[240/366] bleh

[cosmolinguist]

I woke up at 3:30 and couldn't get back to sleep. About 11 I went back to bed for a nap, and was woken an hour later by Andrew's dad calling to talk to him about the result of the Lib Dems' leadership election, which is how we found out the result. I'm not surprised but I am sad and tired. Not a fun way to start (well, "start") the day.

I did do the lunchtime zoom for the third day in a row, and it's 2-1 now on whether it makes me feel better or worse, so that seemed worth doing. Yesterday (no, day before? I dunno) it just seemed to heighten the loneliness, which is a problem I have with video socializing sometimes, that "showing a hungry person pictures of food" thing. So I'm glad today was good again.

This afternoon Andrew and I did the rest of his PIP application. Well, the part of it that's hard work. And it is hard: it re-traumatizes people and reinforces horrible ableism, especially internalized ableism.

That wiped us both out, so the rest of the day has been mostly comfort TV and takeaway. So much rain outside I'm amazed it isn't a day I have to go to work! I was glad I got to stay inside.

Comments

[barakta]

wow! Well done on the PIP.

Sorry to hear about the less good things and lack of sleep. I hope you get better sleep tonight.

[cosmolinguist]

Well he's got to call up for the form and I have to actually fill it all in...and I have to get the printer to work long enough to print out all the pages I've typed up today and everything. I've got a few details to chase up still and some tidying up to do, but like I said we've got the difficult questions done.

[otter]

Is PIP the UK equivalent of Social Security Disability in the US? The latter is a degrading process here, and we've involved lawyers for Mouse, Tiger and Sweet W. Mouse got approved first round. Tiger and W both were denied and are reapplying/appealing. No wonder you're worn out. It's so much work.

[cosmolinguist]

It's slightly different in details, but the process is very similar, right down to rejecting almost everyone at first and making them appeal the decision. I've been doing this and helping friends/family for years so I'm so used to it that I'm expecting Andrew (who has four or five times the number of "points" he needs to be claiming this benefit) to be turned down at first. I'm just seeing the appeal as part of the process now.

[sfred]

it re-traumatizes people and reinforces horrible ableism, especially internalized ableism.
Much sympathy.

I hope today is easier. <3

[cosmolinguist]

It has been much easier, thank you.