Tribunal

Well as you can see from the posting below I WON!! The relief has not really hit home yet but I’m sure it soon will and I’ll be opening bottles of very expensive virtual champagne for us all.

For those who don’t know [ and have asked ] I have suffered from severe clinical depression and anxiety for over 15 years now and back in February they stopped my benefit saying I was fit to work. I have worked and worked hard some of the time during the last 15 years but the black dog is never far away and it always comes back to get me. The whole episode has set me back severely and I can tell you that there have been times during the last 7 months that I have nearly thrown in the towel and vowed not to take it any further. I’ve had wonderful support from you lovely lot and friends and family and I saw it through.

Two really spooky things happened this morning. As we were parking up my favourite record came on the radio – Looking Back over my Shoulder by Mike and the Mechanics. Just love that song. And naturally I was busting for the loo before we went in and in the loo was the strangest fluorescent lighting I have ever seen. It Was PURPLE. Now in my naivety I was convinced it was the purple vibe that bucked me up no end as I was in a terrible state by then. It was only after that my daughter told me that it was special lighting that they use in public loos to stop drug addicts shooting up because you can’t find veins under that light. That took the shine off it somewhat, but what the hell.

The actual Tribunal was not too bad. There was a Doctor and a Solicitor. We did not have to go through the papers individually but the Doc had obviously read it all through very carefully and asked me lots of questions and was very kind. The Solicitor was writing away throughout the whole proceedings and did not fill me with confidence. To cut a long story short they sent us out and called us back in after about 10 minutes and told us that they had found in my favour.

After ringing OH with the good news my daughter and I treated ourselves to a lovely lunch with gateaux and cappuccino and then hit the shops. Sadly the gateau [chocolate orange mousse cake] is still sitting a bit heavy and I’m shattered from all the anxiety [ and shopping] but I’m a happier bunny than this time yesterday.

Once again thanks a zillion for all your good wishes and support. We are an exceptional group of people who have somehow found one and other, don’t know how but long may it continue.

BTW had a lovely email from Jep with her congratulations.

Love Toady
XXXX