Brown Envelope Day

As I predicted I have received my brown envelope yesterday with a IB50 old style questionnaire. Perhaps somebody has been reading my blog. I have been preparing myself for this moment for months. Now I have got over the shock, here's how it looks to me.

This is the form from previous experience that asks next to nothing about things involved with a brain injury, The questions relate more physical things, ie: walking, lifting, sitting down, toilet needs etc. Anything relating to a brain injury has to fitted in at the end next to the mental section. From previous experience pretty much whatever I fill in will end up with me going for a medical.

This is when I end up going to the place where they do the medicals which I dislike intensely and which makes me very anxious and my blood pressure goes into orbit. Then at the same time I have to be able to remember all the things I want to tell the doctor while I am feeling very anxious which is not an easy thing to do.

Here are some possible scenarios how I see it:

scenario 1:

fill in form, get no medical. Carry on voluntary work trying to get myself magically fit again, get away from Jeremy Kyle. See what Jobcentre can do to help, you are having a laugh aren't you?. Jobcentre pack me off onto pathways or whatever it is called to practice writing my c.v again [not that anybody takes any notice of your qualifications on your cv when you are damaged goods] and look for non-existent jobs on computer at college. Jobcentre makes unemployment figures look good because you are officialy not on IB. Then get another medical after 2010 and end up on ESA or JSA anyway.

scenario 2:

Fill in IB50, get medical, try and convince doctor if doctor actually listens that you are actually ill and these things it says in GP notes and hospital notes did actually happen and you are not making it up as you go along. Even though you know all along the doctor has to meet his targets and doctor is already thinking in his mind that you look a surefire bet to add to his magically fit for work list.

Scenario 3

Fill in IB50, get medical, pass medical as fit for work, apply for JSA and appeal against medical decision [6 months min] JSA is means tested, get no JSA due to other circumstances except stamp [live off savings] I have done this before when I appealed last time and it is not very pleasant.

The nice people at the Jobcentre tell you not to bother to come in and sign on when you are appealing, thy did the last time anyway. And I thought Jobcentre might help me to find a job paying £20000 a year while I was appealing and forget all this incapacity benefit malarky.

Scenario 4:

Fill in IB50, get medical, pass medical as fit for work, don't bother appealing, get JSA as above, look for a job

Scenario 5:

Don't bother returning form, This is what our caring government wants us all to do, Get a job/part-time job packing soap, filling shelves and claim tax credits. But then make yourself ill in the process because you were only kidding yourself when you thought you were well enough to go back to work again. Go to doctors do not pass go with out collecting prescription for Seroxat.

Scenario 6:

Find a magic cure for brain injury, take magic cure, I thought there would have been a cure coming through with all my spam I get, stop moaning, go back to work and live happily ever after as if you have been living in some dream world for last 18 years.

That's my thoughts for today, now I have got to build myself up to try and fill this damn form in. now do I have any problem controlling my bowels or my bladder?.