Thank you all so very much for your honest and reassuring comments. I honestly have no idea why she felt she could not talk to me about this when it happened.... She has held down several jobs of trust over the years, raised a good honest family, working alone in peoples homes measuring up and then going back to their homes to hang the curtains she has made, often left with the keys to get on with things whilst her clients are off holidaying wherever so it's not as if she can't be trusted. Her Grandson is a Policeman, maybe she has fretted more so recently in case it came out and she brought shame to him as the store is in her home town, on his area... What ever her thoughts I am going to feel so happy telling her that she need not worry anymore, she really was so very upset yesterday, I've never seen her so distraught. To think for 30 years she has thought that boots would have spy glasses looking out for her or something, bless her. But, Seriously.. Thank you for all your advice, I really do appreciate it...

Hi, I hope I am in the right place for this... today whilst out shopping with my Sister I needed to go into boots for some bits but my Sister kept saying we didn't have enough time .. And was trying to get out of going in there. I couldn't go in on my own as I am in a wheelchair and she has to push me. I was getting annoyed because I never get out due to my I'll health and this was a rare treat. eventually she says she can't go into boots as she is banned. .. What ever for I said and she broke down and said way back in 1986 she was in boots shopping for toiletries that she needed to take into hospital as she was pre-booked for an operation on the Monday. She said that she was wandering around the store with a basket and gathered her goods, she said she was in a daze and not really paying much attention but she picked up some false nails and was looking at them. Then she wanted to check her shopping list which was in her bag, she said her hands were full but for some unknown reason she put the basket on the floor but put these false nails in her bag and got out her purse and list. Then went to pick up the last few items she needed and headed for the tills. She got her purse out and paid for her goods and went to walk out the doors. Outside she said she was stopped by a woman and was questioned, she can't remember every detail but was asked if the woman could look in her bag. By now there are now two women and they said she had to follow them into the shop which she did. In a room at the back of the store they emptied her bag out and of course these nails were in there. She was asked why she didn't pay for them and she said she hadn't realised they were even in her bag. Now she didn't need them, she has beautiful nails, she said she had been looking at them out of interest but had thought she had put them back on the shelf. she said they called the police and she would have to go to court. She was by now in tears, she said she offered to pay for them even though she didn't need or want them . But they refused her money. Apparently they were a little over £3.50... The police arrived and spoke to her, she again offered to pay and said she was sorry, she didn't mean to steal anything, hadn't even realised she had done it. The police asked the other women what did they want and they said they wanted to press charges . They took my Sister's details and said she was banned from all boots stores. She was then taken to the police station where they charged her and let her go. Now here is where she says she has difficulty remembering the events. But she said she had to attend court, she had representation, she was fined £50. She remembers that but said something about suspended for two years but she doesn't quite remember what was suspended for two years. She has been so scared anyone would find out, her picture wasn't taken, she can't even remember if her fingerprints were taken. But will she still have a criminal record, is she classed as a criminal, would she need to tell people if she is a criminal for employment purposes etc.. . and is a ban from boots a life ban. She said she has wanted to go to the police station and ask these questions but has been too frightened. Could anyone here advise me please so I can let her know and put her mind at rest. .. She has carried this guilty secret all these years on her own. This was the first and last time this had happened to her, I know she is not a thief, I trust her to collect money from the cash machine for me and do any shopping . I just want to try to help her now she has reached out to me.. Many Thanks in advance...

Hi BazzaS, Thank you for explaining that. I must have gotten it wrong because I was given Acyclovir for the whole of my stay in Canterbury so it must have been for more than 15 doses. They definitely said it was touch and go at first and I was really very unwell so perhaps they decided to give me more Acyclovir to be doubly sure. I was at Canterbury for 11 days and had Acyclovir 3 times a day for the whole of stay. Sorry to confuse things. Heaven knows where I got 15 doses from, perhaps got muddled because I was hospitalised for a total of 15 days! Hubby has written a little diary of the events and meds that I was given... Must make a note to ask my Consultant if there actually was a brain found on my scans!! doh!

