When everything else goes wrong...

16 posts / 0 new

Mon, 2012-12-10 14:13

Anonymous

I have a massive toothache and applied for help for the cost of a filling with the local authorites. As I am on disability benefits there is no way I can afford it myself. The difference between building the tooth up and filling it and extracting the tooth is the equivolent of £300. The authorites will help me pay to get my tooth pulled out and get dentures but they won't help me keep my tooth. It's too expensive for me so I have to get my tooth pulled out. The dentist won't give me an appointment until my application is cleared and the authorities won't pay until they have cleared me themselves. Meanwhile my tooth is giving me hell.
My son can't get unemployment benefits because he is going to start studying in February. He is out of a job- he doesn't live with me so he has rent to pay and some bills. So I am helping him out and will do so in January as well. I just don't understand why they can't help him? They tell him he can borrow the money from them? Not much help as he will not be able to pay back for years as he will be living off meagre study grants- just enough to pay rent and a bit of food-so he also has to get a job on the side. This he is used to from High School where he worked as well as studied.
No chrissy presents this year. His dog has also had an operation so there are Vets bills to meet. This is his christmas present from me.

There's absolutely no help anywhere for our many bills and I am in the third lowest income braquet- before me are people on the dole and pensioners.

This is really frightening- especially as we here in Denmark are supposedly reknowned for our welfare and social security net.This is just not true. Any of it. I am so disappointed.
We'll manage. Oskar has sold just about everything he owns- including his TV but he is keeping his beat-up car- he needs that to get around and visit people as we live a bit out in the sticks.
Well after all this moaning- what I wanted to say was- that when everything goes wrong there's still ABCtales and thank goodness for all your wonderful people here. I still have my internet and I won't give that up without a fight- not that there's much fight left in me.

Mon, 2012-12-10 15:42

tan63

Hope things sort themselve Highhat. To hell with christmas 'til then hey.

Tanya Jones

Mon, 2012-12-10 15:47

hudsonmoon

I'm so sorry to hear about your tooth. Trust me when I say I feel your pain. I hope everything works out, and soon. Ya gotta hate the system sometimes. They're such a pain in the ass. Hugs to you, Pia.

Mon, 2012-12-10 15:52

Highhat

Thanks Tan and Hey to you. On top of all this I am a SAD's sufferer and medication frightens me with all it's side effects so that is not an option. Pulling my tooth out will cost me the equivalent of £60-70- they will only help me pay for dentures! My God- the beasts and bastards! What they really want to do I think is kill me off by decreasing the quality of my life so I just waste away. I havge been thinking about contacing a politician- this cannot be right. Esecially that my son can't get any help until he starts his studies. I don't know what you do in UK but this is very trying and I am already poor. All this and soon it will be christmas. Who gives a shit? My son does!

Mon, 2012-12-10 16:15

andrea

Pia, clove oil is excellent for toothache. http://www.ukauthors.com

http://www.ukauthors.com

http://www.ukapress.com

Mon, 2012-12-10 16:24

Highhat

Thanks Andrea- no idea where I get a hold of that in this snowstorm but thank you very much. I think ginger root may do it too- at least ease the pain? I simply can't chew a thing- it's all yoghurt and soup. Maybe I'll lose weight- I need to.

Mon, 2012-12-10 16:57

Highhat

If you don't already have SAD then 'they' are certainly going to pull it over your head- it's all so sad. Thanks for the recipe Foots- if I could afford it I'd buy something strong like Snaps and get drunk- then not much hurts. If I don't chew anything I may be able to hang on until I can get to the dentists but I'm going to have to fork out those £60- on the spot says the nurse- she was really so tight-lipped and cruel. Couldn't you try another dentist Footsie? I can't believe they have quotas of NHS patients- amazing! My tooth has to be pulled out I'm afraid- it is broken and pretty rotten and hurts if I chew. As I am dependent/addicted to nicotine from my roll-ups I'll never have sweet breath- but I may try grinding some cloves, maybe in tea. Somehow I have a feeling that this is definitely a challenge of making everything work out- it has to and my son has to have something to eat and pay the rent- he will be selling his work van- which is such a beat-up van with flowers on the front and lots of rust but it may just pay next months rent. We have to buy food for the dog too. This guy on the far right-a politician- says that poor people spend all their money on fags and dog-food. Well here we are then! Ha ha

Mon, 2012-12-10 17:33

Highhat

Aha thank you. Cloves are very chrismassy* around these parts- I'll try the supermarket tomorrow. * we press several with the pointy end/stilk into oranges- smells wonderful and then hang them up in doorways on a red ribbon. Funny because my son has made some for his home- I haven't yet!

