Dialogue with Sane forum Forumites

Oh the problem with posts and long stories ...That CES story would have happened in 1976 ... and I have no idea what I wore ... but I knew I was more than my clothes ... cos I did well in exam and they had no idea what I looked like. A lady since has said that maybe the employers were worried that I was so young and where my parents were ... I dont know ... I just remembered having great interviews but no job ... I tried to get into lab assistant type jobs etc ..

The time I called at end of marriage was about 2001 ... and the clerical assistant was a guy and he didnt treat me with aggression, derision and contempt ... I just didnt know what that felt like ...

Since my settling in one place after the divorce ... I know that a lot of pain is written in my face ... it does influence how I am able to interact ... do I acknowledge it or not mention it ... do I get accused of trying to get sympathy if I do mention anything ... do I get accused of covering things up and keeping secrets if I dont .. I have had all those accusations by people who think they are nice ... its why when I am feeling "up" I have a "fight back" mentality ... I squeezed out a 10lb 10oz babe without drugs ... I am not really a bludger or a whinger and getting sick of presumptions. But I am disabled and I have to face that ... and the reality is that I need to accept support from the paid sector because this is not a very nice civilsation ... even is people have good opinions about themselves.

Your proud consumer idea is helpful .. @PeppiPatty

A few days ago my brother sent me a link about methadone ... as end of life ... pain killer ... and I thought of you and hubby.

on his blog he is sleeping with the homeless in Germany ... hasnt paid his kids school fees but his wife is sitting on about 6 million in assets in Darling Harbour .... it is new for him to be talking about the homeless ... I wish he had more compassion 30 years ago when I invited him into my family again .... thats usually been me talking about the homeless ... about dad or people like dad or soup vans ..and just trying to make someone's day a bit better... but he is in a very bad way ... planning an operation back in Sydney before Christmas ... I am not even sure he will make til then.

He was judgemental about my brother and I and drugs ... and had such different experiences to us staying in Sydney ... yet last Christmas when he visited ... as he was tidying up and the kids were tripping over bits .. syringes were on floor ... for another aspect of his alternative health cure ... but now it is finally methadone

... he couldnt accept I was in pain with my neck .. none of my family did ... he lead a little rebellion with my daughters and niece and nephew ... I was happy to be able to walk a few kms in the bush with my husband and son ... and thought he was happy to play uncle scout leader ... but he had them all turn on us ... not supporting our generosity ... in setting up the extended family experience for them all ... its so hard when people come from such different backgrounds ...

He has never and cannot apologise ... tho it was another straw that broke my marriage ...

His blog is so desperate but also filled with ranting religious ... bliss and miracles ... he was so wedded to the self-made man idea ... and for a long while I was amazed that he ... some one with similar genes ... from my family was actually coping and doing well for himself ... but it hasnt lasted very long ... we all struggle

Yes I think @Former-Member will come through ...

and I hope @Ace85 is doing ok

I have been going over this old thread before you posted ... there is a lot of good material in it.

my brother was just the monopoly kid .... who always wanted to win .... he is mixed up and brilliant ... and madder than 10 hatters .... but his diagnosis is colo-rectal cancer ...

Its 2.11 and time for me to go to bed ... tomorrow I have appointment with GP ... trying to get support.

@chookmojo

When you originally went to Centrelink
Did you get
Good support from kind people in Centrelink ?

I really can't remember Centrelink encounters in detail, there have been a lot over the years.

I can only assume the first round went well because I was able to get onto Youth Homless Allowance pretty easily - I do remember going back with a friend who wanted to do the same thing as the staff refused to help her and said that she should let her 'boyfirend' (looking pointed at me me!) fill her head with ideas. So my experience must have been better than that.

I remember lots of paperwork. I have no recollection of how I got involved with the youth housing folks, though it may have been a referral from Centrelink.

I have had mostly good and some bad experiences with Centrelink over the years. I have definitely found that you get better resulst the more prepared you are and the more effort you put in.