I was summoned by Atos Healthcare, to attend a medical last month. This is because I receive Employment and Support Allowance, formally Incapacity Benefit. This was my second medical, the first one was done in May 2008 at home. I had struggled to get a home medical, as they wanted me to attend one in Bournemouth, a week after having my spinal surgery. I was very upset by this, as I should have been recovering from my operation, after 8 phone calls, many in tears. I eventually convinced them that I could not walk or sit for long, they expected me to sit in a car for an hour and then have a medical and return home, truthfully there was NO way I could manage that.
So as you can gather I was not looking forward to another one, it drags up many emotional feelings and issues from just trying to get my illness diagnosed. I was very lucky though, as I had the Benefits Advisor from the Dorset M.E. Support Group to accompany me.
It was held in offices above the Weymouth Job Centre. I was shown into the room by the doctor and told to sit down. Immediately I realised that this room was on a main road and under the room was a bus stop. I asked the doctor if we could shut the window as it was so noisy. He asked me many questions about my illness and wanted to know dates and details which were extremely hard to remember. I got upset at having to go through it all again and cried, I just could not stop the emotions from flowing. He took my blood pressure and pulse and told me to stand and do some movements with my arms. Then I had to try and bend, which I can't . I was continued to be fired questions at and the doctor tapped in my answers into a extremely noisy keyboard. I had to stop and stand as my back was hurting, then the vibrations from the bus at the bus stop, halting my thinking.
So by now I was hot and flustered, in pain, confused, agitated by the noise and emotionally drained.
I asked the doctor why I had to keep going backwards over the past. I wanted to move forward and these medicals were not helping me. I was not making up my illness and had medical proof for this. It was like trying to convince people that I was ill all over again.
Well this way my experience and I am sharing it with others. I only wish some of the politicians could be in my shoes and see what its really like.
