Update 36 - News from the DWP

Firstly any I wish all readers of my blog a Happy New Year for 2014!

I have received a decision from the DWP and to my surprise; they accepted my case without having to go for an appeal. They have kept me on the higher level of allowance for Disability Living - this means I keep the payments for my car. They have reduced my attendance allowance to the lowest level, which is fair enough as I have improved and though I can't lift/move a heavy saucepan, I was expecting them to stop this one altogether.  Maybe I have got better at filling in the forms and putting the relevant information on them.  This keeps me OK for the next 2 years.

I do need to say a big thanks to a lady at the DWP who handled my case in a proper and quick/effective manner, which just goes to prove there are competent people working within the department.

My issue now is which car I drive?  As my brother works for Volvo and I have been getting cars via him for ages and he is retiring soon.  So I have to use my allowance through the motability scheme and it seems there is such a choice of cars and payments it is almost bewildering.  Still it is something to get me interested after Christmas - I will keep you posted as I try and understand the motability scheme (any assistance greatly appreciated!).

I have had an excellent break with my family over Christmas and will be returning to work soon.  I do seem to be better following 3 weeks off work and it has helped, but I am not looking forward to going back.

My GP surgery has a new diabetic nurse, who has this "modern" approach of discussing things to work out whats best.  She was very concerned about my diabetes and when I explained that there were two things I was far more worried about (CIDP & Sarcoidosis) so I really wasn't paying that much attention to blood-sugar levels apart from trying to eat fairly healthily - this didn't go down too well.  Mind you she didn't know what CIDP was - so I suggested she read my blog/web page.  She seemed surprised that after the check up my BMI was 24.5 so in the healthy range.

After my annual check-up and blood tests she has decided to put me on Linaglyptin - which assists in the production of Insulin - in theory, but I have to go back in three months to see if it makes a difference, as my blood-sugar levels were around 9 which she says is high, but gave me different information about acceptable levels that the previous nurse or the doctors or my father - who has had diabetes for over 20 years).  She states that 4-7 is normal and not 8 or that the level will be higher first thing in the morning.  Just to confuse things I have taken my blood with the analyser I have and obtained readings of 2.0 in my left ring finger and 11.2 in the right (all within 1 minute)!  So do I average this out to get 6.6?  It just proves how inaccurate these machines are.