Published on 12, July, 2020
Hello everyone my name is Rose and I am 58 years old. My hobbies are Twitter, gardening, classic cars, art, photography and spending time with my dog.
Recently I became very stressed when my beloved 12 year old dog was dying of heart disease and things were incredibly hard for me at work. Things have always been very challenging at work, I always end up in conflict with colleagues or managers, but as I get older it is more difficult to keep finding new jobs. This has finally led to me seeking an autism diagnosis after years of wondering if I am autistic.
I had my first meeting with a psychologist for my autism assessment last week. I was amazed at how much we talked about in that hour and a half. So many things from my childhood and adult life are starting to make sense. Lots of 'what ifs' and 'if onlys' started going through my mind but I am trying not to feel regret. I phoned my younger sister afterwards and she said she has thought for years that I am autistic (she thinks my Dad is autisitc too).
After my Norfolk Terrier died I realised that I could not cope without a dog as a best friend. A week later my husband and I adopted a Border Terrier who had been used for breeding and was not wanted now she cannot have any more puppies. She was very nervous when she first arrived but she is beginning to trust us (see photo below). I badly injured my ankle going on too many dog walks, so I am off work at present. In a way this is a good thing as it has removed me from a very stressful work situation. It has also given me time to think about the autism assessment process.
Finding this online community and reading some of the discussion threads has been incredibly helpful. It's wonderful to be among people who have had similar experiences.
Hi Rose welcome to the community,
it is a very sad time indeed when a family member passes on.
Yes I class my pets as family as they give unconditional love and help a great deal to de stress,
You probably have seen but late diagnosis isn’t unusual for us, more so for women as the usual early signs are just classed as shyness, or anxiety, or she will grow out if it.
I do like the new family member you have, she will settle in lovely, I also like your car, a Morris minor I think. Always wanted one myself, a car with much character and charm.
enjoy your time here and there are plenty of late diagnosed ladies here to chat with and you will be surprised how much they have in common regards getting through the years not knowing about Autism.
I am Male btw,
Hi nice to meet you.
You are so right about pets being members of the family - some people understand that, others seem to think losing a pet is like letting go of a piece of furniture. To me dogs have full personhood!
With hindsight it's all very obvious that I am autistic but when I was growing up in the 1960s and 1970s awareness was far from where it is now (and there's still such a long way to go).
Morris Minors are lovely little cars - mine is 1962 same year as my sister. Lots of nice details like the centre of the steering wheel and wheel hubs. Classic car shows are a complete Nerd Fest for me!
Our new family member is such a sweet little dog. There were years of neglect when she was being bred from, so there are challenges to overcome. However, love radiates from her and she sits on me like a weighted lap blanket calming me down.
Thanks so much for welcoming me to the community.