I Cannot Do This Alone

Hello warriors, how are you?

Well, I totally under estimated the work load for January. In the first week of January, I knew I would complete the backlog of submissions that I was working on (reviews, claims, tribunals and I think an appeal).

Which I did. I then planned the rest of January to work on the consultancy, relaunch. Being proactive on developing products/templates and guides for people to use.

Here is my BIG fcuk up. A load of clients have now got their assessment dates, Tribunal dates or forms to complete. My diary is now fully booked until Monday 29th January.

The great thing is, we are a TEAM. The amazing people I am working with are absolutely communicating clearly and we are WINNING.

But, fcuk. I need help. I cannot do this alone.

Photograph by: PASSIONATE AGILITY

Today wasn’t great, I tried to recruit two amazing people for go live straight away….it didn’t work out that way LOL. I knew it was a long shot. And I am NOT willing to openly recruit at this point as people trust me and I will not risk that trust.

Also, supporting people with PIP is not that simple. It is not just filling out a form, its so much more than that. I only want to work with people who truly care, have very high standards and will proactively help someone else. Which I think is sensible. Then the training will be very detailed and extensive, I am not willing to invest that time into someone unless I am sure they will be able to help people to the level I do (eventually).

Again, I think this is sensible. I know this means I am going to have to keep turning people away at this point. It is also forcing me to think outside the box. How can I help people to help themselves? This keeps the cost down for people and keeps my time down.

I think this pain and stress right now is going to massively benefit us in the future. I have no alternative but to figure this out as I cannot keep going like this due to my health and everyone deserves the right level of support.

So, here are my thoughts.

There is no way I will be able to launch the consultancy in Feb. Now we are getting assessments being booked, I need to see the time lag and understand how to manage my diary and the team more appropriately.

Thanks to (code name) The Gabbling Rottweiler, I feel like I have the basis of who the consultancy will work when relaunched. So, the client is in control of costs and time we spend on things. With the goal of me, keep it as low cost as possible whilst making sure the support is there.

I need a couple of days off. I haven’t had a day off for a while and the first opportunity is the 30th Jan. I have had to book people at the weekend as there was no time left mid week.

I am now NOT doing 15hrs a day. I have reduced to about 10-12hrs. Which is still way too much. I just want to reduce down asap so my body doesn’t shut down.

I am also stressing about YouTube as I have not even looked at the comments for days, I want to make sure they ARE replied to as its important to me the YouTube page is a positive place to be with accurate information.

On Monday, I have posh help coming. Code name: Molly Weasley. She is amazing, but I need to prep for this so she can actually help me LOL. It will take a couple of days to go through processes so she can help me.

Also, I am working with a potential editor. We are trying to sort out the logistics of getting together (she lives hours away from me) as we need to be face to face to do the training/assessment. I literally just called her and said, I need URGENT help.

You know when you have 50 things to do and you do a little bit of some stuff but achieve nothing? Well, its not that bad, I am ticking things off the list. But as fast as I tick, more gets added.

I do understand that I can simply say: NO. Or: sorry I cannot help you with this. But, I am unhealthly, loyal. So, if I have started with someone I cannot let them down. And, the other issue is……at this point I KNOW that everyone I am working with IS entitled to PIP.

We have come up with some great ideas to help people. For example, I am working on a pack for Code Name: THE CHARMER. I am running a week late (which really bothers me). But, as I am working on this (I have permission to record this for YouTube) I am doing a template for her. She is a mum of an autistic child.

This template with some tweaking could be massively helpful for all of the other parents. But its a massive learning curve for me. I think by the time I am done on this, it will have taken me about 25 hrs to do. That’s me, with my knowledge of PIP, can you imagine how long the parents are spending on PIP that don’t work on it daily?!

Sorry, this is a massive PIP focused newsletter this week.

Also, I was working today with a friend and explaining that when I ask people questions about their conditions I do have a process. Then within the answers they give me, I know where I need to head next.

In a lot of cases people explain they are fine in certain areas i.e. toileting. But I can tell based on conditions, meds and answers to other questions if I need to ask some more open questions to really figure out their lives/situation.

So, my friend said about this being a sort of questionnaire. But it would be about 50 pages long and PIP already give us MOUNDS of paperwork. I don’t want to do that. BUT. If we could create an online system, like a survey and then it spews out where you score on PIP:

HOW HELPFUL WOULD THAT BE??!!!

It would be AMAZING!!! I really really want to do this as we have to have a better way to do this, other than people having access to a specialist.

This is bumping up my priority list. I still need to open the consultancy as I need food LOL and to pay the mortgage, but I am going to massively limit my time so I can work on a proactive system that can help LOADS of people at once.

I think the Government will hate it, if they do, we will be able to tell its working LOL.

Please do not think I am ungrateful about the amount of work I am getting. I am honored to be able to assist people. I don’t want you to think I am moaning, I am just being transparent about how I feel and what is going on.

I know I am very very lucky to be as sick as I am but still building a business whilst providing value. I am grateful every minute of the every day for this.

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Achievement of the week:

We have had PIP wins…but to be honest I don’t count that as achievements now. I know, if I can get the time, work out the reality of someones life, submit the form and do some practice sessions. Winning is not an issue.

