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Well, my medical examination is done and dusted. Phew. That is unless they deny me my incapacity benefit and I have to go to appeal. Gah. But I am in an optimistic mood today and shall not dwell on such thoughts.

I have to say I was rather thrown by the doctor that interviewed me. It’s my own fault for buying into stereotypes. I was expecting a rather old and curmudgeonly retired GP. Instead I found myself talking with a pleasant, young (and not altogether unattractive) South African doc! Not that it did anything to calm my nerves. Boy was I tense. It’s just so difficult to ensure that you get all the necessary information across. When most people get nervous their voices get higher, mine gets lower. I’ve already got a pretty deep voice for a girl, so whilst talking to the nice doctor I sounded as though I’d swallowed a bucket of gravel!

I took my mum in with me, purely for observational purposes. I placed her under a tight gag order which she only breached on a couple of genuinely helpful occasions.

It is a little frustrating that the doctor doesn’t have any part to play in the actual decision making process. I got the impression that he really understood the problems I face and that I really would be working if I could. All he can do is write his report and hope that those with the power to declare ‘yea’ or ‘nay’ can kind of get to know me through his remarks. That said a friend of mine once had such an assessment with a doc that seemed nice as pie but then turned in an exceptionally nasty report. As always it’s just going to be a case of wait and see. I’m on the edge of my seat…!

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