mr gerry mulhall

[Colleen]

Hi all
i am new and still very raw with the whole thing disease but trying to get`on with things like filling mountains of benefit forms.

[Terry]

Hi Gary and welcome to the forum,

Raw is a good word to use, most of us had similar feelings for a month or two after we were diagnosed.

The forms are a nightmare but necessary. You should be able to get help completing them if you want from a Mnda visitor. Remember to put down your worst day and not what you do first thing or on a good day.

Please feel free to ask any questions or share things with us.

Best wishes, Terry

[mickmac]

Hi Gerry


And welcome to the forum. I hope you find it full of useful information and more importantly full of friendly people who are always there to offer a sympathetic ear even if they can't always help you. Forms are a pain of course and hopefully you will only have to fill them out one time. Wishing you the best.

Mick.

[Gillette]

Hi Gerry and welcome to the forum no-one wants to need. Good for you joining us early on your MND journey.

There’s an amazing amount of help, support, information and, most importantly, experience on here to draw on.

If you are claiming Personal Independence Payment or Attendance Allowance, when you answer each question concentrate on what you CANNOT do, not on what you can:

“I can put on a shirt” can mean either
A. I have no problem putting on a T-shirt or shirt
or
B. I can put on a shirt as I can get my arms in the armholes, but I can’t put on a polo shirt or T-shirt because I can’t lift up my arms.

So make sure you accurately describe the difficulties you have.

[Ellie]

Hi Gerry,

Welcome to the Forum, sorry you've had to join us.

Those raw feelings do lessen and you will laugh again. I know it’s a cliché, but life is what you make of it, no matter the circumstance.

All the best to you.

Love Ellie.

[Kayleigh]

Good afternoon Gerry,

Sorry about your diagnosis but a warm welcome to this forum

Understandably, there is a lot to come to terms with - and the last thing we need is a mountain of forms to complete (but unfortunately the benefits system doesn't seem to take that into account).

Citizens Advice has information about PIP and Attendance Allowance on their website, including detailed advice about how to complete the forms (under the headings 'Help filling in your PIP claim form' and 'Help with filling in the Attendance Allowance form'):-

PIP (if below state pension age):-
http://https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/pip/

Or, Attendance Allowance (if at State Pension Age or above):-
http://https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/attendance-allowance/

Also, you might also find some of the information on the following webpage is useful:-

'Sick or disabled people and carers':-
http://https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/

Best wishes,
Kayleigh

[Barry52]

Hi Gerry and welcome to the club.

It was certainly daunting filling in claim forms but I found a lot of help from my local hospice when I was diagnosed. They offer lots of assistance from therapy to counselling and advice on benefits.

Best wishes,
Barry

[Deb]

Hi Gerry and welcome. I am so sorry for your diagnosis.

The early days after diagnosis are so overwhelming so filling in a mountain of forms must be very daunting. I spoke to a very helpful benefits advisor from the MNDA and my MND nurse gave me a form. This confirmed my diagnosis so I was able to fast track some benefits assessments.

This forum is a very good place for emotional and practical support from people who have lived with the condition for years so it's good you've found us.

Take Care,
Love Debbie x