The challenge is sorting out my screw up (time management/number of clients).

How to help MORE people at once. And keep creating on YouTube. I think my achievement this week is working with code name: SILKY. Fingers crossed, editing is perfect for her. If it doesn’t work out, its OK. It will still help me get loads done.

Ooo another achievement. My mum had her Shingles jab and got REALLY ill the next day. She had a severe cold, we tested her its not COVID and it can be a rare reaction to it. So, we were waiting to see if I got sick. So far, so good!

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What has made me happy this week:

I got my first ever post to my PO Box…….if this person had known me ALL my life, they could not have got me a more perfect gift.

He made this himself!!!!

Yes, he MADE IT HIMSELF!!! Over Christmas……for me! I know you can’t experience this, but if you run your fingers over the elephants ear….its sooo relaxing!

And he did this on the back (I have cut their real names out and left the code name):

It blew my mind!!! And do you know whats awful? I have not had time to call and say ‘thank you’. I didn’t even get time to email. Now, that is sh#t.

I do feel massively complimented that there is a queue of people waiting to speak to me, I know it is a good thing. I mean, none of you reading this have even seen any reviews about working with me……why? Yep, you guessed it. I have not had time to get them. (I will, its on the list).

I was in one of my totally (not) posh meetings with a client, THE GABBLING ROTTWEILER and this arrived. We laughed HARD:

I opened it to this:

And the first page I opened said this:

Thank you Anna!!! I think this was a day or so after I wrote about the haters arriving, talk about perfect timing.

I know I am running on empty. Part of the problem is everyone I talk to is so fcuking amazing that I truly enjoy linking with people and we do have a laugh. We also make progress so for my mental health it stunning. If my body could just keep up with it LOL

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Books I have read: 0

Richard, if ever you want to change career…….you have a job for life with Disabled NOT Dead hahahaha

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Arthritic update:

My lower body is getting grumpy, which based on the fact my daily steps has reduced as I have declined is confusing me…..crap. As I typed that I forgot about this:

Yep, major decline and many bad nights with minimal sleep (2hrs) and painful days. That will be why I am being more emotional about being behind in work load!

I totally recommend that everyone starts a newsletter, its GREAT for your mental health!

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PIP Update:

PIP seem to be calling up more people with NO notice. This can be as late as 8pm. If this happens to you do NOT enter into conversation with them.

So far, everyone that has done this has then panicked, fretted trying to get their notes together. Ends up with a form of verbal diarrhea. And honestly. Do NOT state the facts.

I am getting a lot of: ‘I don’t know why I said that’ issues.

It is NOT acceptable for us to called out of the blue and then what we say get taken verbatim as fact. This is resulting in people getting more detailed assessments.

Sorry, to clarify. This is happening to people who already receive PIP. My gut feel is its due to the drive to reduce the number of people on PIP. This is happening to people who have children with severe autism. People whose conditions will NOT be cured.

It is a REASONABLE REQUEST to have a conversation when you are alert and have taken adequate pain meds or measures to ensure your brain fog is at a minimum. There is NO way I could do this after 3pm.

So, I would simply say:

I am very sorry I am not well enough right now. OR. I can’t talk I have to sleep. OR. Can you please call me when I feel better (I am better in the mornings).

Or, my child is not able to talk at the moment. Can you please let me know a date, time when you can call back and I will try and make sure they are up and about?

This is all reasonable.

On one of these calls they said to someone:

So, when your son cooks on his own……….

Notice the wording. WHEN. ON HIS OWN.

If this mum had not been confident enough (and educated enough) to stop this, it would have been a PIP FAIL. Even if they had been able to move the conversation on by distracting her. If you do NOT correct this type of sentence = PIP FAIL. Funding withdrawn.

It is FAIR to be warned when you are going to be questioned for a formal body that is making notes about EVERYTHING you say. They don’t care if you accidentally get confused.

PROTECT YOURSELF.

I think in this part of the newsletter, I will update you with things like this. Based on my meetings with people from that week. So its real, live, fact based updates.

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What I am looking forward to:

Here we go:

• Getting the pack done for THE CHARMER

• Getting my anti thrush meds!!! LOL (Its true, side effect from the treatment - its so not sexy hahaha)

• Seeing my friend that I grew up with (if I don’t get my mum’s cold this should be next week. Er, she knows I have some PIP bookings during the time we are together, she understands. Also, we can just curl up in bed with the cats and dogs and chill out. So its not like I have to go out and socialise). Whoo hoo

• Obviously, volunteering at the Womens Shelter at the carboot to raise money and make sure Terri gets a fag break and a wee LOL

• Catching up on my work load

• Ooo I ordered some new PJ shorts. I wear fluffy shorts under my PJ bottoms. Due to an accident one of my two pairs is no longer fit for use as the stain won’t wash out. So, I order some on TEMU that really (appears to be) cheap site. I hope they arrive and are good

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This weeks video:

OK, I was very nervous about doing this one. But its got to the point where I decided, no matter what the haters say. This is absolutely critical and in many cases MORE important than PIP.

Take care of yourself

Charlie