Ill-Health Retirement. Success.

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Ill-Health Retirement. Success.

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Ill-Health Retirement. Success. I left teaching at the end of October. It was time to put my health first. It has been a very traumatic, time. I wasn’t prepared for the shock of having no work, missing the children and my fellow workers.

As well as that, my body started showing signs of stress with bouts of irritable bowel symptoms, eczema and a month long attack with gallstones, not forgetting slight depression which I wasn’t at first willing to accept.

I had to get letters from my surgeon, and doctor and this was all sent in after Christmas. At the end of January, I was told that I had been turned down, but I could appeal.

I was totally devastated, as I thought it would definitely go through. I got in touch with my union and I was made to see an Occupational Health Doctor. He was very nice, but I was very stressed when I saw him.

I got another letter from my doctor and I waited again. All was sent in on 21st February, and I got to the stage recently when I presumed I would have to go through the whole system again, as I began to get very down.

Imagine my shock, joy and disbelief, when I got a letter last Wednesday to say I was going to receive ill-health retirement. I was in a complete daze for ages.

I am hoping that if anyone out there is on a similar journey, please don’t give up at the first hurdle, but be prepared for a very stressful time.
Pollyanna

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Well done, Pollyanna - you must be delighted!

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Good For You! Well done!!

I used to be a teacher and it’s a tough job - with cancer added to that…
I think you did the right thing. Good for you, not giving up the fight!

Enjoy your retirement and get rid of some of that stress with lots of pampering.

Take care,
Jacki xx

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Thanks Thank you Silkie and Jackie.

I was a Primary 1 teacher and it helps if you are in tip-top condition which I was not.
Pollyanna

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ill health retirement Well done, Pollyanna,

I too had to retire due to ill health when I presented with a broken collarbone that had fractured due to a single secondary from an undiagnosed primary breast cancer. I was a health professional who had worked in the NHS for 35years but was refused my early retirement on ill health grounds because the Pensions Agency said I did not have enough grounds!

Like you, my consultant oncologist and the Occupational Health doctor supported my case and I eventually got my pension, which was only one year earlier than I would have retired anyway.

The message is to keep fighting! I hope you can enjoy some years of good health, in your well earned retirement. Best wishes "Mollie F

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It can be a long battle. Thank you Molly for your support.

They certainly do not make it easy. You are so right. It is so important to keep fighting, but it seems so unfair that you have to go through such a lot of hassle when you are not at your best.

Hopefully, we will both give people the message to keep trying even when they get turned down at first.

All the best,
Pollyanna