Which way to go?

As Mel only has a week before her departure from the Wolfson, we spent most of yesterday afternoon with the social worker filling out a 62 page application form for DLA (Disability Living Allowance). Having never claimed any form of benefit before it was a new world to us both. The allowance comes in 2 parts, the first being the care component and the second being the mobility component. The social worker was a dab hand at filling out these forms and you could sense that her use of words had been skillfully streamlined over the years to maximise each applicants chance of being awarded some level of benefit. After a good 2 hours we finally completed the booklet and then moved onto an application for a blue badge, a freedom pass and a taxi card. Even though Mel has been brilliant over these last 9 weeks and is constantly moving in the right direction , the afternoon spent with the social worker was still highly emotional and highlighted to us both that we still have some way to go. I think we have reached the point where she needs to leave rehab and start to ease her self gently back into home life and start hanging out with me, her cats and all her friends. To be honest with you I could do with putting my feet up!