Hi, my name is Snowdog! — Scope | Disability forum
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Hi, my name is Snowdog!

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Snowdog
Snowdog Community member Posts: 2 Listener
in Start here and say hello!
I'm already a regular direct debit donator to Scope and think it's an incredibly far reaching charity with all thats happening in Britain of late.
I have Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis and was diagnosed in 2009 aged 50. I am currently fighting the revised ESA form (on top of my PPMS and COPD) and I wish those in power recognised that any ONE of those is enough to put you into despair.
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  • Sam_Alumni
    Sam_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,671 Disability Gamechanger
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    Hi @Snowdog welcome to the community and thanks so much for being a regular donator to Scope! 

    I hope you enjoy the community, take a look at Recent Discussions for all the latest posts and you can search all the categories here.

    We have a How To guide for the online community here that might help you navigate around, if you have any questions, just ask away, we are a friendly group.
    Scope
    Senior online community officer
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  • Alex
    Alex Posts: 1,305 Pioneering
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    Hi @Snowdog,

    How are you? Did you apply for ESA? I hope you're still not fighting the form!

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  • Snowdog
    Snowdog Community member Posts: 2 Listener
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    Oh. I ended up getting it back to them late, even with the help of my MS team.
    I haven't done anything like it for years, and I try to avoid anxiety because I know how seriously that triggers my cognitive MS. Having that under control recently I hadn't realised how much it had declined until I faced a form.
    It made no sense to me at all !!! Even with help I struggled !!!
    Annoyingly I have Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis and nearly all questions required an 'It varies' response. On the surface it suggested I'm fine but I'm really not, as my original ESA assessed me medium(care) and high(mobility) for a non- specific (wrong word) period.
    I know I can't expect to improve, as it has no cure and is degenerative (in my case loss of faecal and urinary incontinence, drop foot, leg and hip pain have all added since my initial assessment) but there's no facility to clarify that and even MS specialists don't understand PPMS.
    Ah, well, now I have no choice but await the worst and then try to appeal. I really do not need the uncertainty on top of all else but...

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  • Sam_Alumni
    Sam_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,671 Disability Gamechanger
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    Hi @Snowdog as you say, when you have an impairment that fluctuates it is very difficult to get across your day to day needs on the forms. 

    Best of luck with your claim, if it isnt good news, there is lots of information here about mandatory reconsideration and appeal.
    Scope
    Senior online community officer
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