Are you sitting comfortably?

[AlisonM]

Then I'll begin... First off I bet most of you are to young to remember that.

As a long term layabout currently pulling a sicky, it wasn't much of a surprise to me when I was summoned by the Jobsworths to an interview. Imagine my amazement then when I found I wasn't being hauled in to discuss ways of getting back to work, oh no. This was a discussion aimed at getting me the support I need to learn to live with diabetes. My gaster has never been so flabbered.

In a half hour chat I was told about various services available in the Highlands that I can make use of, including counselling, which you may recall my doctor said would take a year. With this bunch I can probably get to see someone next week. It seems the DWP has got together with the NHS to provide a service for people with chronic health issues to provide support and advice as well as access to extra funding.

You could have knocked me over with a feather. I almost sang the first 40 verses of the Hedgehog Song in celebration.

Upshot, someone will call me next week to set up an appointment with a counsellor, to be followed at some point by an appointment with a diabetic specialist who can advise on diet, exercise, etc., etc., and so on.

I am a happy bunny, well relatively speaking, on a scale of 1 to winning the lottery, I'd say I'm about a 5. All I need to do now is get my numbers back down where they should be.

 

[Corrine]

Thats great news and not something you get everyday! Let me know how it goes....

 

[rossi_mac]

Thats great news Alison, and thanks for pointing me towards the hedgehog song I'd forgotton about it, hilarious!!

Hope you have a good weekend/friday night.

Take care.

Rossi

 

[vince13]

Then I'll begin... First off I bet most of you are to young to remember that.

Firstly, I'm afraid I am one of the ones who CAN remember that beginning ! Oh well, the Good Old Days eh ?

Secondly, it's great news about the support you are now being offered - grab it with both hands and anything else on offer (down girl !).

Best of luck -

 

[HelenP]

Oh yes, Alison, I remember that............................................. 🙄

Sounds like a brill service you're getting up there north of the border........

xx

 

[Caroline Wilson]

That's brilliant news. I hope it works out and you get loads of support and everything you need.

 

[cazscot]

Thats great news, I hope you get the support you need. x

 

[sofaraway]

Thats great Allison. Getting things directly through the NHS often takes so long. I recently had counselling through work and had an appointment within a week. I'm sure I'd still be waiting if I was getting it through my GP.

 

[AlisonM]

The counselling service is something I really want. There's times when I desperately need to sit down with someone and talk through what's going on in my head. I really struggle with it all some days. I don't like taking the happy pills either, they don't help you deal with the problem, they only mask the symptoms. This way I get a course of CBT (Cognitive Behaviour Therapy) which should give me the tools I need to turn myself around.

Isn't it crazy that the DWP can put you forward for this and get it right away while you'd have to wait a year going via your doctor? No matter, I'll take all the help I can get, whoever offers it.

 

[katie]

That really is amazing Alison! 😱 Goodluck with it all, hope it helps you lots x

 

[am64]

wow result hey...they are really trying to get the benefit numbers down! hope they are good xx

 

[williammcd]

good luck alisonm ,hope i get the same chance im long time sicky as well in sunny glasgow a small fishing village on the clyde lol

 

[SilentAssassin1642]

yaaaaaaaay, great news allison, let us know how it goes!

 

[wallycorker]

It's good to know that some parts of the UK sound to be operating how they ought to be. Please let us know what sort of advice you receive.

I hope that it won't be the "do not test" and "eat plenty of starchy carbohydrate" advice that is given out so extensively to non-insulin dependent Type 2s.

 

[Tezzz]

Then I'll begin... First off I bet most of you are to young to remember that.

I'm not too young to remember that...😱

Well done, you're hopefully going to get a good service.

Have you made a list of what you want? Free BG strips for example?

Getting your numbers down is a good idea.... The guys at work think I live by my meter... however I have the lowest HbA1c.... Hopefully I'll delay complications.