I had my head injury in 2012 and my family contacted Adult Services in the County Council to see if there were any funds or services to help me. Apparently I didn't meet the criteria.
My wife had a number of car crashed and not only had PCS but PTSD, still didn't meet the criteria. Unfortunately, as a result of the impacts she then lost most of her sight and became registered as Sight visually impaired.
Bingo!! suddenly she qualifies for support, rehabilitation, payments for a personal assistant if she wants them.
The additional frustration is that her eyes and the back of her eyes are fine, it is the head injury and associate neurological condition that has caused the lack of vision.
And neither symptom has any visible signs of injury
Written by
sospan
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So Sharon finally got a consultation with a neurologist ? It's good to hear her entitlements are recognised at last but I'm really sorry to hear she's lost so much vision ; it must be a pretty isolating feeling at times.
I complain about my failing reading vision and the inability to access new reading glasses, but by Sharon's standards I guess I'm lucky. Hope you're both coping ok otherwise, despite the Covid fall-out.
Sharon has seen several specialists Ophthalmologist (5), Cardiologist, Orthopaedics etc plus 4 A&E consultants. They have all indicated that her problems are Neurological. An MRI even indicated a white spot on her skull and a similar one on her brain. With five significant concussions, in 3 years also gives a pretty strong indicator that there could be a Neurological problem
She had an appointment with a Neurologist before Christmas. The doctor a young lady from Iraq whom had a passable English, spent the first 10 minutes inadvertently reading another patients notes. She then asked Sharon to do the basic tests - grip hands, lift arms, smile etc. Sharon then said that her forehead was sensitive to the touch and movement. This point the Neurologist diagnosed Sharon with Migraine, wrote a prescription and discharged her.
When I asked about the blindness, apparently the 5 Ophthalmologists have made a misdiagnosis and there is no connection with Neurology, same with the Cardiologist and the A&E consultants. The white spots the MRI detected - irrelevant as it is migraine related.
by coincidence, she received a letter today from the GP regarding arranging an appointment with a different Neurologist. As the GP wrote "it may be some time before you can be seen" When I had my injury 9 years ago, the same Neurologist had a waiting list several years long and never got to see him. With Covid adding to the delay, he will have retired before Sharon sees him.
It doesn't help being partially sighted when you are also dyslexic and have poor memory. She was never a good cook, and after the meal she tried to prepare the other night is banned from the stove. We had peas which had more salt in them than a bag of Pork scratchings!
What is quite comical is me with dodgy knees and hips and balance issues, arm in arm guiding Sharon with her dodgy knee and hip, frozen shoulder and can't see properly. We just look like we have been to a really good party
Thank god for humour ! I don't know where my family & I would be without the rather dark humour we've honed over the years.
I'm sure it's a tiresome and upsetting business at times but, in your words Steve, your last sentence paints a hilarious picture .......I suppose the term is 'Tragically Funny' ?
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