Hello All I'm New

[ImOrzee]

I really can't say much at this time since I haven't been called up by CL yet, I'm 54 and have a back problem that won't go away just because they want it to, the specialist that I saw about seven years ago told me that what I have cannot be fixed with surgery, or for that matter anything at all. I'll have to do some digging to let you know what I have, but what I can tell you about it it makes sleeping at times very hard, at best I can sometimes get about 3 hours if I'm lucky, I have to make myself zombified to be able to sleep all night and yes that means to stay awake all night and the next day just so I can get some sleep, ok that is one problem, the others are sitting, standing and walking and are all of which I cannot do alot of, I sit for about 15 minutes and get up walk around a bit and sit down again, if I have to stand in a line to wait my turn my legs start to burn with pain and if I have to stay like that for an hour of so I'll have pain for about five to six days afterwards and there's nothing I can take for the pain. I never thought that one day I would have to prove myself to anyone, I guess the people who are in power aren't getting enough money for there own pockets and there friends, so they need to get it from us, which is sad really, I don't want us to end up like the people in America.


ImOzee

[Banjo]

Welcome to the forum imorzee.

Are you applying/considering applying for the Disability Support Pension?
You need to see your specialist again and ask for his opinion of your eligibility then discuss your options.

[ImOrzee]

There is something that I forgot to mention with my first post, over the years I also got diabetes which is something that is going to end up killing me, I have problems with my Liver and Kidneys and now with the stress from the Government my sugar levels are going thought the roof, I guess they wont have to wait long will they, I'm trying my best to stay calm but it's hard and I am also taking medication for blood pressure. Everyday I sit looking out the window hoping not to see the postman stop at my house with that dreaded letter. I don't have anyone here for support I only have myself and that's what makes it really hard.

I'm sorry I totally forgot I have been on the DSP since 2009, I should of mentioned that in the first post but I sometimes forget things.

ImOzee

[murphy]

Welcome, ImOrzee. Although it's been quite a while, as Banjo said, it would be best to return to your specialist, or at least seek advice from your GP.

[brent62]

Welcome mate. You may need to get a second opinion about surgery. I had a similar situation and found another specialist and he had me in surgery within a week and fixed it for the time being but the other vertebrae went years later. Now I see a specialist every year as I'm in the public system and by having a annual consult will at least help with the waiting time for the next op. Start getting all your ducks in a row now in case you end up like I was with a review. This site is great for helping and I owe a lot to the preparation info I received here, not to mention the encouragement from like minded peers here too.

[ImOrzee]

Hi Brent62, nice to meet you,

I rather not have surgery on my back if I can help it, my mother had surgery on her back and with that could never walk again, I was told if it were possible it would be a 50/50 chance in success, I'm not a gambling man I don't like taking risks and further more I don't think the Government has any right in using Blackmail against us, because that's what it is, it's straight up Blackmail, have surgery if doesn't work you end up in a wheel chair you can stay on the DSP, that's what they are really saying to people like us.

Brent62 I wish you all the best and hope your next op is a success and your life can be whole again, it seems that you have alot of faith in the system and believe it will work, I wish I could be the same and just go for it, but I'm not, because I'm scared it will not work and I'll never walk again.

ImOrzee

[brent62]

ImOrzee, I can understand that. If I had someone close to me who had that result I guess I may have thought twice. I do have faith as it was the GP's, who aren't specialist, who told me it was a risk but when I went to the neurosurgeon, who works with the spinal chord, I had no qualms at all as they do it all the time and now days it's routine keyhole type of surgery. Each to their own I say. But I do not want to go through that intense pain before leading up to surgery again. Sleeping sitting up right for a few hours at a time and only sleeping because of the exhaustion and the meds kick in for a few hours. The electric shock sensations would kick me out of bed when I hit a bad position.

Yes this government is so callously out of touch. The Australian fondness for the underdog is far from their views. They despise the struggling class, taking away all they can while giving, and protecting, the big end of town. I still don't understand how the people buy this division they have created. Everyone is one bad day away from living on struggle street, silver spoon in mouth or not, and the "Stuff you I'm all right Jack " voters are a disgrace.

Ahh, it feels good to have a rant.

[ImOrzee]

I also believe it's good to get things off ones chest from time and time, it makes it easier to get through the day.
My injury isn't just the spinal cord it's also the spine itself, it had been shunted out of alignment when I was in a car accident, I hit a tree sideways at about 80 to 90 miles an hour, I ended up in a coma for 2 months with that and had to learn how to walk again, I know all about pain I've been living with it for a long time now.

I was on newstart for many years before I found out about the DSP, I never knew what it was or hard of it, I went through alot with Centrelink over the years did everything they said to do until I couldn't anymore, the pain was getting just to much.
I also know what it's like to sleep at night with a back injury and sitting down, walking can be a pain as well, but you just keep going without thinking that you have this problem.

[krystal]

Oct 26, 2016 7:02:19 GMT 7 ImOrzee said:

Hi Brent62, nice to meet you,

I rather not have surgery on my back if I can help it, my mother had surgery on her back and with that could never walk again, I was told if it were possible it would be a 50/50 chance in success, I'm not a gambling man I don't like taking risks.

Welcome to the forum Orzee. There are people on this forum that are at the same frustration level as you and, in my case, have given much needed support.

Not knowing whether you will receive a letter or not is frustrating. I will ditto Banjo and say, if there is a possibility you will receive a letter, be ready for it, visit your doctor and specialist and have the reports etc ready to go.

I will add, that under the Impairment Tables, 50/50 chances on the surgery doesn't fit into the criteria of "Reasonable Treatment".  From what you have said, it doesn't meet (c), (e) or (f).  But again, much better if your doctor puts it in writing.

Reasonable treatment

(7) For the purposes of subsection 6(6), reasonable treatment is treatment that:

(a) is available at a location reasonably accessible to the person; and

(b) is at a reasonable cost; and

(c) can reliably be expected to result in a substantial improvement in functional capacity; and

(d) is regularly undertaken or performed; and

(e) has a high success rate; and

(f) carries a low risk to the person.