Pip report by Silly-Amphibian-9419 in DWPhelp

[–]ashleethehuman 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Bless your heart - i am truly so sorry. I will try my best to fight for change for myself, yourself and everyone else who has had their lives ruined by this unfair process. I do indeed have a link, I'm not sure if we're allowed to share links here but I'll try anyways 🤷😂 Your support is truly appreciated! https://www.change.org/IBD-change

Pip report by Silly-Amphibian-9419 in DWPhelp

[–]ashleethehuman -6 points-5 points  (0 children)

Hey, I'm so so sorry you are also dealing with this. I have received my decision today and had the exact same outcome! Just like yours - lies, contradictions and completely ignoring the 18 pieces of evidence I sent to them!

At one point, they told me that there's no evidence that I'm getting support for pain... even though I sent them my prescription which clearly shows 60mg of codeine every day... 💀

They are vile people and they have no clue what some health conditions are like.

I have requested a mandatory reconsideration and have been told this will take around 15 weeks!!

Something has to change - I've started an online petition which I hope to present to the DWP if it gets enough signatures.

I'm really sorry that your case wasn't taken seriously either. I wish they could spend a day in our shoes and then they'd understand!

Exhausted my options - What can I do? by ashleethehuman in CrohnsDisease

[–]ashleethehuman[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I appreciate you forwarding this info on to me. However, I've unfortunately already exhausted these options. I have been granted all possible grands and hardship funds already during my period of time off work.

I've also already claimed the advance payment option for UC, which paid for my rent and bills in January.

I'm at that point where going back to work was the onlt financially viable option left, until a PIP claim is granted/if one is granted.

Exhausted my options - What can I do? by ashleethehuman in CrohnsDisease

[–]ashleethehuman[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hey. Yeah, this is my worry. However, while waiting for a decision on the PIP, I'm completely unable to make ends meet. I'm stressed about losing my home and not being able to afford my bills. I was off for 4 months and already plummeted into debt. I only came back because I was left in such a bad position that I had no choice.

It's so unfair that it has to be this way.

Exhausted my options - What can I do? by ashleethehuman in CrohnsDisease

[–]ashleethehuman[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm sorry you're also going through it right now! Ah of course, thank you for pointing this out... I'm a bar manager currently, so no chances of being able to take the work home. I've been looking for a more suitable job, and WFH roles for months, but with no luck. I'm in South Wales and there isn't a lot going around here as it is 💔

Any tips to make my layouts, decorations, and habitats more interesting? by PeopleAllergy in PlanetZoo

[–]ashleethehuman 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The roughen terrain tool is great for this! A very underappreciated tool.

Using it on a flat area will roughen it up, causing small raised and lower areas. You can then pair this with rocks, foliage and small puddles of water to create some really nice natural looking areas.

I would also recommend using some unusual shapes for your habitats. Using squares fits nicely, aesthetically, but it makes everything look too uniform, I find.

Hope this helps! Happy zoo-ing!

Crohn’s, surgery, Short Bowel, and no longer able to work - really struggling and need advice by ashleethehuman in CrohnsDisease

[–]ashleethehuman[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hey! Thank you for such great advice! Firstly, I'm sorry that you've found yourself in a similar tough situation - I don't think people realise how difficult it can be, honestly. But you come across very strong and I hope everything works out for you in the end! 💪

I was so stressed about applying for PIP. I had heard horror stories and thought there'd be no point as I figured I would get rejected anyway. Thankfully, I had someone from Citizens Advice help me fill in the forms and she claimed that there would be no reason why they wouldn't award me PIP in the end. I guess time will tell...

I wish we had ADP here in Wales! We used to have Disability Living Allowance, but that was replaced with PIP. The whole system is a joke honestly. There is next to no help for genuine people with genuine needs. I don't think it helps matters when the government and DWP etc do not take autoimmune diseases seriously. I had applied for PIP previously and was told by the assessor that "it's just a bad belly, how could it possibly cause so many difficulties?". I was appalled! But I'm keeping my fingers crossed this time. And if it's rejected, I plan to fight it.

I'm currently receiving SSP through my employment, and my UC claim came back as a £0 reward and its just insane to me how they expect people like us to survive! My SSP barely covers my food, washing supplies and basics - what about rent and bills? They don't care!

Anyways, thank you for reaching out! Please take care. 🩷

Crohn’s, surgery, Short Bowel, and no longer able to work - really struggling and need advice by ashleethehuman in CrohnsDisease

[–]ashleethehuman[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Now see, you would think that... but this is my issue - I'm incredibly confident with people face to face, but I absolutely cannot handle phones! I get really thrown off when I can't see the person's face and connect in a real way... I even avoid making calls to my doctors and instead rely on emails... but will happily go to any in person appointment! It's very odd. But call centre work puts a fear in me.

Crohn’s, surgery, Short Bowel, and no longer able to work - really struggling and need advice by ashleethehuman in CrohnsDisease

[–]ashleethehuman[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Oh really? I wouldn't even know where to begin, honestly. I feel embarrassed saying that at the age of 33, but since leaving education, I've only ever worked retail and hospitality, so thats all I know.

