I was born with a club foot, have had 15 operations, have problems walking and find it painful, when I was younger I was told I was the most severe case on record but how true this was I dont know, photos from my surgeries etc were taken all over the world, my consultant pioneered an operation for me, as a more trained consultant refused to operate as my case was too complicated. This has caused me lots of problems without going into detail.
However when I was 12 my consultant mentioned that I would qualify for DLA, which at the time my mum knew nothing about, after a doctors visit I was awarded the Higher rate, which my mum used to get a car to help ferry me around to school, hospital appointments etc, I was awarded it for 12 years in total.
When it came to being renewed, I was refused it, so I went to appeal, I was on my own as I didnt know I could actually get help to appeal, there was a panel of 3 sitting in front of me, they asked if I had walked from the train station or got a taxi, I said walked slowling keeping sitting down, as we didnt know how far we had to walk, one of the people looked out the window, pointed to 2 lamposts across the road and asked me if I could walk between them without stopping, I was then told I wasnt elligable as I could walk too far - it was that simple.
For a good few years I was very angry about the desicision as my condition isnt likely to get better, and even my GP has told me its likely to get worse over time, which it has done, well last year as I said earlier I had to go to see CAB over some financial issues, and it was mentioned if I had got everything I was entitled to, and I mentioned DLA had been refused, I got asked a load of questions, and was told I could see someone who specialised in DLA claims, he was very upfront and told me that he would only help me if he thought I had a good chance of success, he walked me through step by step what had to be done, organised evidence and everything, and within a month I had got my benefit back.
But I used to work with a lady who knew someone who was in a wheelchair and had spina bifida, and they took hers away, as they said she was mobile in her chair, they did give it back in the end though.