PIP Telephone Assessment - Finally

Jankins

I've got a text telling me I have an telephone assessment next week and I am already getting worked up about it.

My situation has got worse as my husband (also my carer) was diagnosed with stage 1 cancer on his vocal cords in January this year.  He's started radiotherapy today and we have to go back and forth to Maidstone hospital every week day for the next 4 weeks.  

I'm worried they will stop it if they think he can't care for me! 

I was referred last year for CBT but the woman didn't listen to anything I said, kept telling me she had the qualifications and that I was a bully to myself.  This really didn't help me as I was bullied very badly at school, a long time ago, but this brought up terrible memories for me and really upset me.  I had to stop in the end as I was getting too distressed after each session.

Along with my depression, panic attacks when I go out as well as my anxiety, I also suffer terribly with my hands which makes it difficult for me to carry out personal hygiene and preparing food as my hands crack and bleed.  Get the medication to help with this but it takes ages for them to heal.

If I tell them about his cancer I'm really scared they will stop it all - I don't know how we will cope without it.

Thanks for any advice.
Jane

janer1967

Hi and welcome to the community 

It's your assessment not your husbands so you don't need to tell them about his illness 

It's about the care you need not the care you get 

Cher_Alumni

Hello @Jankins how are you today?

I'm sorry to hear about your husband's diagnosis. Positively, it sounds like it has been caught quickly and we wish him all the best with the upcoming treatment at hospital.

I can really feel your anxiety around the upcoming telephone assessment and want to reassure you that your husband being in hospital will not be of detriment. The assessment looks at your functional ability to complete the PIP activities and is an opportunity for you to tell the assessor some examples of how you struggle, due to your conditions. For instance, what happens, who is there, what help you need, what would happen if you didn't have the help.

I'm also going to send you a Private Message with some additional support we may be able to offer, so please keep a look out for that 

Helen3

Hi, Cher_Scope, my situation is similar to Jankins, with the hand problem. My telephone is next week, I would like you to send me a Private Message with some additional support if possible, thanks.

Alex_Alumni

Hello @Helen3 and welcome to the community, what sort of support were you looking for with your PIP telephone assessment?

While we're unfortunately unable to help directly with assessments on a one to one basis, we can provide general information, guidance, resources, and share support for any mental health or wellbeing issues.