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hi gang

here i am again
requesting your advice re disability application forms this time

now that i am re-established as a resident of the province of ontario, canada
i have started the process of applying for disability assistance
via the family benefits act of ontario

[there is a federal pension plan in place but i would not qualify for it
since i was non-resident and a non-contributor for 16 years]

a medical form has already been completed by my neurologist
who described advanced parkinson's,
with severe episodes of akinesia, bradykinesia, and dyskinesia,
resulting in an inability to work now and in the foreseeable future

apparently, the wording used so far is acceptable to the powers that be

however, i now have to complete
a multi-page form of supplementary medical information

this form looks suspiciously computer-database-oriented
i.e. it appears that the answers will have to be
entered into a computer

the problem is
the black/white answer format allows for no shades of grey

for example:

>How would you rate your ability in doing the following tasks or functions?
>
>Put one number in each box. The numbers mean:
>
>1 = You are fully capable of doing this function
>2 = You have minor dificulty doing this function.
>3 = You have moderate dificulty doing this function.
>4 = You have serious dificulty doing this function.
>5 = You have severe dificulty doing this function.
>
> ___ Sitting
> ___ Standing
> ___ Walking
> ___ Bending
> ___ Lifting
> ___ Carrying
> ___ Using Hands and Fingers
> ___ Breathing

et cetera et cetera et cetera

the grey area here
is in the fact that the effectiveness of my meds
and the degree of side-effects
and thus my abilities
vary from one hour to the next

so my answer to the above in re walking could range from
1 all the way up to 5 depending on my 'on/off' status

what to do?

janet

janet paterson
51/10 - sinemet/selegiline/prozac
almonte/ontario/canada - [log in to unmask]