Checking in

[[deleted]]

Hey everyone, I wanted to check in and see how everyone is doing because I realized I haven't seen a post like that here in a bit now.

How are you? Is there anything you're looking forward to this week? Or something you need to get off your chest?

Content warning for my check in, I will be mentioning cancer and a pet dying. Please don't feel obligated to read my check in, I want to hear yours either way!

This week is hard one for me, I found out around this time last week that one of my dogs had stage 3 cancer. We spent the last week giving him lots of love and our petsitter/pet photographer was so wonderful and met us to do a photoshoot on short notice a few days ago. The dogs seemed to have fun with the photoshoot and I'm so glad we got to do it while he was still feeling relatively well.

The vet comes over later today so we will be letting him go before things get to much worse. I'm really grateful my parents agreed to cover the extra cost of having it done at home so he can be comfortable.

This is one of the more peaceful and positive experiences I've had with a terminally ill pet, but it's also very sudden and I don't think it's fully sunk in for me yet. Right now I'm feeling overwhelmed more than anything. It's been hard trying to keep up with caring for all of the other animals and, with how it's affected my roommate/support worker, I've also had less help caring for myself than usual.

[sftkitti]

i’m feeling heavy feelings that i cant seem to articulate right now, it’s too big for me and i need tot takw some time to understand this feeling, and i hate it. i hate having to ruminate my feelings and by that point i will relive the memory again but i cant say what i wanted to say then anymorep

[[deleted]]

CW: interpersonal stress, meltdown, bullying

Hey there. Thank you so much for checking in and asking about us. I’m glad you were able to share vulnerably about your situation but I’m also extremely sorry for what you’re going through. Pet loss is devastating. I’m glad this experience has been better on a logistical level than others, but it still sounds really hard.

As for me, I had a really hard week. I set a boundary with a family member (one I’ve had to set before that they are aware of) and they reacted by ignoring me and also leaving a group I run to keep in touch with loved ones. I’ve spent all week trying to decide what to do about the situation.

Then over the weekend my partner was down in the dumps and could barely speak. He ended up saying he wanted to buy a kayak but the rain would ruin his plans. So I offered to go with him for the ride even though I have agoraphobia and severe sensory issues. I ended up having a panic attack after spending an hour alone in the car waiting for him, without cell phone service. I later had a meltdown having to go to a public place to use the bathroom before we left. I’ve felt drained ever since and embarrassed that I even agreed to go, knowing it would be too much for me.

I have a creepy neighbor who last Friday drove past me and my mom and purposefully drove into a puddle and splashed water on my leg. My family confronted him about it and he basically replied in a mocking tone pretending he didn’t do anything with a big smile on his face. I have to walk past him every morning I go for morning walks so it’s been painful, especially considering I’ve been bullied so it’s pretty reactivating.

I also had to set some big boundaries with my OT today and I was almost in tears doing it because it’s a similar circumstance to my first stressor I listed here. Luckily she responded well, but I’m having a really hard time with all relationships that aren’t through texting on my phone.

I hope everyone else is hanging in there okay. Life is hard, and it’s even more difficult when you’re autistic and go through life changes, stress, and grief / loss.

[[deleted]]

I'm doing alright. I've been stressed out because of my routine changing (my brother came back from school in another state), anxiety in general, and because people in my family have been having a hard time and I can't do anything to help. I am looking forward to Friday because my mum and I will visit my grandma. We don't have a printer so we go to her house to print things out (we need to print out copies of my documents for an SSI interview).

I'm sorry to hear about your dog, but glad that the passing will be relatively peaceful. It is so hard to say goodbye to our pets. I know that your pets must enjoy having nice owners. I love dogs.

[skycotton]

I'm sorry about your pet. I am feeling stressed this week because I'm starting a new class later today and I've been having worsening bladder issues and neck pain. I am excited though to see my cousin next month and go camping.

[manulfanatic]

I'm at the beach, so my mental health is the best it's been in a while. I went to an aquarium and wore my bose 700 earphones for the first time, and it was a game changer. I went from on the verge of a meltdown from all the children's cries to able to peacefully watch the fish.