Disabled

[Sparticus]

Do you class yourself as disabled? A simple question, you have a condition or illness depending on how you look at it and it will probably be for life. So I ask again, "Are you disabled"

I personally can answer this question very quickly and easily "NO" and will argue the fact to anyone who thinks I am. Is this an illness again I would answer no because my belief is, I have a technical fault with my hardware and I need additional hardware to correct the problem. I have read on here of people wanting to claim disability and in some cases this probably is a just cause but for some it isnt. My equipment for me to sleep well is in my opinion no different from my daughters dream catcher that helps her sleep peacefully or the frightend child who has to have a light on. maybe a far fetched concept. I was asked at work last night, what it was like to be disabled and my reply to my friend was, (Not allowed on here) ...and when I had finished laughing with my friend I told him, Im not disabled....

"I'm as fit and healthy as you"

[James @ Intus]

OSAS sure is a disabling condition but not many call themselves disabled. In fact, something has to be a chronically disabling condition to be able to get 0% VAT on purchases so from that angle, it definitely is disabling. It disables your daytime functioning. Most just prefer calling themselves knackered over disabled.

[Sparticus]

Well said James, it would be interesting to know though how the legal definition of disabled stands with OSA. I have cured my smyptoms of the illness so in a way Im not even ill. I now function normally as the next man or women but yet I am classed as having severe OSA (45 AHI) but with my treatment Im around the 2-3 AHI. So, am I ill or disabled or just talking nonesense lol

[James @ Intus]

Sure, but CPAP isn't a cure. The disorder is still there. Stop CPAP and you will have a crap day. So one could argue that even successfully on CPAP, you still have an underlying disabling condition.

Is a blind man with a well trained guide dog no longer disabled? Not sure that's a fair comparison but I'm sure you get what I mean.

In work related legislation, I believe sleep apnoea is classed as a disability with certain rights coming with that. But those who bravely championed the cause and tried to find out the nitty gritty ahve always struggled to get definitive answers. If we ever get a quiet day, we may do some investigation and blog about the findings. But in the meanwhile, like you perhaps it's best to make sure you are as able as can be! Make CPAP work and everybody is better off.

[symmit]

I'd consider myself disabled if I couldn't control my OSA with CPAP. I find it hard enough that some asthmatics and diabetics get disability benefits, when their conditions are only disabling if not controllable, we get enough financial benefit from free treatment, cash in lieu of working isn't justified in my mind.

I have a child who gets DLA, he suffers from CP and is unable to walk, or perform normal daily duties unsupervised or unassisted. Because we choose to care for him ourselves and not have a third party carer we don't get any financial assistance for care (though if one of us gave up work we would!) - and now the new raft of cuts have come the Gov't have reduced his DLA rate (currently under appeal).

I've lived with his disability for 15 yrs, I'm not going to burden the system by sticking a claim in for myself for as long as I can get through the day and work.

[Sparticus]

Firstly James: I agree there James and I know Im not cured but someone who tries to claim diabilty will be told that the treatment that they are receiving means that they are not a disabled person and can perform most task as a "Normal Person"

Symmit: My hat is off to you Symmit. I have a disabled child who was told wasnt going to make it but she did and she has many disabilaties including Cerable palsey. My Mrs has MS, Diabetees, and other problems, so you see how can I justify saying that I am disabled, I class myself as a carer. This is me at the weekends, would you say I was disabled

[symmit]

It's always good to hear from people who were told their child wouldn't make it, but against all medical odds they do. That's been us too many times over the last 15 yrs!

As for the photo, are you sure you're not leaning on that axe and the camera's just tilted?

[Sparticus]

It's always good to hear from people who were told their child wouldn't make it, but against all medical odds they do. That's been us too many times over the last 15 yrs!

As for the photo, are you sure you're not leaning on that axe and the camera's just tilted?

No mate, Im sure Just for you I will show you what its like off the summit. This is on top of the 10th Highest mountain in the UK

[James @ Intus]

Great pics, thanks for posting. Would love to go and do that one day!

And both of your posts are very inspirational.

In the end of the day, I guess you are only as able, or disabled, as you think you are.

[Sparticus]

Just a couple more!

Thanks for that James, in 2009 I organised a walk up the UK's highest mountain and managed to raise thousands for MS, it was a great day.

I also wrote a book for MS charity that went down so well, I ended up in the papers.

Disabled, me? I dont think so...but I am famous lol

[Sleep2Snore]

Pictured by the remains of the old weather station on Ben Nevis.
Well done Sparticus

Yes he does climb mountains, after all that is what they are there for

[Sparticus]

Pictured by the remains of the old weather station on Ben Nevis.
Well done Sparticus

Yes he does climb mountains, after all that is what they are there for

Thanks S2S. Yes I have stood atop of the UK. To get to the top and back is a 10 mile hike and is not for the unfit. Think of walking up a set of stairs for 5 mile and then comming back down. 7 hours of Torture but if you think thats bad, the Ben Nevis race which happens every summer is far worse, these people run up it and then back down in just over 90 minutes. I still recon I could give everest a run for its money

[Sleep2Snore]

I wonder how well the CPAP/APAP machine will work up Everest with all that thin air? Your battery pack might freeze up!

[Sparticus]

I wonder how well the CPAP/APAP machine will work up Everest with all that thin air? Your battery pack might freeze up!

It wouldnt work not because of the low tempretures but because theres no air now if you rigged up an oxygen supply then yes I suppose it would. The temps on Everest are not too low unless theres a big storm. When I first went up Nevis in 2006 it was around 25 below and blowing around 60 mph. I was on the verge of hypothermia, I was so cold my mind was playing tricks on me. My drinks froze and my sandwiches bounced. The reason so many die on the mountains is usually bad planning or a clothing issue, quite a few died last year (As seen on the news). This pic was taken at roughly the same spot where peeps have died behind me is around 2000ft of rocks all the way to the bottom. On a lighter note, not long now till Christmas

[Sleep2Snore]

On a lighter note, not long now till Christmas

Baah humbug!!!!