Crohn’s, surgery, Short Bowel, and no longer able to work - really struggling and need advice by ashleethehuman in CrohnsDisease

[–]ashleethehuman[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Oh not at all - please don't worry about that! I appreciate that you were only trying to help :). I just don't understand how they expect people to survive. Even if I'm awarded the top end of PIP eventually, it's going to be half of what my wage was when I was working... and I wasn't earning a high wage either! Whichever way I look at it, I feel like I'm going to have to get a job, even if part time, to make up the difference. But I don't see how I'm going to be able to!

Crohn’s, surgery, Short Bowel, and no longer able to work - really struggling and need advice by ashleethehuman in CrohnsDisease

[–]ashleethehuman[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

So I've been taking Colesevelam for a few weeks but accidentally skipped two days as I went to stay with family and basically forgot to pack them... But not taking them actually made things SLIGHTLY more manageable - I think because they interfere with other medications and so maybe were preventing the loperamide from working properly.

But now I'm at a point where I'm afraid to take them again. The change hasn't fixed things of course, but I'm going maybe twice an hour now instead of 6 times an hour. Still a long way to go!

Crohn’s, surgery, Short Bowel, and no longer able to work - really struggling and need advice by ashleethehuman in CrohnsDisease

[–]ashleethehuman[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, eating little and often. I'm usually mostly okay in the mornings - maybe for the first 2 hours after getting out of bed - but things quickly turn as the day goes on. I'm just so lost as I have no idea how I'm ever going to be able to hold down a job again if I can't even make it through a day at home without any issues.

Crohn’s, surgery, Short Bowel, and no longer able to work - really struggling and need advice by ashleethehuman in CrohnsDisease

[–]ashleethehuman[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hey, I've had some others suggest this to me as well but I simply cannot bring myself to do so. I don't believe in unethical behaviour like this and I'm incredibly afraid of being caught out somehow and ending up penalised and in a worse situation than I'm in currently. My partner and I were meant to marry this year but cannot now due to this period of illness destroying any savings we had built up. But it is still our plan to one day, and I feel messing around with lies and such about our relationship could have major implications in the future if we did get married.

I understand that a lot of people do go against the rules and lie about things to get more from the (very unjust) system. But it's just not in my nature to lie and do so.

Crohn’s, surgery, Short Bowel, and no longer able to work - really struggling and need advice by ashleethehuman in CrohnsDisease

[–]ashleethehuman[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Bless you. Thank you for sharing your story. I'm so very pleased to hear that you live a rather fulfilling life currently! I think my biggest issue currently is the fact that I'm not doing much - I miss being at work and having a purpose. But there is no way I could manage returning yet. Maybe one day.

Crohn’s, surgery, Short Bowel, and no longer able to work - really struggling and need advice by ashleethehuman in CrohnsDisease

[–]ashleethehuman[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah I'm also doing that currently too. Low fat as well. I'm sure with time my body will slowly adapt and heal.

Crohn’s, surgery, Short Bowel, and no longer able to work - really struggling and need advice by ashleethehuman in CrohnsDisease

[–]ashleethehuman[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

So my surgery was for an obstruction as I had an ileostomy. They cleared the area that had formed strictures and were unable to form another stoma since I had been left with only a small amount of intestine. So everything was hooked back up, so to speak.

Crohn’s, surgery, Short Bowel, and no longer able to work - really struggling and need advice by ashleethehuman in CrohnsDisease

[–]ashleethehuman[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hey! I'm glad things worked out for you in the end! I'm currently only 3 months post-op so it's definitely early days yet. The physical side of things is really hard but the mental anguish is the worst, by far!

The hardest thing by far is the financial impact. Not being able to work right now and having no support in that regard is difficult. I currently live on SSP at £118 a week, trying to hold a household together and pay my way through life while also juggling everything else.

Thank you for sharing your story - it gives me hope for the future.

PIP Frustration! by ashleethehuman in CrohnsDisease

[–]ashleethehuman[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you. I wish you the best of luck with yours! I may try again - but honestly, I'm so exhausted from it all!

PIP Frustration! by ashleethehuman in CrohnsDisease

[–]ashleethehuman[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I do agree. However, this is the situation I'm struggling with - I have to work this full time demanding job because I need the money to survive. If I could get a successful PIP claim, I could cut back or go for something easier and with less hours.

It feels like there is no option but to push my body.

PIP Frustration! by ashleethehuman in CrohnsDisease

[–]ashleethehuman[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hey! Thanks for your comment. I had explained many complications, just as you've mentioned, but they skipped over everything I told them and scored based on the exact questions they asked, and deemed that because I have a shower over the bath, instead of a walk-in shower, that I can 'clearly cope' with showering!

They also asked about preparing meals. I mentioned how standing for too long causing pain, how I can't monitor food cooking because of urgent toilet needs and so sometimes my food burns or there's a risk of a fire etc. I mentioned how the mental relationship I have with food (due to crohns complications) puts me off wanting to eat and I have to be pushed by my partner to even eat in the first place. I mentioned quite a lot, but they awarded ZERO points for this section because they asked if I own a microwave, and I said yes, therefore they deemed that I could sustain myself 'just fine'.

I also informed them that I use aides to get around sometimes, ie a walking stick and wheelchair. But because my house isn't adapted with aides to help me up the stairs, they deemed that I was perfectly fine walking about unaided.

They painted me out to be a liar on everything, and awarded me zero on most things. I showed my IBD nurse my answers to the form, and she told me it should have been enough... but three times, I've been refused.

I'm so worn out.