Pennyessex's Story #spartacusstories #spartacusreport

It's taken me a while to write this just as it's taken me some time to accept that disability issues are now very much part of my daily life. I am a mum and a nan and a wife, a counsellor and a Doctor of Psychology.... Yes I have had this medical condition for many years but I've worked, paid my dues, assumed that when the time came that I would need some help from the state it would be there. I was and still am shocked and angry at all the hoops you have to jump through to get any help, I'm one of those people who when asked 'how are you?' always replies with 'fine thanks' so seeing my true situation in black and White on all those forms was hard enough but the detail I had to go into to 'prove' how disabled I had become was intrusive, and not just once but over and over again. I continued to work with the support of DLA ( it provided me with a car) for another 4 years until that became impossible, to go to work you have to be able to get out of bed each day and have use of your hands and some days I can do neither. My medical condition is listed and recognised so even though ESA deemed me fit enough for work based activity ( laughable) last month DLA agreed with my GP and consultants that I was now disabled to the extent of being entitled to having my husband as my carer ( this brings me no pleasure) but it does mean the DLA will stay now, no more form filling or stress filled examinations.... Doesn't it? Well apparently not if this Government gets it's way and takes DLA away, I honestly don't know if I can go through this or a similar process again, I need my strength just to get through each day.