So I’m on week 3 of radiology, had chemo last week and due another next week. I have a peg tube fitted ready for when I can’t swallow anymore and this morning eating toast was like eating razor blades - BUT what has really set me off today on a downward spiral is when the nutritionist came to show me how to reposition my feeding tube daily and we were having a general chit chat and I mentioned that I was trying to work a couple of hours at the weekend to try to get extra money in to be able to pay the bills this month and she was totally outraged and shocked that I was only being paid SSP - now I was pretty peed off beforehand that I work for a care company that doesn’t pay sick pay for anything, but she told me she has never met anyone that wasn’t being paid by their company for being off with cancer - I can’t claim any benefits as my husband works for just over minimum wage so we are above the threshold - anyway now I am in a dark dark miserable place - I no longer want to help the company by doing a couple of hours at the weekends when I’m not in hospital - they will pay me the hours I work but it’s only about 10 in total that I manage to do with what’s going on - and also I now don’t want to go back after all this is done - I want to go somewhere that will appreciate me more and this has just put a black mark on it all for me. How are you supposed to live on £116 per week - it costs that in petrol for the week travelling back and forth to treatments as the hospital I go to is 15 miles away !! Sorry if this seems trivial but it’s really got my goat !!
Hi Kazzystar
Give the Macmillan support line a ring. MacMillan have financial staff who can point you the best way to go and tell you what your rights are. Once we have cancer we are considered disabled. The number is at the bottom of my post.
Dani
Base of tongue cancer. T2N0M0 6 weeks Radiotherapy finished January 2019
I wrote a blog about my cancer. just click on the link below
Hi Kazzystar I can only sympathise with your situation and as Dani has said Macmillan financial advisors should be able to point you in the right direction. I don't understand why all NHS staff are told they should highlight we are eligible to these services. Best wishes for your ongoing treatment. Please beware working will render you ineligible to SSP.
Hi this is not trivial at all. It is critical to you and probably many others in your situation. As Dani has already said give Macmillan a call. You may not be able to get more than SSP from your company but they may be able to help you access other benefits and grants - not just from the Government, but maybe charities as well. Good luck.
Macmillan support should be able to give you info regarding Universal credit and PIP.. If you have a Maggie's near you, they'll also be able to give you some very detailed info about what you can claim.. it really is shocking how we're made to jump through hoops to keep our heads above water..in fact, I think I had a right good rant about this myself.. good luck..
Loz (61)
Oropharyngeal right tongue base T2N2bM0 squamous cell carcinoma p16 positive..
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