General   (General discussion, talk about anything.)

PeterP and Orrellite,

I believe that people understand that genuine cases are deserving.

We do our best to help our daughter every way we can, but after a lifetime of working, our savings are diminishing rapidly, so our ability to cope is under pressure.

My daughter is about to go over to Direct Payments, and she is funded 50% by the NHS and 50% by Social Services. You cannot begin to imagine what you have to go through to achieve NHS funding, for us it was totally harrowing. The interview was by 3 people and took 4 hours.

I have not by any means mentioned all my daughters health conditions, or even the worst of them. There are several that I can't even spell without checking and they are very rare. Most doctors have never heard of them, never mind anyone outside of the medical profession. Our learning curve has been dramatic!

She has been assessed as needing 24 hour care, which she has refused. We do have a carer 12 hours a week at the moment. So the other 6.5 days and 7 nights a week, we are her carers. Mostly me, as she needs help with her personal care, and I sleep very lightly, if at all! I really don't get much sleep, 4 -5 hours is the norm.

The only point I was attempting to make is that what might appear to be non essential, could be vital for someone else, as crazy as it appears to be on the surface.

We are both pensioners. We do ok. But I might as well stand in the front garden burning £5 notes as keep my daughters car roadworthy, but as I hope I've explained, it's essential to her.

I agree that the system is abused, by people from all over the world it seems but we pay enough into it as a nation to be able to help our most vulnerable and sick.

The mismanagement of NHS funding is the place to start I believe. But at a higher level than personal budgets. The abuse of the system by Health Tourists needs to be controlled immediately.

It would be interesting to see how the funding would be if we had a system like other countries do, no health insurance no entry.

I know you both have your own crosses to bear, as do many others on here.

Peter, my best wishes for your wife's recovery. You are a perfect example of how it's not just getting over the physical problems.

orrellite, I know your grandson is doing very well. I hope after your wife's last treatment, she gets the all clear. xxx