Mental and physical health issues — Scope | Disability forum
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Mental and physical health issues

angeleyes3
angeleyes3 Community member Posts: 2 Listener
Hi everyone.. 

Comments

  • Pippa_Alumni
    Pippa_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 5,793 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi @angeleyes3, and welcome to the community! Would you like to tell us some more about yourself?
  • angeleyes3
    angeleyes3 Community member Posts: 2 Listener
    Hi @PippaScope, I am 54 years old.. In 2011 I had my right eye removed after a malignant melanoma was found in it... 4 days later I had several awake seizures, although I was told I had epilepsy the electrical tests on my brain did not confirm it.. I was put on medication and could not drive for a year... A few months earlier I kept falling over to the left side... Several months after my eye was removed I had a week where i couldn't even co ordinate walking.. 5 Mri's later I was diagnosed with cervical stenosis... My spinal cord was trapped in my neck.. In July 2012 my 2 daughter's were hit by a speeding driver , killing my 26 yr old daughter and injuring my other 24yr old daughter who was 30 wks pregnant at the time...
    1 month later my partner and I had to go bankrupt as my illness made me unable to continue the job I loved and unable to walk my partner had to give up work to look after me.. This led to being made homeless one month after my daughter was killed..
    No one would help with housing other than offering us bed and breakfast.. of which I refused as my pregnant daughter was due to have her baby..
    We ended up finding a tiny house which we all shared..

    5 years later, my mental and physical health are horrendous.. and realised my now husband had been physically and mentally abusing me.. I had an operation after 4 years for my stenosis , 3 vertebrae replaced with metal. I fought for a yr for my neurologist to see me .. I have now had to fight for 7 months to get an mri locally but I ended up having a panic attack and couldn't have it done. So now back to fighting again for another test to see if I still have stenosis..
    My support worker is helping appeal my pip as I couldn't face it mentally during the 28 days to appeal.. waiting to hear if this will be accepted as it was.late..

    All in all, I have nothing  left in me now... mentally or physically.. you can only fight so much for so long..

    Xxx




  • Pippa_Alumni
    Pippa_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 5,793 Disability Gamechanger
    edited February 2018
    Hi again @angeleyes3, and thank you for sharing this with us- I'm really sorry to hear about all that you've been through in the last few years, regarding both your health and your family circumstances. You've certainly had a lot to deal with and I really hope we can help you- it's great to welcome you on the community and I hope you find comfort in knowing that you can come here to talk about your feelings at any time. You can also contact our Scope helpline on 0808 800 3333 if you'd like to speak to somebody on the phone.

    You are a member of our community and we appreciate you. If you are having thoughts of suicide, it is important that you discuss them with someone who is qualified to help. Please call the Samaritans on 116 123 (free) or email them at jo@samaritans.org. If you feel that you may be an immediate danger to yourself, please call 999 or go to your local hospital right away.

    I'm glad that you have a support worker and that they're helping with your PIP appeal, you might also like to check out our guidance on DWP appeals, and we're happy to advise wherever possible. Do you have support in place for your mental health issues at the moment?
  • JennysDad
    JennysDad Community member Posts: 2,299 Disability Gamechanger
    Hello @angeleyes3 and my profound respect to you for fighting such a hard fight for so long.
    I am glad you found your way to us and hope we may be of use to you - happily I see that Pippa is in touch with you and she is great.
    All I can offer to do myself is to listen. Believe me, you matter.
    Warmest best wishes,
    Richard
  • Marly73
    Marly73 Community member Posts: 9 Listener
    Quite a shocking story. I can only partially understand some of your pain, however I completely understand what it is like to have nothing left to give. I am currently on good medication which has evened me out but unfortunately there is no cure for the past. I would be happy to chat and lend an ear, maybe we can help each other move forward with life.

Brightness