Todd’s Story

I need this NDIS as I was born with Spina Bifida. As a result of this I have had numerous operations, use crutches to walk, I also use a wheelchair for long distances. My main worry is I have bladder incontinence and up until 18 months ago I was always at the Doctors with bladder infections that would hospitalise me and would be on very strong doses of antibiotics that were often immune to the infections. I also had hospital in the home and regular specialist visitations and scans/ultra sounds.

ALL BECAUSE THE GOVERNMENT ONLY ALLOWED ME TO GO TO THE TOILET 1 TIME A DAY WITH THE AMOUNT OF SUPPLIES THAT THEY WOULD SUPPLY. I COULD NOT AFFORD TO BUY INCONTINENCE AIDS TO GO TO THE TOILET.
I had letters from Doctors and Specialist asking PADP to increase my supply allowance as it would be cheaper to give me the right amount to keep my bladder empty and to be able to go to the toilet atleast 3-4 times a day. This never happened and I continued to get sicker.

In the last 18 months we have had reform in our scheme in NSW with ENABLE being put into place and as from receiving the amount of supplies to be able to go to the toilet 4 times a day I have only had a hand full of infections only requiring antibiotics and no hospital stays or hospital in the home visits.

Now my problem is if I was to move to QLD which is what I am looking at doing I go back to square 1 with only receiving enough to go to the toilet 1 a day.. I can’t afford the supplies.. I think that the government needs to keep the annual CAPS payment that they give and just have a national scheme for incontinence aids like ENABLE. I also think that other disabilities need other items but for me I need to able to live anywhere in Australia and have the safety of being able to get supplies for a basic fundamental human need of going to the toilet and not just once a day. I hope this NDIS includes incontinence aids and not for 1 time a day it needs to be atleast 4 times ask any urologist.

Todd
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