ATOS

[spanners]

there was a big protest in  hull the other day. didnt seam to do much good  but there was a very large turnout ,

only bit of good news is ,, i,ve got an appointment to see some one on monday

[oldmetalhead82]

Good luck Mike.

[merv]

Hope it goes well for you

[spanners]

ended up at DWP/JOB CENTRE PLUS  hour and a half interview  jumped through invisable hoops like a circus dog  ended up making a claim for job seekers allowance even though the staff there think i,m unfit for work
but its up to me to get a job i,m capable of doing   

otherwise i get nowt

[poprodder]

[hunter]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-26766345#TWEET1083987

[JayJay]

I like that Poprodder, sums it up quite well.
JJ 

[oldmetalhead82]

Yep i agree with Jay Jay, could'nt be put better Poprodder.

[BikerGran]

Absolutely right.

[tbone]

And where would you all be if you didnt live in this country? Try being disabled abroad and see how far you get.
I for one am pissed off with this thread and the constant moaning about how unfair it all is, yet other threads show just what can be achieved by those self same moaners.
I realise there is a large representation of disabled people here so maybe I will upset a few with my comments, tough!
Try being in my shoes,
white
middle aged
male
heterosexual
no dependants
mortgage
no benifit entitlements

I'm the one thats screwed.

[JayJay]

...
Try being in my shoes,
white
middle aged
male
heterosexual
no dependants
mortgage
no benifit entitlements

I'm the one thats screwed.

That's fair enough Tim. You are entitled to air your views. I detest the "lets see how long we can make this post go on for,shabba" thread and think it is a waste of space but some members enjoy it. I just ignore it. You are free to do the same with this thread.

I'm grateful I am not caught in a situation like in Syria, or have lost a loved one in the Malaysian aircrash but I am not and I haven't but it still doesn't stop me wishing that I haven't got the problems I have to deal with right here right now.

This thread has sparked dialogue over a situation that has impacted a number of Manky members and this has been an area where they have been able to discuss the issues and advise and support one another. Surely that is a part of what this site is about.

I also know from previous posts that you like to speak your mind. That's great too. I like that about you. I am the same. The nice thing is, that Mankies don't hold it against us and things carry on. On some sites you hear about hate campaigns starting over someone just stating their views.

As for "yet other threads show just what can be achieved by those self same moaners." part of your post, perhaps that is a discussion for another day.

JJ 

[Olds]

Sure that I will get some flack for this, but...
Up until now I have stayed well clear of this discussion, having never relied on the state for anything. I too have health problems that I wont go into here and have not worked for someone else for many, many years. I am a firm believer that most folk are capable of doing something, but the system is not geared to achieving this.
Perhaps if the Gov. spent more money on decent training and help centres, made self employment simpler and changed the taxation system, to help those who are trying to help themselves, instead of just saying,  you are fit to work, now go and find something, things might change.
 Some folk, are only capable of doing a little and the state should encourage them. Others, really are incapable of work and the state must provide for those in this situation.

-Olds

 

[kapri]

I for one am pissed off with this thread and the constant moaning about how unfair it all is, yet other threads show just what can be achieved by those self same moaners.

Another one easily fooled then. There's a difference between fighting against the pain for a few hours each day to feel like you have something of worth left in you ,and to help your self esteem, and putting in a full days work every day.

I worked to the day my kidneys failed ( most give up at least 1 year before due to constant fatigue). After 6 months in hospital and a transplant that ended up working only half function ,after almost killing me twice, I went back to work for 4 years. I was doing a highly stressed 60 hour week job and my like was work and sleep ,nothing else, not enough strength as I was still working with only half function of one kidney and a huge amount of drug side effects but I carried on.

Then I got cancer ( from the drugs keeping my transplant going )and had 6 months of arduous chemo and radiotherapy. I was going back to work but various people including my renal consultant told me I would be unable to work . I reluctantly gave up a job I loved.

Fast forward around 20 years and another 3 close  calls with death , plus various further cancerous bits cut out and I manage a few hours a day giving myself a reason to live. I'm regularly on 4 different cancer clinics, I attend another 3 clinics regularly, my spine is crumbling due to osteoarthritis caused by steroids, my neck is now collapsing with a VERY real chance of paralysis. I've a huge amount of muscle wastage along with peripheral neuropathy in hands and feet and struggle to do anything fiddly and in fact most of what I do is from memory rather than actually feel.

I am NEVER free from pain , only the level changes and have exhausted everything that the Pain Clinic can do for me. When it gets to bad I strap on an artificial morphine patch which is 100 times more powerful than morphine and 10 times more than heroin. The pain is then gone but so are my mental faculties.

That's just a skim through my medical history.  So I still achieve something by struggling through the pain and mental anguish of leading a hopeless life.


Inspirational or sponger ? Half the time depends what paper you read or what party you support.

[kapri]

And where would you all be if you didnt live in this country? Try being disabled abroad and see how far you get.
I for one am pissed off with this thread and the constant moaning about how unfair it all is, yet other threads show just what can be achieved by those self same moaners.
I realise there is a large representation of disabled people here so maybe I will upset a few with my comments, tough!
Try being in my shoes,
white
middle aged
male
heterosexual
no dependants
mortgage
no benifit entitlements

I'm the one thats screwed.

Be grateful you have your health , it is beyond price.  Sounds like you have a chip on your shoulder cos someones getting something you aren't? It comes from PAYING IN to a system, not a free gift. Before I became ill , and even after, I worked bloody hard to get what I have now and PAID INTO the scheme which I'm now drawing from. If I still had my health I'd still be doing that now , supporting those who were in need , and being grateful it wasn't me.

[BikerGran]

I used to be a NABD rep, and I've never forgotten one of the things we were told at the training day.

We were told, (not the exact words but the gist) - never belittle your own disability because the person you are speaking to happens to have what seem to be worse problem.  Your own problem is worse for you than anyone else's problem, because it's yours.  This obviously works the other way round as well, each person's problem is personal to themselves, not worse, not easier, just a problem.

As JJ said, if people can help each other by talking about the problems, I think that's great!

And no-one is objecting to the fact that we have the benefits system, only the way in which it's administered - which in my opinion wastes huge sums of money - our money which we have paid into the system.  If the government gave people more help to get back into work many could be more productive and still be contributing to the system instead of beaten down by it, and those who need help they aren't getting wouldn't be made ill by the stress and therefore end up needing even more help from the NHS.

Just my five pennorth.