Week 45 - All Change.

Posted on the

In three weeks so much has changed!

New flat, new babysitter, new overnight support and refubished cafe!

New flat.

About two weeks ago we move my big items and i started living in my new flat. In effect my freinds and thier family have worked out a method for me to have unofficial supported living. Its not ideal that the support is coming from freinds etc, but it’s already working out much better than my old flat. I have a home i feel safe in. Thats makes life much easier! A positive change.

 New sitter

A somewhat sad and less positive change is that two days after moving we fell out with the babysitter who’d been so good. To be honest, i don’t 100% understand what happened, but the end effect is we had to find a new babysitter.

We found a new babysitter within 12 hours of loosing the old one. A freinds mum is stepping in to look after me for a few hours in the evening while we recruit a new babysitter for the long term. My routine is mostly intact. It’s taking time to adjust to the differences but overall the change is positive. This is a big hit to autonomy for now, but longer term this should all work out okay.

Overnight support.

Last week the overnight support lady visited on Wednesday night and it went well. One of the best visits we have had. However, she couldn’t make it Thursday as a member of her family was very ill.

This morning the agency confirmed that shes now having to take some time off to look after her family so we’re going to need to get a new person.

This isn’t ideal. A third big change so soon after the move, but shes wonderful and the hope is she will be back in time. Her family take priority so we will find another way.

A friend is working with the agency to help find someone new and then let me know a plan for the future. This is the sort of stuff i get very stressed about, so leaving it for a "grown up" so i can focus on my new routines seems like the smart thing to do.

Refurbished Cafe

The costa cafe i liked in the local mothercare (where i was spending lots of time!) also moved the same week i did! They moved upstairs and had a refit.

The staff are still lovely, however the new cafe is not an appealing place for me to visit anymore. The old layout had a lovely table in the corner i could use with my laptop to communicate with and work on. Thats all gone now. The replacement table is too low to work and its placed right next to the kids place area so the noise is far more of an issue.

I was very comfortable in the old layout and it worked great for me. In the two weeks since the move i have only visited twice as the new cafe is now a very hostile place for me. I’m going to try going back with bigger ear defenders to see if it helps. But it is a sad change.

Change is hard.

I have coped with all the change. It’s not been ideal at all, but it so far now major issues. Ive mostly avoided meltodowns etc. I am now focusing on getting use to my new routines. I know i am doing to much and pushing to hard, so i need to find a way to settle a bit into something more sustainable.

About

Spaced Out & Smiling is about exploring the fun side of Autism, and trying to understand what it means to be Autistically Happy.

Social Links

Get In Touch

Jamie: @JamieKnight
Lion: @Lickr