Real, real life... my list for this week.
My worldview is from a hospital bed in my home... it's not that bad but I can't wait till it's much better! I'm on the cusp of being entirely alone in this little house I built and will probably look for a housemate eventually to split meager expenses. I've raised 3 autisitic sons into young men for as long as I could handle it. LOVE them so much but alas, the last at home is almost 21 and will be placed in a group home within the next 4-6 months... not random, I researched the hell out of what was available and jumped through a decade worth of hoops to get there so he will be very well cared for. My life from here on out will be visiting the three in their very separate locations throughout the area (Jacksonville, FL and surrounding suburbs, one of which I live in)
Although I've basically used LJ as my hidden away secret from family and real life friends and just sank in to the loveliness of CLex and that long ago, albeit seemingly awesome fandom... I'm going to occaisionally put some real life here... most likely using this subject line every time.
In no particularly order:
Although I've basically used LJ as my hidden away secret from family and real life friends and just sank in to the loveliness of CLex and that long ago, albeit seemingly awesome fandom... I'm going to occaisionally put some real life here... most likely using this subject line every time.
In no particularly order:
- I do not know how to cut. I am a verified genius (it's true, I've been tested) but it is no help in LJ land when I look at the html tab as opposed to the visual editor tab and see the cut tags but they don't do anything to the post. This has been most concerting on Theme_Clex_Recs as anyone receiving notifications is getting some extremely long posts... and I've only just begun there as I've cross-referenced my CLex stories to the point that I can find any fic, any time, in seconds.
- I've emailed back and forth with Teland, Te and to my utter fascination Thete1 (I KNOW they're all the same person but I somehow missed that third part of her personality known as Thete). It doesn't take too much to thrill me but I'm having fun... and yeah, it's real life AND fandom :)
- My youngest son and I occasionally watch movies - we had a Die Hard marathon last week and we paused the TV for him to go to the kitchen to microwave himself something to eat. You can plainly see the TV over the bar into the great room... however, he became agitated and was working a little fast for him. I reminded him everything was Ok, we had all the time in the world and joked with him that neither of us have work or school the next day. His agitation, though, lie in the fact that we had paused Bruce Willis in a most uncomfortable position and he was hurrying to relieve him of that uncomfortableness.
- When carting one brother (I can drive very little, walk even less - 20ft or less a day till bone growth is complete) back home from a home visit with us in my very old lady luxury car (that is sooo comfortable - but a gas hog and currently without A/C). Both boys scrambled to put their windows up as we were leaving our little corner of suburbia. I looked in the rearview mirror and asked what they were doing as it is so hot right now - and in tandem chimed "Grass!" These particular 2 of my 3 are oil and water and very different emotionally (one hugs almost compulsively, the other would require you to have your shots up to date to accept a handshake) but this is the first time I've ever seen a "sensory sync" between them... at the smell of fresh cut grass no less.
- I ordered Revitaline for my mother online for $4.95 - a trial of some sort. It turns out I was redirected from my original landing page (and away from the one she actually wanted) and although the price was the same, the product was from an organization called Beauty and Truth who sold a similar product. It took 12min to find someone who spoke English when I selected that as my choice - I had visions in my head of red lights flashing, sirens blaring, and someone announcing to the operators in whatever native tongue was prevalent that someone had pressed #1 for English causing massive anxiety in their ranks. After the call was put through, a very circular conversation ensued about how I did NOT want the next shipment for $58 and as I was within their time parameter of 30 days (the button really should say press #1 if you want someone who speaks English as a second language) this payment could not occur - the operator steadfastly repeated herself as opposed to actually answering or addressing anything I said - and on speakerphone, as my mother was listening in as well. We were at first puzzled by this. However, a friend in telemarketing pointed out the fact that telemarking companies have response screens to certain words or phrases and their answers are popped up in dialog boxes for their convenience. This, of course led me to believe I was repeating myself quite frequently if she kept getting the same dialog trigger boxes over and over. Now, of course, mother wants the REAL cream from the right company and of course I acquiesced but have asked for a week to get over the first fiasco.
- I have been awarded a $25,000 grant from the county to fix/repair/update my house and make it user friendly for me while patching holes and replacing doors that 12 years of rambunctious autism has inflicted upon a house I built in 2004. (The house still looks good as new on the outside and a very good neighbor of 10 years has mowed my lawn and trimmed my hedges at no cost almost the whole time). One of the boys' caseworkers told me about the program a year or so ago - which is when I started filling out the paperwork. I now have a caseworker who helps me with scheduling doctor's appts, physical therapy, and any other resources out there offered. When I built, the two boys still living with me were 8 and 10. I kind of hunkered down - sometimes on the floor - with flash cards, role-playing games etc and focused on them - preparing the world for them in a sense. I only found out about Homestead exemption last year, and this year a complete property tax exemption if you are completely disabled... which I am. So, I will get a refund check most likely next month for the escrowed tax money for this year and my house pmt will go down to below $400 which is a step in the right direction. The house is worth $150,000 thereabouts but last appraised at $170,000. I've been truly blessed on my financial decisions and frugally live on less than $800 per month. I think I've succeeded, at least where my sons are concerned, as one asked me this week if we were poor. I told him if he has to ask, he has everything he needs.
- I'm bored most of the time unless my son(s) unwittingly say something that just makes you want to laugh out loud - but you can't and have to furiously text friends and family relating the hilarity of the situation. I usually save all these things up and share them in my Talks. Yes, I'm a public speaker - just not in circles most people know. I speak with Master's students who are going into the field of special needs and after my presentation there is usually 1-2 hours of Q&A depending on that semester's class size. The Talk has changed so much over the years - hormones and teenagedom almost did me in - however the house suffered the most. As far as I know, and have been told, I am the only parent of 3 autistic children who are from the same two biological parents (me and my ex) - at least this was the case in 2000 when the 3rd boy was diagnosed. We have been a part of numerous research studies which I hope someday help point to a cure - or at the very least a defective chromosone or two.