Just me Jann

Hi Jannb7d8aa 

I’ll put this tag here for Odette. If she sees this she will hopefully reply to you.

 Odette1fa42a0 

Sarah xx

Morning Jann.

Sarah and Eddie did sterling work on Awake, trying to get you in touch with Odette, but here's a thought: when you do make contact with her, you could send a friend request, that way you'll be able to make contact instantly.

Now, here's the rub. I'd be as much use as a chocolate teapot helping you to do this, being no great shakes myself, but a kindly soul, especially a Community Champion, might pop in to guide you.

Hoping you get satisfaction and keep enjoying your holiday! Love and hugs xxx

Hi Gill

How are you and hubby doing? I think poor Jann is having a lot of difficulty finding things in the forum and getting back to where she was on threads-especially the Awake thread as it moves so quickly.

Anyway, all Jannb7d8aa will need to do is go to Odette’s name and click on it. A page will appear and in the top right there is a button “+connect”. If Jann presses on that, she can send a friend request to Odette, and then Odette will receive a notification that a friend request has been sent. She needs to accept this and then private chatting can commence!

Everyone has their own settings as part of their personal profile, so the message settings can be amended there if required. Some people are happy to accept messages from anyone in the community but I have mine set so that I can only receive messages from a member who is already a friend.

Hope this helps.

Sarah xx

Morning Sarah and thanks for your help there for Jann xx

I'm sorry to hear about your pain keeping you awake lass, as it's the last thing you need. Fingers crossed it will get resolved. I don't know about yourself but a good friend was prescribed pregabalin (sp?) and it's had dire affects so they're trying for something else.

Thanks for asking about my OH, but his recent hospital stay has left him shuffling about like an ancient old geezer! The collapse he had has knocked him right back but we don't give up and hopefully he'll start to improve, fingers crossed. What a time we're all having. One day at a time lass. Love Gill xxx

Oh Gill-I’m sorry to hear about hubby….but I know you’ve got the right attitude in not giving up, and you’ll get there in time. I found for myself recovery just wasn’t in a straight line of getting a bit better everyday-some days felt like a real step or more backwards and I sometimes didn’t think I was making any progress. In reality I WAS making progress but it was slow and tough. But every little bit helps! 

I’m a bit out of touch just now as all the posts move so quickly so I just pop in and out and don’t always know what’s going on. I’ve been struggling with pain so have been concentrating on trying to answer the new folk in my own group and not much more. 

My OH had pregablin last year and it had awful side effects so I know not to touch it, but it’s not something I’d be prescribed for my arthritis so when I go for my medication review I’ll be looking for something else. 

Keep smiling my lovely! 

Sarah xx

Thank you so much Sarah, and don't you do too much. Just rest as much as you're able to, and us two will keep on going, no matter what. Sending lots of hugs and love xxx

The main thing is just keeping going, you’re right Gill. Nothing else for it. I do okay except for the days when my pain is really bad and it has been recently. But I didn’t get through cancer twice to be defeated by arthritis!

I had a bit of an accident yesterday though-I always have a walking stick beside me and yesterday was no different. But I was on my recliner and pressed the button to put it down and the stick got trapped in the mechanism! 

Managed to get it out, and the two of us just sat and laughed! The stick was completely bent and only suitable for someone about 3 foot tall! Luckily I’ve got several around the house but I’d best get ordering a new one today! At least it gave us a laugh and I was just glad it wasn’t the poor cat!

Sarah xx

Crikey! What a palaver but thank goodness the walking stick got injured and not your little kitty.

I'm busy with the PIP form right now, and I did get the home visit I requested, so now I'm his official appointee and at liberty to do everything on OH'S behalf. I'll see what transpires in due course.

Aw I don't like to think of you in pain my lovely, so here's hoping the docs get you sorted out very soon. Hugs sweetheart xxx

That’s good you got the home visit Gill, and being his appointee will mean you can deal with everything and speak for him. 

I am still waiting to hear about my own Pip since they reduced my award in June and the assessor thinks I’m fine! How she knows that from a phone call is a mystery, but I spent a LOT of time putting together the first stage of the appeal process- called a mandatory reconsideration-basically asking for my case to be reviewed again. 

The thing with Pip is providing good evidence and keeping emotion out of things as much as possible. I provided an additional 5 letters of support and one of them was from my OH saying what I need doing for me that I can’t do myself. 

I don’t believe I have improved since I got my award in 2022, and they need to prove that I have, so I’m certainly up for any battle about that! I now have kidney disease, diabetes and severe arthritis with no hope of that ever getting better, so if I get refused again I will take this to the next stage which is a tribunal though that could take a long time, 

They have said I will get a decision at the end of October so I’m just waiting for that now. I had a very useful meeting with my MP, so she is on standby to help too. She was horrified my award was reduced, and was at least very sympathetic. She says she’s had a lot of success with appealing these decisions, so I’ll see what happens. Keeping my fingers crossed. 

Sarah xx

Hi again Sarah.

I've just seen your post as I've had my head stuck into the PIP form all this time. It's because I'm being careful about how I word everything and not leaving anything out. Being his carer means I'm on the front line - and round the back! No guesses for what that means, but all embarrassing elements are put aside and getting put down on the form. It's turning into a type of dissertation!

But you, my lovely, deserve the full whack and I'm glad you're going for it and have got support in place. Like yourself, I won't be put off or give up as folk like you and LOH deserve these awards and I'm ready for battle too. I haven't embellished or lied, so it will be up to them initially to decide. Let battle commence, but in the meantime look after yourself and that sweet little cat. Love and hugs xxx