Friday 27 June 2014

Jack and Jill

Jack and Jill went up the hill and hills are a particular problem here - stairs in this case.  There aren't a lot of actual hills in the Fens, although I have heard of a village in a particularly flat area which has a Mountain Rescue team - I think it is an excuse to get together in the pub on a regular basis......

The second stairlift man came yesterday, and gave us a bit of a ridiculous price for a contraption.  Honestly, paying three times what I paid for my car for a seat on a rail to go upstairs seems really harsh to me.  However, the FH had another wee episode after climbing the stairs on Wednesday evening, when I wasn't at home, and the EFG thinks he blacked out for a moment or two, so we can't wait on this any longer.  We are having a stairlift fitted next Wednesday - for £900 less than yesterday's quote because a) the chap has offered us a lift with a motor that has had three month's use, and b) because I negotiated a little more off that what he was at first prepared to offer.

I had some good advice from ladies at the Craft Club this morning, who recommended that we go to the Citizen's Advice about what we might be entitled to as far as help goes in this and other things.  I will look into that next week.

I had the lady here today who is my tutor for the Faith & Worship course, and we are still hoping to get the third big section done by the end of September, but we are both realistic and know that this depends on how things pan out.  Kindly, she recognised that sorting things like stairlifts and baths out for the FH is taking up a lot of my time at present, and that needs to be the priority.  She is a very good sort.

And, by the by, I've finished an OCC hat this morning, so I am off now to have a cup of tea and at least cast on the next one whilst the FH is watching Mock the Week.  I'll tell you all about the bedsticks another time - I should think a few of you know what a bedstick is, but some of you might be as bemused as I was!!

6 comments:

Unknown said...

Wow that is a lot of money but not too much for peace of mind x

Angela said...

I had a mental block there- knew bedstick, but forgot OCC - tried out Over Cast Crochet, Odd Coloured Cables, Ordinary Cotton Cloche...before I remembered Operation Christmas Child!

The stairlift will be a boon and a blessing when it arrives - and I am sure the CAB will have helpful advice.

weekend blessings x

DeliveringGrace said...

Definitely worth checking out benefits. Attendance allowance certainly comes to mind. We had our council tax lowered by a band as there is a bathroom which is for the exclusive use of one, less able, person. I don't know whether this will be the case for you after alterations but is worth checking. Our local carers' group has had some useful tips-I never go to the meetings but the newsletters often have been helpful. We have been able to get 40 hours respite, at home, per year, which is really helpful if we need to be out over a mealtime.

kathy said...

I know that stairlifts don't come cheap but mine is a boon! I managed to get a reconditioned one at a good price. Good advice about going to CAB, I have had some good help from them when sorting out my father's affairs. Don't get me started on applying for PIP.....form has been in since the beginning of February still awaiting to hear. Six months++ wait is the norm!!
I have only recently found your blog (and really enjoy it) I do not know what your FH has but I have found the MacMillan nurses very helpful, I was under the impression they were just for cancer patients (80% of their work is) but they do deal with other illness as well. (I, personally, have pulmonary fibrosis a life limiting lung disease). They have sign-posted me to other agencies that can help. Kathy x

Sarah Head said...

Morgan, there should be a financial advisor at the hospice who can apply for various funds for you. You should already be getting attendence allowance, either partial or full which is not means tested. If the consultant has given your husband a terminal diagnosis then other allowances will also be fast tracked. I would ring the hospice on Monday and see what they say. Macmillan also have a financial advisory service which is accessibly by phone which is very good and the same criteria should apply in your husband's case as if he were suffering with cancer. CAB are wonderful but some offices have long waiting times for appointments and you need advice sooner rather than later.

Lyssa Medana said...

I feel your pain with stairlifts. We may be looking at one, but our stairs aren't suitable. On the positive, it will make a massive difference to the quality of life and that is really a big deal.

I have no idea about bedsticks... WS xxx