A long rave

[eth]

Good morning my dear @Shaz51   I wish I could give you tips re the carer's pension application but it's 14 years since I did it, and I was only approved for the allowance not the full pension.  This despite my child being legally blind.  I think I was at a stage where I didn't want to make our life seem too much for me as the parent, with the doctors - if that makes sense.  My only advice is to answer the questions based on what the worst days are like.  Maximise the number of hours you are involved in actively caring for her, and as much detail as possible about the actual things you do for her  - out and about too but particularly at home (hers and yours).  e.g. lately having to do her dressings and help her wash herself (I'm sure you had to do this some of the time while her recent injury was acute).   Prepare meals for her.  Whatever makes it clear how significantly she needs your help at times.  Hope this is helpful.

Hey @Adge   glad to hear your surgery went ahead and that you are now back at home safely.  Sorry I wasn't around on the day.  Take good care my friend.

Hi also to @Mazarita @Exoplanet  @Zoe7 @frog @Angels333 @Maggie @Judi9877 @Bezak482 @Anastasia @MDT @Fluttershy1 @Emelia8  @TAB @Molliex @BlueBay  and anyone else reading here today.  Sorry I've not replied earlier but I've not been on the forums the last couple of days.  Tends to happen mid-week for me.

Life's been ok this week, if somewhat boring.  But spent the morning in the garden yesterday which was great for me in the sunshine and fresh air.  Well maybe not so fresh ... I was spreading 'chook poo tea' all over our 10 raised garden beds where we grow herbs, veg, fruit ...!! And then watered it in.  Preparing the garden for its overhaul soon that we do a few times a year.  Transplanted quite a few things out of the beds that are going to be turned over.  We cultivate the soil with chook poo, aged compost, seaweed emulsion, dynamic lifter ... smelly at times but really rich and productive.   It was a pleasure to get into it again after not doing much out there for some time.

Today I have my psychologist appointment, a phone support with a support worker, and intend to do a big coles order online - a job that takes me longer than actually going to the supermarket!   Both my support workers cancelled this week due to covid contacts close to them damn it.  Just when I had increased from 2 to 8 hrs a week.  So they are just doing 1 hr phone support each per week again now.

Back to avoiding all contact but my family people here (4 of us in 3 dwellings)  and wearing a mask if I have to go into a shop or the chemist - no matter how briefly I'm in there.  Covid came back to our city several days ago and yesterday reached our suburb.  Someone who was infected went on a pub crawl up our main street.  Bl006Y  Idiot!!!  

I haven't read all your posts yet so will do so now and reply where I can.

Hope today is one of the better ones for all reading.

Take care and stay safe and kind everyone.

[TAB]

nice one re pub crawl @eth  jk lol

@Shaz51  there are eligibility criteria on internet think, well saw stuff for DSP once, hopefully you get a good person if not go to centercare or ask people like mothers dr, they would know the drill  Good Luck think pension is income based well it is, carers payment prob a lot easier to get as only couple hundred a week, but doesnt matter how much you earn..  

[Maggie]

@eth  Sorry about the support cancellations this week.

Out in the garden sounds lovely, specially with a bit of sun. I have just bought some plants for my garden, hoping to plant them over the weekend.

Nice to see you here when you can manage it, you sound busy ish mid week, which is good for you I think. Take care. 💜💜

[BlueBay]

Hope you're having a nice day @eth xxoo

[Shaz51]

ohhh my sister @eth , I think i will be applying for the carers allownace my friend 

ho are you today xxxx

[eth]

Hi @BlueBay @Maggie @TAB  and @Shaz51  

Shaz when I had carers allowance it was only $45 a fortnight.  Very much hope it's gone up a lot since then.  You really deserve the full pension in my opinion.

Turned into a pretty busy day today from about mid-day.  An hour with my psychologist on facetime (I really like this one, usually feel good after I finish a session with her.  Then an hour on a zoom meeting with the disability alliance talking about positive influences and turning a negative into a positive.  Then an hour phone support from a support worker.  All back to back.  Really needed some down time after that.  

Heading next door for shepherds pie soon cooked by my sil's mum.  Hope to be back later to answer tags and join in the Friday Feast but will see how tired I am when I get back.  Didn't get my coles order done but it will have to wait til tomorrow.  Will aim to do it nice and early so I can get Sunday delivery.

Still very stirred up after a challenging phone call with an old friend last night.  Which included her asking me to explain about bipolar and complex PTSD and then really invalidating me after I answered her.  I am over being responsible for someone else's education about mental health.  If they can't be bothered doing some reading about it I resent having to use more energy than I have to inform them.  Especially when they can't listen reflectively or empathise, but judge and contradict my lived experience.  So much I could say here.  Not over it.  

[TAB]

okay sorry its $65 a week plus income counts not assets, not what thought read couople years ago maybe they have clamped down on it @eth  @Shaz51 

yeah had similar tell me situations  not necess mh but where asked to supply ammo against self in general then get everyhing said pulled apart

So now I realise being brief, directing them to look it up and re directing conv all legitimate 

[Emelia8]

So sorry to hear all that @eth  😕

As for carers allowance .. Yes its gone up a lot since you were on it. I get it as carer for hubby, and its currently $131.90 per fortnight @Shaz51 . But you also qualify for a carer allowance bonus of $1200, which is paid in July annually.

Em 🌸

[eth]

Hey @Emelia8 (love your new avatar!) and @TAB  Thanks for getting it.  Yes it really showed me that I need boundaries and even to protect myself if I am going to stay friends with this person.  She is very depressed at the moment (in tears when I rang her after 4 text messages from her during eating dinner) and stuck in a living situation that's not working for her.  So typical me went to the rescue.  This was the first hour of our 2 hour conversation.  Have made a time over the weekend to go through her public housing application forms with her (on the phone).  Given that I did it myself so recently I feel I'll be helpful to her, but not if it's at the price of not being able to be my authentic self and feel safe with her.  My psychologist said I should only be there for her for 50 min or less, not the 2 hours I said I'd give her.  It was good to talk with the psychologist about it.  I've also written a new poem since it happened.  So stirred up.  Time to word up!

[TAB]

sounds like shes fighting herself, I wouldnt take anything she said personally re her situation @eth  yeah may have been unpleasant inconsiderate and hurtful but prob cmae from her own doubts/fears/expectation that you would just tell her stuff

Ha, I got letter from old uni re alumnus lol  was comp for $100 voucher tell me about covid and spare time or somesuch so I twisted it with refs to living tough etc haha well didnt sound that bad in the end, and felt good was less than 200 wds guess