If anyone is on esa or universal credit then the dwp have announced that they're paying the cost of living payment from the 25 April to May 17.

Hi everyone.

I hope it's as nice as possible seeing your friend, Beckie. Sending love.

I hope work goes well today Ahimsa, smoothie ready! You sound like you have lots planned each week.

I hope you can talk to your spiritual director, Tamo and that it's helpful.

Well done Tesco for getting it mostly right, Dawn!

I'm not on ESA or UC any more. I think I have the right amount of savings now to apply for UC but I'm too anxious even though I have help from a Money Matters person. I still haven't heard back from the debt people about how much I owe the DWP so I want to have some income other than PIP to be able to pay the money back without too much stress.

That's strange, Kat. Do you change the clocks where you are? I hope you feel better as the day goes on.

Afternoon everyone x

Hey, Tamo. How's your day going?

Did you manage to catch Doctors tamobhuuta?

Not yet, it's on my to do list. Next is sorting my meds boxes.

How are you two?

I hate sorting out meds, good you've got something more fun to do afterwards.

I'm not doing great. It's sunny here though, one nice thing.

Hey!

How is everyone?

Beckie how was seeing your friend?

One Step: I always have lots on, cos I work 2 jobs to pay my bills!

Seeing my friend was lovely thanks
She's going to try and come later in the week depending on work stuff.

I get having lots on, though not 2 jobs thankfully! I'm grateful for the help i get from UC and PIP, though i feel kinda bad for claiming it. I just know it would screw me up either mentally or physically!
Some of the people at work have 2 jobs and uni and stuff.

Yeah, I get zero support so I just have to work as much as I can. 2 jobs is down from 4, when I was studying but my uni loan didn’t even cover half my rent let alone food!

Oof. It's so hard for working people atm.
Lots of people at work are struggling too.
A manager even had to come in with covid (but stayed out of food areas) because she wouldn't make rent or petrol without coming in. This was after the covid sickness rule was put in.

I'm always amazed at how Well most other people handle life. Working every day, or going to school, having a life outside of those too and yet managing the same amount of chores around the house and cooking and etc.
I've tried asking some of my friends who live like that what kind of narcotics they use in order to do this. And where i can find some of it, myself. They all claim to be perfectly clean and sober. So my theory is, they have all agreed to lie and keep it a secret!!!!

I mean, I don’t sleep much, my house is always a mess, and I do my food shop after work at like, 10pm! I currently have 6 loads of washing on my sofa I’ve been too tired to put away!

So it’s not as easy as it looks!

Everyone had different abilities!

Oh, i'm not saying it's easy. I'm amazed that it is in fact possible. That a lot of people manage life like that without having a hysteric breakdown every 3rd week or something.

You guys deserve a medal of honour!!!
And the rest of us deserve a medal for long and faithful perseverance!!!!

I DO have meltdowns ��

I have a ‘mental health risk assessment’ with work on Thursday, straight after my first primary care team phone appointment.

I don’t even know if it’s with 1 or 2 managers. Mine is useless and DOES NOT GET IT.

Every day I think I can ask, I get moved to a different practice to cover sickness. Grrr

I have spent almost the entire day asleep after a very busy weekend. I tried getting up around 11:30am but very quickly got shaky and muscle spasms and pain and had to lie down on the sofa bed as it was the closest flat surface. But with paracetamol, ibuprofen and sleeping on sofa bed I started feeling vaguely human by 4:30pm. And am now propped up in bed. Wish doing things didn't have consequences but happy I avoided a seizure.

I am very lucky that despite being off sick from work for two years I am still getting some pay. My work has a prolonged disability insurance scheme and I managed to qualify with my FND. Money worries really don't help, just an extra stress on top of stress of mental health so really feel for all of you who are only just getting by on benefits or pouring the only energy you have available into work just to keep existing.

Life is not easy for most and when you have mental health issues you are playing on a harder difficulty level.
*Crossed fingers* you get to talk to a manager who gets it on Thursday Ahimsa

Yay for avoiding a seizure!! That’s something!

I’m glad you managed to have a day of rest ��

Feeling extra eurgh again do crawling back under duvet. Hope everyone has a tolerable day tomorrow

That sounds fair! I hope duvet is helpful!

things feel pretty messy.

Morning guys
Idk how long I'll be about but wanted to say hi

Hi Cacoethes, everything OK?

I've got to go for a blood test later.

Hey everyone.