Thank you think about it. That is in the pipeline through my occupational therapyst at the moment along with a Disabled shower as I have great difficulty getting in and out of a bath and as I am unable to hold my arms up for any length of time I am unable to wash (and dry) my own hair but leaning over the bath is causing back problems for my husband. But a shower would be easier all round as it has waist height screens that open and a curtain and seat. So he won't have to lean over to wash my hair or over to the taps to rince it, these rubber shower attachment things don't stay secure on my taps! In the interim she has given me a bath lift, makes life a little easier getting into the bath but of course it still doesn't help hubby out as he still has to bend over to fill a jug to rince my hair! I will also be having one of those telecare alarms installed in case I fall and can't get to the phone on the odd occasions that my husband has had to go shopping. He tends to go once I go for my afternoon sleep, but I do tend to sometimes wake before he gets home and have taken a fall before now!

Thank you so much Mikeymack2002, I certainly will pop along for some info and support. Don't get me wrong, Arthur has been Absolutely brilliant but he doesn't like talking about it now.As far as he's concerned it's over with. He isn't a nasty man but it really spooked him. He was very upset especially when he sat beside me one day at the beginning and asked me if I knew who he was. Apparently I just looked at him and said "No", he said that hurt him deeply.I keep having to ask him about different aspects as I keep forgetting what be tells me! I get so frustrated about everything and honestly think I'm going mad some days!! We've been married 26 years and there really is only just us. OK we have Sisters and Brothers but we only see them now and again because we moved right down to the coast. My sister lives an hour away, one of Arthur's Sister lives nearly two hours away etc... I can't travel well at the moment because of all the pain I am in and can't abide noise at the moment with these terrible headaches! We are all each other has ever needed, OK we have a few friends but they live quite a distance from us. I have a couple of friend here but don't get to see them often. So yes, I feel I could probably use some support! Thank you, it's much appreciated...

Hello BazzaS Yes, I did have a Lumbar puncture, 2 MRI's, CT scans and an EEG, amongst many other tests like Meningitis, even HIV! I'm also waiting for a date to have a PET scan which is for Cancer as they found a cyst on my Liver and I lost my Mum to Liver & Pancreatic Cancer so I think they just want to rule that out! Although my Consultant said I didn't have a mini stroke my own GP and Haematology Dr's believe I did. You see I lost my Nan when she had two strokes and my Brother is just recovering from a stroke he had a week or so before I got Encephalitis. Yes I'm aware of the different types of Encephalitis from the Encephalitis Society web site. I haven't been over sea's for over ten years and then it was only to Spain and Gibraltar! My Consultant's said I had contracted Viral Encephalitis, don't forget M.E is Viral, so I really don't know if that has any bearing on it as my immune is very low! What does HSV stand for please? I was given 15 doses of Acycolvir intravenously... I have go to the warfarin clinic almost. weekly because my INR levels are all over the place, can't seem to be stable and within the normal range of 2 & 3. Goes as low as 1.1 &and as high as 7.0 Which means I am at greater risk of blood clots! At least the clots on my brain won't travel around the body but it's very possible that I could very easily get clots in other veins! So It's a bit of a worry. I've already star..ed death in the Face once and I don't fancy doing it again! Thank you for your post, it was very interesting, didn't quite take it in but I will certainly be looking it up!

Hello BazzaS Yes, I did have a Lumbar puncture, 2 MRI's, CT scans and an EEG, amongst many other tests like Meningitis, even HIV! I'm also waiting for a date to have a PET scan which is for Cancer as they found a cyst on my Liver and I lost my Mum to Liver & Pancreatic Cancer! Although my Consultant said I didn't have a mini stroke my own GP and Haematology Dr's believe I did. You see I lost my Nan when she had two strokes and my Brother is just recovering from a stroke he had a week or so before I got Encephalitis. Yes I'm aware of the different types of Encephalitis from the Encephalitis Society web site. I haven't been over sea's for over ten years and then it was only to Spain and Gibraltar!