Mon, 2012-12-10 23:11

karl_wiggins

High, I also had an extraction last week. I've been blessed with good teeth, and I really do try and look after them, but unfortunately I'm susceptible to weak gums, so every couple of years they pull another good tooth out out, fortunately all in the back. This is hereditary and there’s not a lot you can do about it. However, although I still have my smile, its getter tougher to chew food – well, meat anyway. You’re looking at round about £2000 to have false teeth screwed in, which is out of the question, although I think you can get them for about £600 if you shop about, including trips to a back-street market stall in Lithuania. The only serious option is to take out a payment plan. I really, really feel for your situation, and truly hope you somehow manage to have a great Christmas.

Mon, 2012-12-10 23:43

#10

Linda Wigzell Cress

I saw this post as I was seeking something to read to help me forget my toothache! I so sympathise Pia. I have taken a couple of high strength ibuprofen (bye bye stomach) and hope it will be better by morning. We are not on benefits, but I never go to the dentist as we just can't sfford it. (I have luckily like Karl always had good teeth). I think it is often forgotten in UK that though we have a health service it is often only the rich or very poor who seek medical treatment, let alone dental or optical advice, simply because of the cost of prescriptions or consultation/fillings/glasses which has always been out of the reach of low to middle earners. I, like many of my friends who are not on benefit,seldom consulted the doc when my kids were small for that reason, which is possibly why I am now partially deaf. I was so happy 10 years ago to be diagnosed with a condition which attracts free prescriptions, as it meant I could get prescriptions when needed. Funny old world isnt it. Hope you feel better in the morning too Pia, and can see a way through all your probems. Who invented teeth? Shoot him . Linda

Linda

Tue, 2012-12-11 09:36

#11

Highhat

Yes teeth are important. I have been on medication for years and together with being stressed out this has deteriorated the condition of my teeth. So they are coming out one after the other. Then you lose a bit of incentive eventually and they all go rotten. But what wonders me is that our NHS don't give help to maintain good teeth instead they say 'pull them out' and we'll help you get dentures. Strange. Anyway I have sent two complaints to the Social Services- one about my son not being able to get help and one about the lack of help for my dental issues. It's not always the best idea to choose the cheapest solution not even for our NHS- quality of life should be in focua as well. Thanks Karl and Linda for your sympathy. It's not only about my teeth- it's about the system that just is not living up to it's reputation and renown. It's so disillusioning.

Tue, 2012-12-11 09:38

#12

Linda Wigzell Cress

Good luck Pia. xx Linda

Linda

Tue, 2012-12-11 09:41

#13

karl_wiggins

This is why I think that in a true democracy we'd be allowed to vote on specifically what our tax money is spent on (what percentage on benefits, defence, hospitals etc.)

Tue, 2012-12-11 09:57

#14

andrea

Pia, you can but clove oil online very cheaply. I use this site for all my supplements (that link is to their clove oil)--> http://www.iherb.com/search?kw=clove%20oil#none they're very fast and efficient and their P&P is extremely low (no idea how that do that, but I pay about 4 quid for up to almost 2 kilos weight from the US to the Netherlands.) If you can get out, I'm sure your local pharmacy will have it too. http://www.ukauthors.com

http://www.ukauthors.com

http://www.ukapress.com

Tue, 2012-12-11 12:39

#15

Highhat

Thanks Andrea- The tooth is coming out Monday- but I may use the link for other things. I shall have a look later.Now you've got me thinking - about our pharmacy- you know I'd actually be surprised (pleasantly) if they had it! ;)Pia

Tue, 2012-12-11 13:47

#16

Highhat

That looks like a great website Andrea- thanks a lot!