pip

Thank you gordon, maybe it would be a good idea to delete my previous letters and maybe just post this new one (only if you think necessary) as I have looked at the guides and here is my updated letter.
I think the reason I have included the fact that the assessor has got the cause of my injury wrong isnt because of anything in particular just that if I didnt say it is wrong then it may go against me. I feel that leaving it could leave me open to being looked at as a liar if I just let it be.
I have redrafted my letter and wonder if you could take a look again please and hopefully I can get it off.

Thank you for your decision letter, I have thought long and hard about this and whilst I agree with some parts of both yours and the assessors report, I feel a return look at the evidence would be appropriate with a view to reconsidering my application for pip. Having read the report from the face to face assessment , I would like to point out a few discrepancies in the report, which I feel have been misunderstood by the assessor. I would also like to point out that the assessment took place in the morning and I had asked her to include this in the report as I do get progressively worse as the day goes on. I feel the assessor hasnt fully included the medical evidence I had sent and referenced 1-20. I assume that you have it with my claim for pip so I wont list here again, most importantly there are two diagnosis of my spinal problems which are the crux of my problems.
Another mis-communication, which doesn't really affect the claim but as I want everything to be right I feel I need to bring to your attention. The assessor states that I was crushed under a roller, this was not what I told her and she has got this completely wrong. I did explain what happened to me but for your convenience I will quickly recap. I was on a large gantry which slipped from the quay wall onto a ship as I was boarding, The gantry had a roller on it (maybe this is where the misunderstanding has arisen) so it was able to move back and forth with the tide. but it didn't crush me. It left the quay wall and came down hard onto the deck of the ship with me on it, so the accident was not a crushing one but I'm informed it was more like a parachuting type of accident.
I also feel there has been a further miscommunication on page 3 of the report, as I stated to the assessor that I use the speakerphone facility to communicate on the phone so I dont have to hold it up to my ear, and I record all phone calls relating to my work which allows me to go back and listen at a later time, So even if I have been really rough I can catch up when I feel a bit better. also, it states that I do not drink alcohol I do drink alcohol but not often. I have some wine possibly 2 glasses over a weekend, but as its in a non spill sports type container I don't measure it. My partner usually drinks the rest. With preparing food. I do make tea but its from a hot water dispenser where you press a button to get hot water as I am too worried about picking up a hot kettle due to my dexterity problems as I tend to drop things a lot which makes picking up anything with a hot liqiud inside unsafe for me to do. I only have one tea in the morning as it upsets my bladder problem. Then for the rest of the day I only drink squash which is from a non spill sports type container with a flip top and internal straw. I was using this during the face to face meeting. With this descriptor, I feel here that I have been placed in the wrong catagory as I cannot cook a simple meal of vegetables, potato and meat. Firstly I feel I need to make you aware that I cannot stand up for more than a few minutes at the hob due to discomfort which only gets worse the longer I keep standing, I cannot even use a leaning chair due to this problem. I have a tendancy to drop things often and a saucepan with hot liquid would be dangerous for me to try and move about, even trying to move the contents to a bowl or plate with a large spoon is hard for me and my dexterity problems would cause me to drop the contents during my attempt. Since my degredation with the problems in my neck where there are bones touching my spinal cord, I now find it very difficult to hold a vegetable or potato to be able to cut or peel them, whenever I have tried to peel or cut vegetables I have on times either cut myself or the item I'm cutting can shoot out of my hands and onto the floor and so I have ruined many meals in this manor. My mother, sister or partner now tend to make me pre-cooked food to freeze as they know the problems I face with preparing and then cooking for for myself due to the problems with standing in one place and the dexterity problems I suffer with my hands. My partner now does "batch cooking" So, all I have to do is pop a pre-prepared meal in the microwave, which would be on for around 10 mins or so, so I go and either sit or lie down whilst its on untill it has finished and bleeps at me letting me know its finished. With this descriptor the asessor has ticked B. I struggle to see what appropriate aid I could use to prepare a simple meal from the assessors findings here. I believe that my problems are more appropriate to descriptor E or F.
I agree with the assesors choice of descriptors for the following activities taking nutrition and manageing therapy.
With washing and bathing activity, I feel the descriptor that best describes this would be D and sometimes even F as although I have a thing to rub my foot against, its not the best way to wash my feet, so if I want a decent wash IE; between toes and the soles of my feet etc then I would definately need to have assistance. Also there are times when I cannot wash my hair, shoulders and waist and need assistance dependent on the severity of my condition at the time. My partner helps me have a proper shower at least once a week, I tend not to shower as often as I'd like, and I try to be independent as much as I can and do it for myself, but dont feel as clean as when I have assistance.
Managing toilet needs activity I feel maybe should be descriptor D as on my worst days, I need assistance to get on or off the loo as when in this state I literally cannot even get to the toilet on my own and need assistance with getting there, and sometimes during these bad days I cannot even wipe myself which I find really embarrassing and demeaning to say the least. I have to use the wall/sink or radiator in the downstairs loo to assist with getting up or down as there is no room for a handle to be installed. However, upstairs there is a handle to assist with getting up and down. I told the assesor this during the face to face as well as needing help ocassionally with wiping, which I estimated to be around 15 - 20 times during the last year. I do not like to have this done and prefer to do it myself at my own detriment.
Dressing and undressing. Firstly, I did not say I dressed myself as written in the assesors report. I needed help with putting on my lower garments as I would do any other day. I did however say that I put my t-shirt on myself that morning. I specifically wore very loose fitting clothes for the assesment as I would need to remove my top during the medical. I would say here that I either fit descriptor D or maybe even descriptor E as some nights I require assistance to undress myself fully, I estimate this evening help to undress my top half at least 2 - 3 evenings during the week and in the morning I just need help with dressing my lower half.
I agree with the assesors choice of descriptor for the following activities communicating verbally, reading and understanding signs, engaging with others, budgeting decisions and planning a journey.
Moving around. Whilst I can see the assessors logic here with the descriptor C. I feel that it should be pointed out that the assessor has used a good day to base her decision on, most days I have problems with standing let alone walking and I need to use furniture and walls to traverse around my home. I always walk slowly and most days I can only walk for up to 20 meters around my home so for the majority of the time I feel Descriptor E would be a more suitable choice as I feel that I could not do this repeatedly and in a timely manner.