What's happening Ahimsa? Are you ok?

Hi Beckie, I hope today is ok at least.

I hope your blood test goes well, Tamo. Will you do something nice after?

I've got the gym group at 1pm but feeling mentally terrible. Will have to go though, my support worker phoned to check if I was coming but she was in a rush so I couldn't speak to her. Going out for my prescription made me feel worse with the whole being outside problem. It'll hopefully be ok at the group.

Morning all. I have cpn appointment and my parents visiting today. Thankfully not at the same time. I sorted out my wardrobe and now have a bin bag full of clothes to take to the charity shop. The charity shop is shut until the 1st of April due to staff holidays though :-(

I’m okay, I’m at work.

Tough anniversaries coming up on Sunday and next Wednesday.

Hugs for all.

I will watch doctors :)

Aww insig I love a charity shop!!

I watched doctors :) and I've done some reading. I need to do some more reading for my prayer group but I need to print stuff first so I need L's help with the printer when she gets in.

Sounds busy Tamo!!

I tried to catch one of the managers but she’s too busy today.

Annoyingly I finish at 8 and need to be at my other job by 8:20!

I wish you speed!

How did it go with your CPN and your parents, Dawn?

I hope you have some things in place to make the anniversaries easier to deal with if possible, Ahisma.

Is it far from one job to the next?

Did you get things printed, Tamo? What are you reading? I ask you every time!

Hey everyone,

Having a bit of a trouble dealing with the fact that having fun and doing stuff at the weekend has had consequences. Doing better physically than yesterday but not so great mentally.

Sorry haven't responded to others but thinking of you all x

So!!

(Background, I’m a mental health first aider. My manager, W isn’t. The director, A, is)

So!

W was like ‘I didn’t know whether to tell you it was a mental health risk assessment because I a) didn’t want to drop it on you and b) didn’t want you to worry for 3 weeks from when I booked it’

So I asked what it actually was, whether they’re seeing me as a risk and want rid of me etc, and she said no, it’s to protect me and support me.

Then I spoke A today about some concerns with one my colleagues who’s struggling (in my mental health first aider capacity, and I felt a manager needed to know) and she mentioned a meeting on Thursday so she’d be at the same practice as me for our meeting and I was like ‘hmmmm is this MY meeting?’ And she said yes, it’s with her too.

No one told be it would be with them both!!!!

What a palaver!
We have mental health first aiders in our company too, but they're all based in head office so it's not a major issue.
I've spoken to one a few times. She's so lovely!
I'm sure you are too!

L said she can print it for me tomorrow. We're reading Story of a Soul by St Therese of Lisieux.

Oh yay! That’s good!

Nope, nothing. My support got declined and I’ve had to fight with work for the day off, even though I requested it 6 months in advance.

Could you conveniently be 'off sick' that day?

Nope. I’m scheduled by myself at animal A&E.

I’ve managed to swap it. W said ‘if I’m not doing good, phone in sick?’

I mean, so much for being able to plan nice things and look after myself on the day!! I would have thought 5 and a half months would have been enough notice!

And it’s been loads of anxiety not knowing the rota! Can’t swap without knowing who’s working!

Glad you got it sorted!
5 ½ months is more than enoughs notice!

Good morning world!

Edit

Last night a big spider dropped on the table and my dad and I screamed like little girls. We had to get my brother to take it outside!

Good afternoon!

Glad your brother was there to save the day Tamo, the image if you both screaming was quite funny.

I had a bad pain night last night. And as such didn't sleep that well and only woke up half an hour ago.

Afternoon everyone, how are you all and what are you getting up to today?

Big spiders are quite scary. I have Crookshanks to eat spiders for me, he just leaves the legs!

How is your pain now, Jen? Sorry you didn't sleep well.

Pain is there but I can cope with it. I did take the lower dose of my strong painkillers last night and they did help. Lower dose doesn't give me side effects I really don't like but also didn't completely get rid of pain so bit trial and error to work out if lower dose will work.

How are you today OSC? Did you manage to make it to your gym group yesterday?

I hope your pain stays at a manageable level. Do you have anything you need to do today?

Yes, I made it to the gym group. I was the only person who came. An instructor made us a program as she does most weeks and this one was so boring and once we got to the bottom of the list we had to start again from the top, three times!

Hey guys.

Yay for manageable pain!!

Hi, Ahimsa. How are you doing?

Hello all. Ryl bin night tonight peeps.