May is the season of those all dreaded exams !......well it is for me.
Coming to the end of my second year of a four year extended degree course in Psychology. The time has gone so quickly. It seems like only two minutes ago I was all wide eyed and eager to be on campus . Now I feel like a veteran fighter of SPSS software, Research papers , Journals and library books. Don't even get me started about he referencing !
I am happy with the progress that I have made this year but the attendance is a bit of a let down. Understandable considering that I have been dealing with personal issues, stump splitting and other health issues that have plagued me more this year then last. But if I have managed to get the results I have off the attendance I have had for this year then next year they will be even better.
Preparations have gone well and I have actually managed to get some decent revision time in. I have been sent my exam timetable where I have been given extra time , PC use and a scribe if necessary. This has greatly put my mind at ease.
Another area of assessment was for an electric wheelchair. I was referred by the Disabled Service Center at the Freeman's. But this has took at least four month for an appointment to come through in order to be seen. I ended up having to miss University as it was an all day appointment. They could not give me an actual time that they would be coming out. Well after waiting all day they came out and the assessment was over and done with in five minutes. I have to wait 3 month to find out if I qualify then two month to get an appointment to try one out then another 2 month before i get one. But here is the downside. It can be lifted into a vehicle and it cant be folded down to go in a boot. So what ever car I use mine or a taxi has to have ramps that I have to maneuver the wheelchair up. After my track record of wheelchair ramps with Station taxis and various others, including my close call with ending up in hospital because one taxi company dropped me off the side at the top of a pair of these ramps, well, lets just say am not convinced it will be beneficial or indeed useful for me.
Still no news on being referred for a scan on my legs and stumps for blocked vessels or issues. If you remember this was due to the splitting of the stumps and the lack of colour and how cold the legs where becoming. Put it this way they would be warmer sometimes being stuck in the freezer at -30.
But an assessment of another type has been received. The dreaded PIP !!!!! da da daaaaaa!!!
So finally it is my chance to go through the process of the PIP reassessment for my DLA. This should be interesting . Now there has been a lot of horror story's going around about being assessed for this such as people losing there benefits, being asked if limbs will grow back. being told they are capable for work or not being told that they qualify for mobility for a car. So I have two large booklets to fill in , trying to explain to some one who might have no medical experience what so ever that no matter how many times the form asks, no I can not walk with out my prosthesis, yes that means I can't climb stairs, no my wheelchair does not turn me into a darlek meaning I can now do steps etc by flying. Oh and no, they are not going to grow back anytime soon.
But although this is a stressful month there is light at the end of the tunnel. One point of light is I have re booked Disney for three weeks this time next October. This is booked through Jetsave so lets see how they compare to Thompson. The assistance form leaves a lot to be desired so reserving judgement on the rest. This time trying a deluxe resort at the Wilderness lodge. So considering we had excellent service from a value hotel and a moderate hotel from Disney, I am expecting this to blow my mind.
A second light is that we are definatley going to London Film and Comic Con at the Olympia this July. I am nervous about this as I have no idea what the facilities for wheelchair users are. Looked at the layout of the exhibition center and seems easy enough but lets wait and see. Getting cars to take us down as am not brave enough yet to try British rail lol. Staying at the Olympia Hilton that has been booked online and have stated that am a wheelchair user so again lets see what happens. Showmasters as yet have not replied to any communications regarding disabled issues etc. tut tut.So this is me going out of my comfort zone. Watch this space for feed back on both of these things.
Also looking at trying to get people together to do gishwhes which is a world scavenger hunt and hoping to get tickets to Asylum 16 which is a Supernatural convention. Watch this space as well as me and Jo have opted to do The Great North Run in 2016 dressed as......wait for it.......AB FAB ! am Eddy of course :) This is in order to raise funds for The Psych Twins so we can open a center to offer support, advice and counselling for disabled people and their families including families of children with ADHD and ASD. A news article to follow on this soon.
Here are some links all you need to do is copy and paste them into your browser:
https://www.facebook.com/theamputeediaries
https://www.facebook.com/psychtwinsfundraising?ref=tn_tnmn
https://gishwhes.com/
https://twitter.com/greebo89
http://www.showmastersevents.com/
So no pressure then......
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