On 1 March I sent an email to Discovery to appeal the decision to decline my application for payment of ex-gratia benefits for my approved PMB condition. 6 March I received an email stating that my appeal had been sent to the out of hospital PMB department and that the expected time for feedback was 3-5 working days. 18 March I called Discovery and was told that my appeal would be escalated yet I'm still waiting. My psychiatrist had his own medical crisis and had to hand over my care to another psychiatrist in the midst of my psychotic depressive crisis. My only choices were out-patient ECT treatment or admission to Valkenberg for 4 weeks. I was absolutely terrified of facing such a big change in my care without being under the care of my own psychiatrist - besides the fact that 4 weeks in a government hospital would probably have cost more than out-patient treatment! Would anyone submit themselves to ECT if they weren't REALLY desperate? Freaking out for weeks because colors were neon wherever I looked. The treatment worked and my mood is currently stable, but with 10 unpaid sick leave days I'm under extreme financial duress and it could affect my mood. Get back to me ASAP.
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