About this blog

I decided to write this blog because I have been trying to find information about strokes and how it affects the family rather than just the person who had the stroke. Most of the stuff I found was just support groups and how family can help the patient. I didn't find many personal stories of how it affected the family as a whole, and didn't find any blogs about the carers. Usually, the focus is on the person who has had the stroke, but those who are directly involved in their care, are misrepresented. And so - Who cares for the carers? was launched. I have crammed the first month into a few posts since we are only a month into his recovery, but once I am up to date, I will update any time there is anything to tell. I would love to hear from anyone in a similar situation, or even if reading this blog has hit a chord or helped anyone, then my job will be done. It is also therapy for me to be able to write what's on my mind. The road to recovery is a long one, both for the sufferer and their families.

Monday 15 June 2009

Why won't anyone help?

This week we've been trying to find out if there is any help for us out there in Strokeville. Why is everything so complicated? Disability says you have to have been off for 3 months and likely to be off for the next 6 months to qualify. Just who the hell is going to pay our bills while we are waiting for their poxy small amount per week anyway? Sick pay is worse than the disability, and we are living in a £600 a month rented house, earning £88 a week, plus tax credits and child benefit. Needless to say nothing is getting paid except the rent. Nobody will help us until he has a note saying that he CAN'T work, and yet the dr's keep fobbing us off, come back in 4 weeks. This is all well and good, but in the mean time he's not allowed to drive, and he's not allowed to work, and yet nobody wants to do anything to help us. We have both worked since leaving school, well at least I did until we had the kids, but then he was working full time. We've never been on benefits before, we've worked hard, and yet some people seem to get benefits with no problem. I'm sure we all know the kind I mean, and then people like us, with a life changing issue that we could never have forseen, has to get in debt because nobody wants to know. Calling the lenders or other utility companies does absolutely nothing, they want your money and that's it. You should have taken out payment protection. All very well, and yes maybe I should have, but even if I HAD have gotten payment protection, it wouldn't pay out because it's NOT me who is sick, and the bills/debts are in my name.

I can't even work myself because of the kids, he can't manage all 3 of them by himself and there is no way I could afford childcare for 3 kids and make enough to pay the bills as well.

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