lorna

I have a letter from the local hospital giving me an appointment for an EMG. There is a sentence which begins: 'Ne pas passer pas l'accueil de l'Hôpital...' Does this mean do go to the hospital welcome or don't go to the hospital welcome.[8-)].

I wrote the following post back in early February: [quote user="lorna"] And now I have had a letter informing me that a payment has been made to my bank account. There is one minor hiccup.[:(]. The letter states that the payment is for Attendance Allowance which is of course wrong. My award letter came from the DWP in Blackpool, the payment letter has come from the Pension Service in Newcastle. I'm not sure how much the error matters as I believe the amount paid is correct. However I thought it better to be safe and have phoned the number given. After going through the now standard id rigmarole (husbands make sure you know the date of your wedding including year [:)]), the very helpful advisor told me I had the wrong department and is going to ask the right department (I'm not sure who that will be) to ring me back. I think this error has occurred because I asked for the payment to be made with my pension - it seemed the easiest way - and these are two different departments. Somewhere along the way the DLA has been transformed into AA. [/quote] I never did get a phone call so eventually in March I wrote to the Pension Service explaining the problem and asking them to reissue the payment letter mentioning the correct benefit. I recently received another version of the payment letter - identical in most respects but now stating that the payment is for State Pension.[8-)]. Although this is odd, I don't intend to pursue this any further. At least the State Pension is something which I am entitled to receive.

Apology accepted Clair [:)].   Actually I don't have too much trouble resisting the chocolate, it's the sel and the vin that has to be out of my reach! Sweets it was a 3 week diet following treatment and there is about 10 days left. However I think that after a weeks interval (which includes my birthday) I may have to go back on it again.

Just logged on for 5 minutes and what do I seee...........   chocolates..............    Absolutely forbidden for at least another 10 days.[:(]

Thanks Norman, I found the mayoclinic one today when I was looking for a pork recipe, it does look like a good site. I'll check out the other links you give tomorrow as I have to shut down now for the evening.[:)]

Hi Sweets,  I use all milk for the porridge. We usually have semi-skimmed but I've been trying full cream in case it made a difference. It doesn't seem to have made much. The half teaspoon of sugar has helped a lot.. Fruit tastes great but I'm only allowed 3 portions a day. I did use one portion - a banana - with my salt free bread the other day and it made all the difference. I agree about natural foods. I usually try and avoid additives in food products as much as possible. Looking on the internet it seems we actually need very little salt so it's just that tastebuds have become accustomed to it. Food certainly does taste very different without salt added. At the moment it does still seem bland but perhaps I will get used to it.[:)]

Hi Kitty,   yes we are using a bit of balsamic vinegar - not too much. I was trying to steer clear of honey but perhaps a little in the dressing will be ok. I don't like shredded wheat either so I think for the moment I will stick to porridge with a tiny bit of sugar. I'm not too fussed about squashes and fizzy drinks. I can have a small amount of pure fruit juice but it counts as a portion of fruit and I can only have 3 of those a day. I'm trying canderel in tea and coffee, not too keen but better than nothing!

Thanks Sweets. As it happens we have pork for tea - it's on my list as ok but I do wonder.[8-)]. I've found a recipe that doesn't need added salt or sweet things I think. I've been eating porridge sans sucre for breakfast. Breakfast cereals are not allowed. My list allows 1 coffee spoon of sugar per day and this morning I added half a teaspoon to my porridge and it tasted much better.[:)] Definitely finding the sans vin a bit difficult. I do like my glass or two of vin in the evening.[:(]

According to my list, vinegar is ok. Does anyone know if balasamic vinegar is likely to be ok? It seems too tasty to be permitted! Also is wine vinegar likely to have much alcohol content?

A few days ago I came across a uk based forum for disabled people - youreable.com. There is a forum section on benefits and appeals. The moderators for those sections seem to have specialist knowledge and are often very helpful. There are a lot of interesting threads and some first-hand experiences of appeals. I thought this might be worth browsing for those who are challenging and appealing. Perhaps there are some useful contact there? The following thread has excerpts from and references to a tribunal hand-book. It also has a post from a forum member who offers help making a claim for DLA. http://www.youreable.com/forums/thread.jspa?threadID=59492&start=15&tstart=0 There was one thread from an expat which was locked by the moderators when an argument started up.

Mine also came back very quickly. I had given quite a close date when I applied and the acknowledging email that came attached a cover note for printing which I would have been able to use if I needed to.

Thanks Christine, that's an interesting link. I've had a look at that list and my list does have differences - for example I am allowed beef and pork whereas they are 100% excluded on Dr Séror's list. I'm not sure why that should be unless it is the overall balance that is important.

Thank you all for the replies and suggestions. I tried a bit of paprika on a hard-boiled egg today but it didn't seem to make a difference. I do use nutmeg a bit Nell and that does enhance a white sauce. I have a recipe for a non-salt seasoning which uses some of the spices suggested and will try that at some point. WJT [:$]. I thought I had a tin of tuna that would be ok but the nutritional breakdown on the tin showed that the salt content was high, Kitty, yes I have looked up a few things and also discovered that the lo-salt product can cause potassium problems. At least I am allowed fats in the form of oil and unsalted butter. Sweets, some mustard is allowed but I'll have to be careful as the diet sheet says 'en quantité raisonnable'.