Hello heoeybee 13.. Yes, you could say that. I wanted so much to paint the NHS in a Good light for once. The nurses are so over worked and under staffed and work 12 shifts, but the care they show to their patients is Amazing! There were times when my husband would come in and find I was in wet bedding and I was soaked through, if the nurses were stretched he soon found his way to the linen cupboards and where the wash bowls were and he would tell them not to worry, he would strip me down, wash me and put me in a clean gown and strip and wash the mattress and re make the bed, even got the hospital corners right!! As Arthur is my full time carer at home so it wasn't like he wasn't used to cleaning up after accidents when I'm having a serious relapse, OK I refuse to wear nappies at home but in hospital, well At the time I wasn't aware I was, Arthur said that whilst at Margate they were going to cathaterise me so was very surprised to find that I wasn't! I couldn't even begin to hold a conversation worth listening to or even understanding till around my eighth day in Canterbury! I was mumbling a lot, apparently the ambulance men thought I was foreign as they couldn't understand a word I was saying!!

Just before Easter this year I was admitted into QEQM Hospital in Margate suffering from Confusion and strange behaviour. I was tested for loads of things. Bloods were taken and it was suggested I be admitted as I clearly wasn't acting normally! I was put onto a high dependency ward with 24/7 visiting. My husband sat with me till the early hours and as we lived locally made lots of little visits through out the day and night whilst I was in Margate hospital. They ran loads of tests, did CT scan, MRI scan, Lumbar puncture which I apparently kicked off about! You name it, I was tested for it. They thought at first it might be a mini stroke but ruled that out. There was an abnormality on my brain scan. Can I point out now that I didn't have a clue what was going on. I don't remember anything what so ever. I didn't even know my husband or Sister! I Was really very ill and for the first few days they didn't know what was wrong with me. I wouldnt and couldn't eat anything as I couldn't swallow, My husband pointed out that he thought I was having bad headaches because of how I didn't want my forehead touched, I always wanted the curtains around my bed closed to keep out the strong lights. I refused all fluids so was put on a drip, given various types of vitamins & meds for my pain. I am Disabled through having M.E. and Fibromyalgia anyway so as I couldn't swallow any of the meds and had to be given them intravenously, that is until I started pulling them out! I wasn't able to control my bladder so was often soaked through till they decided to put a nappy on me! Finally they diagnosed Viral Encephalitis, (An infection on the brain) my brain had also swolen. The morning of Day 4, I was moved to The Kent and Canterbury hospital, in a neurological ward. I was given a very strong antibiotic called Acyclovier, sorry not entirely sure of that spelling! I had further scans, Electrodes attached to my brain and further electrodes attached to my wrists and ankles as I had a tremor in my right hand, plus I kept getting spasams in my hands and my leg would just jump for no explained reason, these keep happening to this day!. Still my memory was very vague, I thought I knew who my husband was but a lot of confusion was still present. The Doctors and Nurses were first class. They looked after me very well. I was kept in hospital in total for 15 days. On the afternoon before I was discharged some long awaited blood tests came back. I also had lots and lots of small blood clots over the brain, they weren't anything to do with the Encephalitis, but every test imaginable was done to rule everything out! I now have to take warfarin for a further 6-8 months at least! I have been left feeling very tired all the time, have excruciating headaches 24/7, they can't rule out a connection to the Encephalitis and my Consultant has warned my husband that I musnt be left alone for any length of time as he also can't rule out that I won't get it again!! The first signs of confusion and he has to call an ambulance! My memory is pretty poor from having M.E & Fibro but it's even worse now I have memory lapses constantly throughout the day, forget passwords that I have been using for years, do things and then forget I've already done it I cannot stand for more than 5 or so minutes before my legs wobble and I fall. I cannot walk more than a dozen or so steps before my legs go from beneath me! I suffer a lot of pain due to my disabilities and the added limitations are so very frustrating!! Viral Encephalitis is a very rare illness, at one point my Doctors couldn't even tell my husband if I would ever recover as I was that i'll. But thankfully with the Love and Care from my Husband, and the Wonderful care I got in hospital and am still getting as an out patient. it's a very long road but I am getting there. I will always have added problems to my health but at least I am alive!

