Thank you for sharing your heart wrenching journey, and your insight into the impact of future changes which may seriously worsen the already severely troubling financial and emotional systems in place for those with chronic debilitating illness.

I’d also like to reach out to Jessica, whose comment I read. You’re not alone, and your feelings are completely valid. I, too, am in your position. I have a wonderful, caring partner and he covers my sizable medical bills, supports me financially in every way, and is my emotional rock… at least, when he can be. Because I am his dependent legally, I am ineligible for any disability allowance, and I, too, purchase his gifts, my personal products, everything with money he gives me. I’m so fortunate to have him, but so many people are alone, without any financial aid from family to get them through. It’s rough for me, but it’s got to feel impossible to them.

In addition to this unfairness to him, and to me (because trust me, it’s very hard to maintain self worth when you are unable to contribute to your household expenses and have to ask to get takeaway because today you’re incapable of getting out of bed), Chris has to pay MY medicare surcharge levy. He got me private health insurance when he got a new job and could afford it, as we’d rather have the benefits in case by some miracle one of my treatments or specialists can be claimed on private health. So the government is saving money, by calling me his dependent, then giving him a tax bill for it.

But I, and I assume others like me, aren’t really able to fight alone. As Jennie said, “ It seems if you’re sick enough to get a sickness benefit in this country, you’re too sick to successfully apply.”