I have major constipation and acid re flux. ow and ow!
I scored 0 points in the 20 minute medical which astounded me. I even sent in an X-Ray of both my hips and it is obvious that there is NO cartilage on my left hip and they are NOT aligned. Because of this i have major sciatica...back pain....neck pain and my hip still hurts even with the opiates...I am hooked on them but really don't want to increase the dosage again, I'm a zombie on 80mg a day.

The tribunal is in 10 days, I am terrible with any authority...I turn into a little girl....feel totally overwhelmed and start crying and sniveling!! Embarrassing! I just can't seem to hold it back.

I am also living with COPD and depression. My son helps out an awful lot bless him and have just received a letter saying that he will be excepted into the young carers group so once a month he can go off and be "a 10 Year old " I will be taking this evidence with me.

I scored 0 points because I can drive my son to and from school (2 1/2 miles) This hurts and I grin and bear it, I have to get him there, he has been diagnosed with ADD and needs the schools support and a break from demanding mummy!! Am I supposed to keep him at home and risk him going into care and me going to prison?????

Because I can do the shopping ( I try and do as much as I can ) my son helps with the heavy stuff. He also goes to the shop on his own if I'm having a bad day. Are we to starve???

Because I can help my son with his homework???????????????

Because I got myself to the medical......I pointed out that I was driven but this was ignored.

I was fidgety in the chair....I am as white as a sheet since the zomorph and I was incredibly teary....yet she wrote I looked well and could sit comfortably in a chair............I can't....I'm always fidgeting and find it really hard to get to sleep and consequently find it really difficult getting up in the morning.

I feed my son.....He helps with the prep/ some cooking and washing up. He also gets the washing down and puts it in the machine. amongst other things for example....helping me off of the sofa/shoes/hoovering and so on!

I am worried I won't be able to handle the interrogation, in fact I know I'll cry! ( sad I know but honest!) and I'll screw it up, the doc and orthopedic surgeon wanted me to hang on as long as I can on opiates/being like a zombie/and relying on my son for way too much. Finally now my doc has realized I can't go on like this and have received a letter from the ortho department saying they will be in contact to make an appointment! yaaay! now I need to convince them to do an anterior hip replacement!

I want quality of life and good times with my boy, I want an op so I can go to work and be a good roll model, I don't want to be like this, they have made me feel like I'm a fake, I do suffer with low confidence and low self esteem which doesn't help. It's a struggle to keep positive most days, I feel very angry at the system and extremely anxious about it all, as am sure alot of others do also, thank goodness for forums like these

booshka

P.s...any tips for attending the tribunal would be very much apprciated!

dreamdaisy

Hello booshka, it's nice to meet you and I am glad you have found us. I can be of no practical help to you whatosever as my arthritis is different, I'm not a mother and I have never been in the situation you currently are viz. a tribunal. There have been many threads about this so it may be worth your while doing a search on this forum, using that term, and seeing what comes up. I am sure that others who are much better placed will be along in due course with tales of their experiences and successes but do keep talking to us because we listen, we do our best to understand and we are a supportive bunch.

Please consider ringing the Helpline here, it's a free call and they may be able to gove you some help and advice. Is there anyone who could go with you for moral support? I wish you well. DD

kentishlady

Hello Booshka. Am so sorry to hear you are having such a hard time and are struggling. My only advice to you is to make some notes to take with you of how you are at home, what it is like trying to cope with everything, how the pain affects you plus anything else you can think of, and you can then refer to the list. I agree with DD that if you have someone who could go along with you that might help you. I do think you might find it useful to phone the careline as I am sure they will be able to help you. Take care and let us know how you get on. Beryl

barbara12

Hello booshka and a warm welcome from me
I am disgusted at how you are being treated, we have so many on here that have lots of appeals, please don't let them wear you down.
I do wish I could help more but I have never been through this...hopefully some one will come along with some advice for you.
I really do wish you well with it all, and please let us know how you get on x

stickywicket

Hello booshka and welcome from me, too. You have a lot on your plate but I'm afraid I can be of no help with tribunals as I've no experience of them. I see you have one or two suggestions and I hope others can help.

ShulaArcher

Hello Booshka

I really feel for you. My symptoms are different from yours but I've also had an ATOS assessment and scored 0. I put in an appeal before Christmas and so I'm waiting for the result. I must say I've had to draw on all my reserves not to feel completely downtrodden by the experience.

You will need some help and in the first instance you'll probably find the Disability Law Service useful (www.dls.org.uk) and the Citizens Advice Bureau.

By the way, your son sounds very wonderful.

Keep in touch
Shula