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<blockquote data-quote="GraceK" data-source="post: 346726" data-attributes="member: 47233"><p>With all due respect I do think the DLA rules should be changed where 'walking' is concerned. There are many reasons why a person may be unable to walk, and it's not always because they have a limb missing etc. There are people who can only walk very short distances due to breathing problems, balance problems, arthritis, incontinence, epilepsy etc. and although technically they may be able to stand on two feet it may take them all day to get to the bottom of the garden, it may be extremely painful, nauseating, humiliating, terrifying even - and THAT'S what should be taken into account when assessing a person's level of disability. </p><p></p><p>We see athletes fitted with false legs who can sprint and run marathons and good luck to them if they can do that and lead a fairly normal life. But there are those whose normal life and daily activities are 'constantly interrupted' by pain, incontinence, seizures, dizziness but somehow that kind of disability seems to not be so visible. I suffered with Meniere's Disease for several years. I was afraid to walk for the simple reason that I never knew when an attack would come on and I would end up bouncing all over the place. If anyone has seen the Poseidon Adventure where the ship turns upside down, that's what a Meniere's attack is like, the person cannot get their balance, cannot stand up, constantly falls over because the world around them is constantly spinning. I developed agoraphobia due to that, I had more falls than I care to remember, I was constantly nauseous and throwing up, I was completely deaf in one or both ears for months and then suddenly my hearing would return - but I wasn't considered physically disabled enough to claim anything. Why? Because those who make these decisions are not qualified or competent enough to understand the true ramifications of these 'not very visible' medical conditions. As usual, broken or missing limbs can be SEEN, therefore the disability is deemed more serious but truly without minimising the problems that amputees may have, there are many, many people out there whose daily lives are a total misery because of disabilities that aren't as obvious as having a missing limb.</p><p></p><p>And the financial impact, the impact on their working lives is very very overlooked. Try going to work with Meniere's for example - Deafness. Nausea. Sudden loudness when hearing returns. Can't stand up. Fall over. Bounce off walls. Roll around on floor. Vomit. Room around you constantly spinning. Safer to lie on the floor. Hmmm ... daily activities - capable of none. What do most people actually know about Meniere's? Zilch. Most people including DLA and ATOS ask you questions like "And how does your Meniere's affect your hearing?" The balance problem and the fact a person can't even stand up is hardly acknowledged if at all - it's minimised.</p><p></p><p>I'm lucky in that my Meniere's burned itself out and my hearing and balance have returned to what I'd think is a little less than normal for my age, but livable with. But when I had it, I had it for several years before anyone realised what it was, they just thought I was getting doddery and falling over for no reason until I woke up in the night feeling sick, tried to get out of bed and found the room was spinning so rapidly that I couldn't stand up. The damage I did to myself bouncing off the walls and floor and furniture was incredible. Even my GP didn't realise the extent that a Meniere's attack can affect your life. I was actually asked had I been drinking!!! :x </p><p></p><p>I wish.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="GraceK, post: 346726, member: 47233"] With all due respect I do think the DLA rules should be changed where 'walking' is concerned. There are many reasons why a person may be unable to walk, and it's not always because they have a limb missing etc. There are people who can only walk very short distances due to breathing problems, balance problems, arthritis, incontinence, epilepsy etc. and although technically they may be able to stand on two feet it may take them all day to get to the bottom of the garden, it may be extremely painful, nauseating, humiliating, terrifying even - and THAT'S what should be taken into account when assessing a person's level of disability. We see athletes fitted with false legs who can sprint and run marathons and good luck to them if they can do that and lead a fairly normal life. But there are those whose normal life and daily activities are 'constantly interrupted' by pain, incontinence, seizures, dizziness but somehow that kind of disability seems to not be so visible. I suffered with Meniere's Disease for several years. I was afraid to walk for the simple reason that I never knew when an attack would come on and I would end up bouncing all over the place. If anyone has seen the Poseidon Adventure where the ship turns upside down, that's what a Meniere's attack is like, the person cannot get their balance, cannot stand up, constantly falls over because the world around them is constantly spinning. I developed agoraphobia due to that, I had more falls than I care to remember, I was constantly nauseous and throwing up, I was completely deaf in one or both ears for months and then suddenly my hearing would return - but I wasn't considered physically disabled enough to claim anything. Why? Because those who make these decisions are not qualified or competent enough to understand the true ramifications of these 'not very visible' medical conditions. As usual, broken or missing limbs can be SEEN, therefore the disability is deemed more serious but truly without minimising the problems that amputees may have, there are many, many people out there whose daily lives are a total misery because of disabilities that aren't as obvious as having a missing limb. And the financial impact, the impact on their working lives is very very overlooked. Try going to work with Meniere's for example - Deafness. Nausea. Sudden loudness when hearing returns. Can't stand up. Fall over. Bounce off walls. Roll around on floor. Vomit. Room around you constantly spinning. Safer to lie on the floor. Hmmm ... daily activities - capable of none. What do most people actually know about Meniere's? Zilch. Most people including DLA and ATOS ask you questions like "And how does your Meniere's affect your hearing?" The balance problem and the fact a person can't even stand up is hardly acknowledged if at all - it's minimised. I'm lucky in that my Meniere's burned itself out and my hearing and balance have returned to what I'd think is a little less than normal for my age, but livable with. But when I had it, I had it for several years before anyone realised what it was, they just thought I was getting doddery and falling over for no reason until I woke up in the night feeling sick, tried to get out of bed and found the room was spinning so rapidly that I couldn't stand up. The damage I did to myself bouncing off the walls and floor and furniture was incredible. Even my GP didn't realise the extent that a Meniere's attack can affect your life. I was actually asked had I been drinking!!! :x I wish. [/QUOTE]
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