I hope you are right Benjamin, that is what I am hoping.[:)]. In the meantime I am suffering just a little.[:(]

[quote user="grecophile-2008"] Just for clarification Lorna. Was the time between surrendering your DLA and asking for reinstatement more or less than 13 months? [/quote] We travelled to France on 27th June 2007 and consider ourselves resident from 28th June 2007. My letter requesting reinstatement has a saved date on my pc of  25th July 2008 although the letter itself is dated 24th July 2008. It may not have been posted that same day as I have to rely on MOH to post letters for me but it will have been posted within a few days of that date. I have a letter dated 29th August 2008 acknowleding receipt of my request. I think that means (feel free to check my calculations) I may have just scraped inside 13 months and it will be within 14 if 14 is important.

I wasn't sure whether to put this in the food or health section but as this is not paticularly about french food I opted for this section. During my stay in hospital last week for tests, I was given some cortisone treatment and I am now on a salt free, sugar free (and wine and cheese free) diet.[+o(]. I love salt on my food and am finding everything tasteless. Although giving up sugar, cheese and alcohol especially wine is difficult that is not quite so bad for me as giving up salt. I never realised how much salt does enhance/add to the taste of food. I can't even have bread that has been made with salt added. I am allowed all meats (except processed/charcuterie) and all vegetables. Oil and salt-free butter are also ok. If anyone has some good recipes for flavouring food without using salt I would be grateful for them.[:)]

[quote user="Tony F Dordogne"] Hi Lorna So, if I'm reading your post correctly and putting it simplistically, you left the UK before the October judgement, didn't appeal, re-applied over a year later and the benefit was reinstated - so what about the 26 week rule folks? [/quote] Hi Tony, yes, exactly right. [8-)].

Just bumping this up as it looks like my correction to the old post stopped the new post getting to the top of the active list.[8-)]

I have an apology to make. Almost a month ago and about 10 minutes before leaving for a visit to the UK I posted the following: [quote user="lorna"]Just to remind you in case it helps and before I go (away for 2 weeks) - we moved in June 2008 - benefit stopped - applied July 2008 - benefit reinstated as of June 2008. Notified Jan 2009. More detail in previous posts.[/quote] I had just had a quick look at recent posts and noticed how important the dates applying to various individuals' cases had become. As I thought my case might be relevant I quickly composed the short note above and posted it. I even remember checking the dates that I stated. However, the dates I've mentioned are incorrect and the following re dates is what I should have posted: " Just to remind you in case it helps and before I go (away for 2 weeks) - we moved in June 2007 - benefit stopped - applied July 2008 - benefit reinstated as of June 2007. Notified Jan 2009. More detail in previous posts.  " After my return I had a few days at home and then went into hospital for some investigative tests. I still haven't caught up with this thread, I think it will take me a while to read through everything, but as I get emails of postings to the thread I have seen that these dates seem to be crucial to re-instatement. Quite honestly I don't see how I fit the date criteria. I don't think I made a mistake when filling in the forms. One of the forms I filled in in December was the same as a form I had filled in in 2007 after our move. I didn't want to delay posting a correction any longer. I will go back to the incorrect post and add an edit there if that is possible. Once again apologies.  [:(][:(][:(]  

Just to let you know how I got on. No need for appointment. Went down to laboratoire yesterday morning. Took a ticket, put CV in machine, number called, details taken by receptionist (gave her CV and mutuelle card). She gave us a form for collecting results. Waited a few minutes and then called in for test. We were in and out in about half an hour. There were about 5 other people being processed before me. It was super effecient and I was very impressed. Off to UK in about half an hour and will be without pc/email/internet until my return.[:)]

Just to remind you in case it helps and before I go (away for 2 weeks) - we moved in June 2008 - benefit stopped - applied July 2008 - benefit reinstated as of June 2008. Notified Jan 2009. More detail in previous posts. Edit (28/4/9): Apologies but I made a mistake with the dates in this post. We moved in June 2007 and my benefit was stopped. I knew it would be and had informed the DWP of our move. My benefit has subsequently been re-instated and backdated to that date.

Thanks again Benjamin and thanks betoulle - I'd had scans before in the UK but not for a while and never had a pre-scan jab.

Thanks SD - we have found two in the local pages jeunes and MOH is going to go down to see if they can fit me in before I go away on Saturday. Fingers crossed. [:)]

Can you just turn up at the lab for a test without an appointment? We are a bit short of time. What is the French term for the laboratory - so that we can locate ours?

Thank-you Frogslegs and Benjamin. That is very helpful information. Benjamin, I'm guessing it was Mme B who had the scan. Were there any side effects from the dotarem? I came across a site which listed various problems but don't know if these are the exception - I hope they are.[+o(]