Riven Vincent and THAT WOMAN CLARE

Remember in January when I did the radio interview and was in the paper?  Well the lady who sparked off that national debate has finally done a radio interview.

I sat this morning and listened to what she had to say along with the local Councillor who is apparently campaigning on her behalf. The interview was a lot like listening to my own life except that this lady also has a disability herself.  Riven Vincent suffers from Multiple Sclerosis and often needs to use a wheelchair herself.

The most remarkable thing about this interview is the comments from a lady named Clare.  If you want to listen, click here. You don't have to listen to the whole interview to hear her outrageous comments.  Her points of view are aired 26mins and 50 seconds into the recording.

I really would like to know what you think about this.  Can there be other people out there who are in agreement? Thank God that this woman is not in a position of power because believe me people, she would have any human being who was less than perfect, put down because the 'overburdened taxpayer' shouldn't have to pay for their care.

I was utterly speechless at her comments and more so, when she said that she was a parent because she has probably brought them up to be as bigoted, ignorant, uncivilized and as lacking in compassion as her.

She nearly made my ears bleed. 

Riven Vincent's story and Radio Scotland

Yesterday, a parent of a young girl who has profound difficulties, posted on Mumsnet that she was crumbling under the pressure of looking after her child.  She struggles on very little respite and felt the only answer was to put her child into care!!!!!

This sparked a front page story in the Guardian newspaper and TV and Radio stations across the UK have grabbed the story and run with it.  Click on the word Guardian to read the article.

My friend Lorna and I were just discussing this.  I hadn't seen the papers or heard the news so she was filling me in and saying that hearing this story was like deja vu as it was just like having a conversation with me.  Moments later my mobile rang and it was the Manager of Jack's respite unit asking if I would be willing to talk to the charity's PR man as he was looking for parents to speak on Radio Scotland.

After she hung up, Lorna and I just looked at each other and I told her that I now felt sick! A minute or two later Tom, the PR man was calling my mobile and he gave me a heads up of what was involved and I agreed to do it.

Suffice to say that I slept even worse than usual!  The nerves were really kicking in especially as this was going to be a live chat on the show.  At 8.45, just as I was putting Jack out of the door onto the bus, Radio Scotland called.  Within 5 minutes I was chatting, live, to Kaye Adams and once we got started on the subject matter I relaxed a bit.  I had 4 A4 pages of notes in case my mind went blank but never looked at them once!!!

My line had a lot of interference and they switched to my mobile but again it was just the same which was a pity but I think I got my point across well enough. So I hope that despite the interference I was still able to be heard.

Once the conversation got started, the debate took off and there were lots of callers, emails and texts and they let me go at 9.30am to allow other people the chance to speak.  There was so much more, I wanted to say but that will have to be for another time but at the very least for the first time in a very long time, Carers have found their voice and people are finally willing to listen!  My friend Louise had her text read out too so I was so chuffed for her, as she gets even less care than me.

If you missed it you can find it on BBC iplayer, Kaye Adams show.  If you want to listen, click here and that will take you to the site.  It's the one dated today's date obviously!!

Since then, my phone has rung off the hook with people asking for my autograph saying that I came across well and thanking me for my contribution, which they really don't need to do cos I was happy to tell it like it is.

The Manager of Jack's Respite Unit has been on the phone giving me feedback and has said that people are now wanting to take this story further and that if I was willing they would involve me!  Oh WOW!!!

Also she said that she has had numerous emails saying that I put my point across eloquently!  Eloquent, what, who me??? Eh............ok.  She has told me to listen to it again but maybe another time, not ready to go there yet but you can do it for me and tell me what you think eh?