One year on from a very late diagnosis

I haven't posted recently - things have been hectic - but I thought I'd say a bit about what has happened over the last year.

i got my diagnosis on 16 November 2018. I was off work at the time from multiple part-time and casual jobs. I went through all the stages of getting back to work but also applied for other jobs.

i ended up taking a job in London which has been a big challenge and adventure given that I live in NE England. I've been commuting and spending 2 days a week in the office and working from home 3 days a week.

When I'm in London I stay in a backpacker's hostel out of necessity rather than choice. I've grown used to it (the bunk beds in the dorms have curtains so they are a bit like adult 'dens').

I've spent nearly a year trying to get decent post diagnostic support. Finally managed it - I'm on a 10 week course in a neighbouring area. I'm not technically eligible as I live outside the catchment area but they took pity on me and let me join. 

Understanding sensory issues has been one of the biggest breakthroughs. Maybe working in London brought that to the fore. Another big thing was that my son got his diagnosis in January 2019 at the age of 31 (I was 58 when I got mine). 

I'm celebrating my autiversary this weekend with a friend I met on this forum. We've been emailing each other for ages but this will be the first time we have actually met in person. 

I'm incredibly grateful for all the encouragement advice and kindness shown to me here in this community. It made an incredible difference to a very stressful period before and during my autism diagnosis.  

The last year has been quite turbulent - so much to reinterpret and rebuild. Now that I'm getting proper psycho education on being autistic I'm definitely in a better frame of mind than I was before.

 

Parents
  • I was also diagnosed around a year ago, (age 45)  even though I knew I was autistic, and my autistic son, kept telling me I was, it still blew me away,.

    I'm  calming down abit now and accepting it, trouble I'm having is I notice my differences more now.

Reply
  • I was also diagnosed around a year ago, (age 45)  even though I knew I was autistic, and my autistic son, kept telling me I was, it still blew me away,.

    I'm  calming down abit now and accepting it, trouble I'm having is I notice my differences more now.

Children
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