Tag Archives for " Benefits "

Reassessing My Condition, Setting Realistic Goals

Time to reassess my condition ME cfs, ChronicallyHopeful

It's time for another personal update. Time to reassess and set realistic goals. This month has been so much harder than I anticipated. Somehow I imagined that summer would bring better health and more energy along with sunnier days and warmer temperatures, but it hasn't really. I have spent so much time in bed!

Despite this, there have been some exciting things happening here. Exciting for me anyway, not sure anybody else would define it as such! Haha... 

  • I got new glasses and prescription sunglasses (or was that in May?)
  • I got back into painting after a month off (slowly but surely...)
  • I made a few crafty things while in bed, to brighten my room (will show off soon!)
  • My parents bought us a bunch more mini cacti which I love! (see photos below)

There are many little things that have brought a smile to my heart even though I have been quite weak and flaring lately. It's important to focus on and cherish those little blessings that we so often overlook in the chaos of everyday life. Cultivating an attitude of gratitude. It really makes things easier to handle even if it will never cure our ills or heal our pain, it can certainly make life more pleasant!

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Chronically ill being stalked and denied benefits

Stalked and denied benefits BLOG

On this day last year something very wrong and so unfair came to my attention: People with disabilities, who are deemed unfit for work by doctors and occupational health assessors, are being denied benefits because of their Internet activity. They’re being stalked, not only online, but in real life too!

In this post I will elaborate on some of my thoughts I’d shared online at the time. My heart goes out to anybody who has suffered unnecessarily due to such corruption in the benefits systems, not only here in the UK, but abroad too. I have spent some time in various international support groups online over the years since the onset of my ME/CFS and was shocked to read about people’s experiences of surveillance through windows and being followed.

This means that if the chronically ill applicant dares venture out and is spotted, it could seriously affect their applications for benefits. This is simply wrong on so many levels.

Does this mean that since we are unable to work due to illness, we also no longer have the right to live? No longer have the right to enjoy a rare occasion out or join social media so we can connect with the outside world without the negative consequences of going out and exerting too much? Despite the discomfort and pain we will endure during and after the activity anyway.Continue reading

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