April 2021

I can’t believe it’s April already, it’s bloody ridiculous! Feels like we’ve just taken down the Christmas tree!

We’ve been plodding along! We’re still looking into what Beth will be doing for her second day of the week. She is working Mondays still at A Twist of Willow in Mount Evelyn, the nocturnal zoo. She really enjoys going there and absolutely loves the animals, is quite fearless around them actually. Here she is with one of the pet rats. They offered her a hand reared one but Paul is absolutely dead set against it, even though Beth and Bridie would have a menagerie if I let them! It’d be a pain in the arse with the cats mind you. The whole point about these ones is that they are really tame, but if we have cats around the rats would have to stay in their cages.

Beth used to work 2 days a week but on the Thursday she was constantly sick, or making herself sick so she didn’t have to go. It’s so hard to tell with her! It’s such a balance between believing her and allowing it and trying to make her go when she’s clearly not wanting to for whatever reason. And often getting a call to say she is sick. She won’t say if anything is actually happening and I don’t think there is. If I suggest that we have a change and find somewhere else she gets distressed as she says she doesn’t want to leave.

We had a 3 week trial on a Thursday at a reptile organisation. I thought it was perfect for her as it’s still animals, she is free on that day, and the lovely girl we saw offered to pick her up! She was keen on the visit we did but then after the first week the lady with her said she didn’t want to do anything, wanted to go out in the car but wouldn’t go in the store, wanted constant breaks etc. I was so embarrassed! Beth knows it was the wrong thing to do. I have a good talking to her, she was very apologetic and tried again but was still out of sorts. Not like her at all, especially in a new setting when there hasn’t been any issues yet.

She is really keen to start up art again. Her art teacher is coming back at one stage but we don’t really know when. The organisation she went to in the past for writing has an art program on a Friday so we’re going to go and check it out when they come back from holidays. They’ve moved from their old premises so maybe a fresh start? Beth wasn’t that keen originally because it’s an obvious disability organisation which she’s not keen on but we’ll see! Otherwise I may look back into the tafe course she started last year who had a day one on Fridays. That would require the train trip and carer again so might keep that one up my sleeve as a backup if need be.

As far as the nrf tablets are concerned, I’m really happy with Beth’s progress on them. She turned 22 last month and we, as usual, went to the movies. To see Peter Rabbit 2. Which was actually really good! I told her that now she’s 22 she had to be more tolerant of her dad and stop yelling at him and having a tantrum if he coughed. Or any other noise he makes. Note to self, don’t tell him in front of Beth to stop breathing so heavily in my ear! Each night we have a chat and I let Beth know that I’m really proud of the way she’s coping and not yelling at Dad so much and that she’s being such a grown up girl. And she is responding! She is still annoyed by him. Me too at times! But she’s coming out once to tell him to go to bed, if that. And the other night she came out when he was watching Whose Line is it Anyway. She doesn’t like that show because it has very loud laughter track which she has always hated. She came out, asked when he was going to bed and went back in her room! Usually she’d either object or try and turn it off! Beth is on the trio pack. NRF1, NRF2 and probio which has helped her gut problems so much! Let me know if you’d like any information.

We had a visit to our lovely osteo this morning. Beth often needs cranio sarcral therapy for headaches and earaches which stem from her grinding her teeth in her sleep. After dentist and doctors visits we went back to what she had done years ago and it relieved it instantly. So here she is with our lovely Steph! Have a wonderful week everybody! xx

About Sarah

Mother of an autistic child wanting to write about my personal experiences
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