Good isn't it? It was so nice to see my on-line statement with 'Charge reversed' four times, such a good feeling! Thanks for taking the time to read my post and reply...

Thank you so much fkofilee I did as you said and went through to the complaints department this afternoon and it paid off. All of my charges and the £10 charge were reversed so I now have my money back! I'm not normally a complainer but Thanks to you it's lesson learnt. I shall from now on be looking at things in a different light...

Hi Yesterday to my horror I discovered I was overdrawn and the reason was because Santander had made me so by giving me 3 bank charges of £25. and a £10. overdrawn fee for the privilege for failed direct debits, two of which were failed because I was overdrawn by £7. I really do try to keep my account on top of it's self and it's not always been easy but 3 charges whilst on benefits has really done me in... I have no food in the house and have had to borrow money to clear the overdrawn amount before they charge me again... I am at my whit's end and just don't know what to do for the best.. I can't approach the bank about this as a few months ago they cleared a charge for me as a favour, apparently you are allowed one a year.. Any ideas please. I really need to get shopping and soon, I have run out of food ... I am Disabled and my hubbie is my f/t carer.. Many thanks in advance.

Hi, My support worker has taken my appeal form to fill in and post and I am collecting the letters and will be speaking to my GP this week hopefully to go over everything with him and hopefully he will write another letter for me. I shall be ready when the appeal date comes as I had to go to appeal for my DLA all those years ago.. Can't understand why they are doing this as I get indefinite DLA high on both counts, just what do they expect I can do when I myself need all this care... My husband wouldn't have given up his job to care for me if I didn't need him. Only this weekend past I had a fall when trying to get out of bed on my own and not wake him as I needed the bathroom! not only did I succeed in waking him with the noise I also ended up needing a bath as I had an accident and then hubbie had to change the bed etc.. so at the end of the day we were up an hour instead of 15 minutes, and they expect me to work!! I give up with them but will fight this with all the help I can get.. will keep you informed and Thank you again..

Thank you swinginapig, that's a Great help.. My support worker was round this morning and has taken my appeal form already signed by me so she can fill it in and send it off leaving me to gather the evidence in the mean time from my Dr.. I have a signed letter from my brother in law stating how he has seen my illness affecting me and I shall white one and also my husband so hopefully that will be enough!!

Hi Shirts, I am so sorry for all the problems you have been having over the years and can only say that I Honestly know where you're coming from. Due to my ill health and not being able to work we lost our house, we struggled for many years and everything got on top of us when my husband then had to finally give up work to become my Full time carer. Again we carried on struggling and eventually through no fault of our own we were issued a section 21 notice to quit our flat because we could not give the landlord a date of when we would be moving out and into a council place as we honestly didn't know when we would be given one. I couldn't manage the stairs with my disability any longer and we were advised by my OT to apply to the council.. Thankfully someone must have been looking down on us because 2 weeks before we were due to quit we were offered a Disabled flat... Money worries eased a bit as the rent was less but it still wasn't great so we three months ago went for an IVA.. It was the best thing we could have done, we are still able to hold our heads high knowing that we are still paying something towards our debts but they have all been taken away and we no longer get all the phone calls and letters every day demanding money.. Life is still tight, no room for luxuries but at least we can afford a hot meal every night instead of sandwiches as we often used to have as we couldn't afford to eat.. We didn't want the stigma of Bankruptcy and lose total control of our money or bank account so an IVA was the best thing for us. Everything was handled with care and understanding and everyone was really helpful and are only a phone call away if we need them. We now only have to pay £235 each month instead of the £1,980.+ we were having to find every month... This money is paid over 5 years and after 6 years you are considered debt free and have a clean credit file... We have a little bit of spending money which means that now due to my health I get what I need instead of having to go without as we always used to have to do. We still have to keep a tight rein on how we spend but it's a lot easier than before and as I said, we can hold our head up.. It would have been easy to go for bankruptcy but I wasn't comfortable with that and although we didn't owe a lot compared to others it was a lot for us and would have taken a lifetime to eventually pay back on benefits.... Hope this helps somewhat Shirts..