The cold, damp and the anonymous doctor

Brrrr cold and damp this morning. I was up at 5.40 going to the loo, making a hot drink and popping pain killers. Cold, damp and stress do nothing for Psoriatic Arthritis or Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease. Then I went to bed and listened - me and funny noises don't go together especially as the back is open and we do have rats and mice out there not to mention any other four or eight legged creature can wonder in from the garden.

But when daylight came, I think the noises was just the rain. My face was cold so I hid it under the quilt and pulled the other quilt up over me. I think next winter I'll follow in Scott's footsteps.

The anonymous doctor this is lovely. To be rehoused by South Shropshire Housing Association on medical grounds you have to fill in a form. The form asks what sort of property you live in at the moment. It asks you to list your medical conditions and how living in your current property does this affect your conditions. You're asked about your medications and what benefits you're on and then what type of accommodation you require. Finally it asks for your doctors' name and address - doctor as in GP that is, not your consultants. You fill it all in and then....

It is sent off to an anonymous doctor, faceless, unknown who makes a decision (without seeing you) which affects your life. Isn't that amazing or is the word ridiculous? I did ask if I could be assessed by this mystery doctor but was told in no uncertain terms - they don't see anyone. I did point out (because I'm like that) that in my experience many doctors haven't even heard of CMT (which could explain why despite being born with all the symptoms it wasn't actually diagnosed until I was forty one and in a wheelchair) never mind know what it is. Also the Psoriatic Arthritis was also misdiagnosed and when finally I did see a consultant he confirmed I'd had it for years - so how can and what  right has a faceless doctor got to make this decision?

I will add my own GP (Dr Roger Davies at Clun Medical Practice) is fantastic and he knows and understands my decision but more importantly he sits down and talks to me about it and I know he wouldn't make any decision that affects me without speaking to me first. So going back to the final sentence of my last paragraph how can and what right has a faceless doctor got to make this decision?


Answers on a postage stamp please lol.