(no subject)

[turps]

Hopefully mam will get out of hospital today. Medically she's been okay to come out for a few days but they want her carers to come in for four times a day now, and until that's put in place she couldn't be discharged. So, fingers crossed, that may happen today.

She actually told us not to go in yesterday as she had friends visiting, so we had a day off from visiting. We had plans for a nice day with no actual time deadlines, then remembered that we'd agreed to take the MiL to pick up her new wheelchair, so yet again the grocery shopping had to be done at speed. In the end, as it was a beautiful day, James took her and the FiL and I stayed home to start on a big garden tidy up. It's looking so much better now, and I washed inside of the greenhouse, so hopefully very soon, the seeds can actually be planted.

Since I last posted we went to see Ghost in the Shell, which was okay, but I think I would have enjoyed it more if I hadn't been so tired. James missed half of the film as he fell asleep, but there's nothing unusual about that. He's also had his back to work interview and they're happy for him to go back in the next few weeks.

Yesterday we posted his PIP forms after getting letters from all the important medical people who know him. So now it's just a case of waiting for the next step of that.

Also, on Sunday it was the monthly disabled biking meet-up at Chester-Le-Street. It was another lovely day, and at first I just watched as James went on the double recumbent bike, but then the main volunteer came over to ask if everything was okay and could they do anything else to help James. So I was sitting there thinking, should I say it? and then just asked if it was possible to go on the double side by side bike as I was worried about being too heavy for the frame. Immediately the man said, don't worry about that, and did I want to have a try? And the next thing I knew I was being ushered toward another volunteer who would go out with me for the first ride so he could ensure I was okay. And I was.

After that first lap with the volunteer I went with James next time, I did all the steering and he helped pedal, and it was great. I can't remember the last time I was on a bike, and sure, it was a trike kind and not a two wheeler, but I still did it.

Comments

[frausorge]

Continued good wishes for your mother! And I'll cross my fingers for the PIP.

The biking sounds great. How fun to get to go together! Kudos to you for giving it a chance.

And I hope your garden will flourish this season.

[turps]

Thank you. She's home now, and hopefully will stay that way.

The biking was a lot of fun, but man, did my legs ache that night.

I hope so, at least it looks nicer now.

[pensnest]

Yay for the biking! How nice that you can now do that with James. Is the double frame bike like those little cart things you see on the prom at seaside places, or more of a tricycle with saddles?

I hope your mam's homecoming works out.

[turps]

It's more a tricycle with full seats. So I guess it's a cross between those two. Funnily enough, the last time I was any kind of bike was those cart things at Butlins, and that was when Corey was a toddler, so that shows how long it was. We're both looking forward to the next meeting, and apart from the biking, it was good to talk to new people.

Mam's home but the carers won't be starting until Monday. But she's fine pottering around, and we're all calling in and making sure she's okay.

[ngaio]

Heya, I just wanted to say: I don't know if you've got support for the PIP process, but if you need assistance with the process (assessment representation in particular) then we've just had some really good help from a free volunteer organisation. Give me a shout if you want the details anywhen. (I do have to say we didn't get PIP, just got refused at tribunal today, but that's not the rep's fault!)

[turps]

I'm so sorry you got refused. You may have seen that mam has been in the process of appealing her decision since last July, with her tribunal being deferred last month. It's been a horrible time trying to get things sorted, and fighting the decision all the while.

But, one good thing out of that is we knew to go straight to get help filling in forms for James from the start. The volunteer has been amazing, and I'm so glad people like them exist to freely give help. So, thank goodness we're okay in terms of that.

Thank you for the offer though. When mam first did her PIP she knew nothing about the process, and wish someone had been around to say, here's someone who can help, instead of going in blind.

Good luck with any decisions going forward. As I said, I know how exhausting it is fighting ♥

[turlough]

Good to hear your mam is doing so much better.

Keeping everything crossed for James' PIP!!

The biking club sounds so much fun. I knew you too would soon be swishing away on a bike! That's such a charming photo of you both. You really look like you're enjoying yourself.

[turps]

She really is doing a lot better. Weak still, but that's to be expected.

Thank you, it's a worrying thing. I'll be glad when the decision is in and it's over, but that will be a while yet.

We both had a lot of fun. I was so worried the first time, but the volunteers were amazing.