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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| My life is on pause until I'm old enough to get my pension | My life is on pause until I'm old enough to get my pension |
| (4 months later) | |
| Linda's husband, Charles, died a week after being diagnosed with bone cancer | Linda's husband, Charles, died a week after being diagnosed with bone cancer |
| When Linda Jeffrey's husband Charles died suddenly, she was left to live on £77 a week. | When Linda Jeffrey's husband Charles died suddenly, she was left to live on £77 a week. |
| The 64-year-old says she cannot afford to put her heating on, and she lives on food bank donations and cooking apples from a tree in her elderly mother's garden. | The 64-year-old says she cannot afford to put her heating on, and she lives on food bank donations and cooking apples from a tree in her elderly mother's garden. |
| "I dream of eating lovely food like a big juicy steak," she told BBC Scotland. | "I dream of eating lovely food like a big juicy steak," she told BBC Scotland. |
| "But my life is on pause just now until I reach 66 when I can collect my state pension." | "But my life is on pause just now until I reach 66 when I can collect my state pension." |
| Linda was the deputy supervisor of an after-school club in Dundee for six years until her husband died in September last year. | Linda was the deputy supervisor of an after-school club in Dundee for six years until her husband died in September last year. |
| He was diagnosed with metastatic bone cancer just a week before his death. Linda went back to work a couple of months later. | He was diagnosed with metastatic bone cancer just a week before his death. Linda went back to work a couple of months later. |
| "I was in shock when Charles died because we only knew he had cancer for a week before he passed away," she said. | "I was in shock when Charles died because we only knew he had cancer for a week before he passed away," she said. |
| "I went back to work too soon and felt weepy all the time and it wasn't fair on the children, so I went to the doctor and was told I had anxiety and depression." | "I went back to work too soon and felt weepy all the time and it wasn't fair on the children, so I went to the doctor and was told I had anxiety and depression." |
| Linda, who has a daughter, Laura, says her life is on pause while she waits for her state pension | Linda, who has a daughter, Laura, says her life is on pause while she waits for her state pension |
| Linda left her job as she was mentally too unwell to carry on. | Linda left her job as she was mentally too unwell to carry on. |
| "The doctor said I was to take baby steps and that it was too much to go back to work," she said. | "The doctor said I was to take baby steps and that it was too much to go back to work," she said. |
| "I couldn't go out there the way I am. It's very hard. I just stay in my house and have blankets to keep warm. | "I couldn't go out there the way I am. It's very hard. I just stay in my house and have blankets to keep warm. |
| "I do nothing and stay in my house so I have no overheads apart from bills but it's still very hard to make ends meet." | "I do nothing and stay in my house so I have no overheads apart from bills but it's still very hard to make ends meet." |
| Linda receives £77 a week sickness benefit and does not have a private pension. | Linda receives £77 a week sickness benefit and does not have a private pension. |
| In two years' time she will be entitled to a state pension. A full state pension is currently £185.15 a week. | In two years' time she will be entitled to a state pension. A full state pension is currently £185.15 a week. |
| Find more stories from Tayside and Central: | Find more stories from Tayside and Central: |
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| Exploring Dundee's historical links to slavery | Exploring Dundee's historical links to slavery |
| How Christian Dior brought chic to Scotland | How Christian Dior brought chic to Scotland |
| Read more stories from Tayside and Central | Read more stories from Tayside and Central |
| The mother-of-one said: "I'm so grateful for the vouchers I get to spend at the food bank, they are a lifesaver in what has become a very hard time for me. | The mother-of-one said: "I'm so grateful for the vouchers I get to spend at the food bank, they are a lifesaver in what has become a very hard time for me. |
| "I've worked all my life and this is the first time anything like this has happened to me. I've taken it really badly." | "I've worked all my life and this is the first time anything like this has happened to me. I've taken it really badly." |
| Charles worked on oil rigs all over the world on a month on, month off basis. | Charles worked on oil rigs all over the world on a month on, month off basis. |
| He was home in July 2021 when he was taken to hospital in a lot of pain. | He was home in July 2021 when he was taken to hospital in a lot of pain. |
| Linda said: "He woke me up in the night saying he was in so much pain in his legs and bottom of his back, I had never seen him in that much pain so I called an ambulance. | Linda said: "He woke me up in the night saying he was in so much pain in his legs and bottom of his back, I had never seen him in that much pain so I called an ambulance. |
| "But after scans they said they couldn't find anything and sent him home." | "But after scans they said they couldn't find anything and sent him home." |
| Charles Jeffrey died in September 2021 | Charles Jeffrey died in September 2021 |
| He then returned to hospital a month later saying he could not put up with the pain. He had an MRI scan and he was told his skeleton was covered in lesions. | He then returned to hospital a month later saying he could not put up with the pain. He had an MRI scan and he was told his skeleton was covered in lesions. |
| "They said it was cancer and he was so far gone there wasn't anything they could do for him. I was very shocked," Linda said. | "They said it was cancer and he was so far gone there wasn't anything they could do for him. I was very shocked," Linda said. |
| "He started to get confused, lost a lot of weight and passed away." | "He started to get confused, lost a lot of weight and passed away." |
| Linda first met Charles at a hotel disco in Dundee, where she grew up, in 1985. | Linda first met Charles at a hotel disco in Dundee, where she grew up, in 1985. |
| The couple paid off their mortgage just before he died. | The couple paid off their mortgage just before he died. |
| Linda says her wedding day was the best day of her life | Linda says her wedding day was the best day of her life |
| Dame Laura Lee, chief executive for cancer care charity Maggie's, said: "It's very difficult for people like Linda when there is a sudden death in the family. | Dame Laura Lee, chief executive for cancer care charity Maggie's, said: "It's very difficult for people like Linda when there is a sudden death in the family. |
| "There is an expectation that people will go back to work, but it's a shock to the system mentally and physically and people can feel very anxious and isolated especially when their partner has died. | "There is an expectation that people will go back to work, but it's a shock to the system mentally and physically and people can feel very anxious and isolated especially when their partner has died. |
| "Linda is not alone and the current cost of living crisis in people affected by cancer is the worst I have ever seen. | "Linda is not alone and the current cost of living crisis in people affected by cancer is the worst I have ever seen. |
| "Maggie's has experts at our 24 centres across the UK where people can access support. We can also help if someone is worried about money. | "Maggie's has experts at our 24 centres across the UK where people can access support. We can also help if someone is worried about money. |
| "In Linda's case, we also helped signpost her to a local food bank." | "In Linda's case, we also helped signpost her to a local food bank." |
| Linda said she missed her husband every day. | Linda said she missed her husband every day. |
| "He was such a strong character," she said. "He lived life to the full and loved his job because he got to go to lots of different places. | "He was such a strong character," she said. "He lived life to the full and loved his job because he got to go to lots of different places. |
| "He would do the cooking when he came back and would experiment on me with all the dishes he had tried while being abroad. | "He would do the cooking when he came back and would experiment on me with all the dishes he had tried while being abroad. |
| "I loved eating his food and trying all his different recipes. It would be so nice to eat the food that I really like again." | "I loved eating his food and trying all his different recipes. It would be so nice to eat the food that I really like again." |
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| Related Topics | |
| Cost of living | |
| Cancer | |
| Dundee |