So, for working an eighteen hour day looking after my husband and three, yes three, disabled children, the government wants to punish us. I have spent most of my life fighting for the rights of disabled people. I've been a local councillor, I've worked with Members of Parliament. Things change. I left all that behind to be with hubby. We had kids. They inherited the Autism that runs on both sides of the family, as well as one being a wheelchair user. My kids are great, they're funny, and bright. No common sense, but that's part of the package. They don't have it easy, they can pull a book to pieces, state why it's good or bad, what it has to say and why it's saying it. However, one has a compulsion to jump through open windows, so the upstairs windows have remained locked for some fourteen years. They have no friends, they don't understand the concept of friendship, which means they have no help in understanding the social mores of the playground. They don't comprehend facial expressions, tone of voice, which can mean that they're in trouble at school.
Hubby too has Aspergers. He wasn't diagnosed until his mid thirties, so like many Aspies, he had a variety of wrong diagnoses, ranging from bi polar to schizophrenia. He has co morbids, panic, anxiety, depression, agorophobia and has spent periods of time in hospital. He'll probably go back in this year. He has had physical health problems as well and has not been able to walk since March. Have we applied to get mobility allowance for him, have we hell, we're too scared.
I save the government a fortune in care fees, education monies ( we put coping strategies in place, so no statements for the kids), in all sorts of ways I save them money and they repay me by frightening my husband, by making him feel suicidal. The thing is, we're not asking for any more money, with the DLA we get enough, it's tight, but everything, mortgage, bills etc, it's all doable, we just want to feel safe, and to feel safe we need a guarantee that things will remain as they are. We need the government to stop the rhetoric, that disabled people are scroungers and thieves. Those with unseen disabilities suffer in so many ways, are victimised in so many ways and the government is compounding this for the simple reason that they think we can't fight back, they think we're an easy target. Well Cameron, we're all here to show you and Clegg just how wrong you can be. Invalid does not mean invalid.
Originally posted as part of the One Month Before Heartbreak Campaign Jan, 2011
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