holeinheart

Hello Dolphin43...........as you put D.L.A. i gather your in jolly old england? I am to! raining at the minute down in deepest darkest devon!
I applied for D.L.A. for my raynaurds to begin with ( ongoing) then when my hole in heart was discovered ( ongoing) then seronegative R.A.........well i just kept on applying as i got worse and worse, cant walk a few yards now without pain and the stiffness is like someone has inserted steel pole all over my body and tightened up the nuts with a rusty spanner. ! ! ! ( cor ! that's made my eyes water)
You can get two sorts of D.L.A. one is for mobility , low, medium, high., and one is for care ( the same) if you have any trouble walking and are likley to have any pain or permanant damage to foot or feet you must go for the mobility one, they will ask you how far you can walk without pain..........be honest , if you get pain all the time tell them, there is no shame in owing up to having to struggle.
As for care if someone has to help you at all tell them, even if its shopping, cleaning the house careing for the kids anything at all you can think off to be exact.
I kept a diary of things for two weeks and was 'gob smacked' at the amount of help I needed.
Also tell them what drugs your on, what ( if any ) devices you use around the house/outside........like a walking stick or if you wear any supports or braces.
They will ask your doctor questions about your condition and sometimes a freind to answer questions as well.
My G.P.has been brilliant and as well as full mobility and care we get free car tax and my husband ( who's also an old crock ) has a brand new a car instead of his mobility allowance.
Dont be afraid to ask, once you are in the system its plain sailing as long as your G.P. gives all the clinical details and you fill those awful forms in properley.
If you have any problems e-mail me and as an old hand at them now after six years, I'll try to help you if you get stuck. I do hope this has give you the courage to get some help because people like ourselves who suffer pain and cant lead a normal life ' through no fault of there own' deserve some support . good luck.



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