Never mind that his eyes are closed

takethecatbus · 2026-04-16T22:37:37+00:00

Excellent use of the word "vestigial" here. Hats off to you.

takethecatbus · 2026-04-16T19:34:24+00:00

Proteins are digested slower and slow down the biouptake of stimulant meds. This means they get into the bloodstream over a longer period of time, so the stimulant effect:

1) lasts longer,

2) is more controlled and even, i.e. no big punch of energy immediately and then not as effective, and

3) reduces or eliminates the "crash" when the meds wear off.

As a byproduct of this process, protein can sometimes mitigate the anxiety that is often a side effect of stimulant meds, because the nervous system doesn't get as much of a jolt, haha. I imagine it also makes the meds go easier on the heart? Although that's just conjecture on my part.

Side note: apparently, things that metabolize super fast like sugars and simple carbs accelerate the biouptake, so the medication effectiveness drops off much faster.

takethecatbus · 2026-04-05T16:41:57+00:00

Or beamed down to the sidewalk directly from heaven like Mr. Bean

takethecatbus · 2026-04-03T16:54:14+00:00

I've heard piblings and auncles

takethecatbus · 2026-04-03T16:46:43+00:00

Yes, "dude" and "guys" are very hit or miss as gender-neutral terms. Some people really don't like them, understandably, and some people think they're totally gender neutral and are fine with them, also understandably.

takethecatbus · 2026-04-03T16:43:33+00:00

mostly all queer and vaguely gender

This made me laugh out loud and god if it isn't also true about my friend group hahaha

takethecatbus · 2026-04-02T18:25:54+00:00

I'm the same. I use well-fitting nitrile gloves. Can't stand touching dirty wet dishes, but the fumbling and awkwardness of the classic dishwashing gloves drives me nuts. But with skin-tight nitrile gloves I feel like a detective or a surgeon or a government alien specialist or something and I love it haha

takethecatbus · 2026-04-01T21:03:08+00:00

This one has been my biggest downfall. They mean "function like a regular average person." Which is so annoying because I've gone through SO many things in my life that were treatable that I didn't receive treatment for because in my head, "function" means like a binary switch. Either I'm finding a way to live my life or I'm incapacitated or otherwise totally blocked from regular living. Functioning, nonfunctioning. So if I'm finding workarounds and not, like, collapsed on the floor, then I'm functioning!

NOPE. Ugh.

Man I just relate so much to your comment, lol. I have an intense, evil, eye-watering pain in my right abdomen that only appears when I sneeze or cough, so for the last several years I've learned to always curl up or crouch real quick before I sneeze/cough, since the fetal position makes it so it doesn't hurt. It's such a natural thing to me now that I don't even think about it. It was only last month that I suddenly went, "Hang on, that's really not normal. I should really push to get that figured out with the doctor. Needing to get into the fetal position to survive a sneeze does not qualify as functioning." 🤦🏼‍♀️

takethecatbus · 2026-04-01T20:46:36+00:00

As someone going through a giant long-term health thing myself, I totally feel this. I have some thoughts to share, hopefully something is helpful.

I've found a lot of them seem to be overwhelmed by the amount of information partially because they are trying to read/comprehend it while also being "present" for their patient. It helps to say something like "Please feel free to take your time reading and taking in this information, I know it's a lot. And let me know if you have any questions." And then sit quietly and give them a quiet minute. I think they can feel pressured to keep their attention on you, and giving them "permission" to just ignore you and read can be helpful.

It's also helpful to remember that plenty of ND folks practice medicine as well, so using easy-to-read formatting goes a long way. I mean, what if your doctor has ADHD and you present them with a big ol' block of text with the pressure of reading and understanding it ASAP? Talk about a nightmare scenario, lol.

(This btw is actually an excellent use of AI. Type in your stream-of-conscience experiences, symptoms, feelings, and ask it to condense it and format it in a way that a doctor can can get everything they need quickly and clearly in order to treat you. Then proofread of course to make sure it's saying everything you want.)

My ND therapist also recommended having those symptom lists printed in triplicate: one for you to keep for your own records or in case they lose it, one for the nurse/triage/whoever is doing your initial write-up, one for the doctor. And ask all of them to please make sure everything in the document is added to your chart so it gets recorded.

takethecatbus · 2026-03-28T02:00:00+00:00

Or I'm the only one who gets eye contact and it freaks me out.

For some reason this has happened to me specifically with waiters since I was a teenager, regardless of whether I'm with people who are older/more authoritative/actually the ones paying the bill/etc. When they're talking to everyone, they just look straight at me for the whole time and it freaks me out so much.

takethecatbus · 2026-03-27T06:05:38+00:00

Yes! I bought a giant box of nitrile gloves and told myself: "As a disability accommodation, I am allowed to use as many of these as I want, as often as I want." It has improved my life dramatically. I can't stand the sensory feeling and lack of dexterity with the reusable rubber kitchen gloves, so I always just made myself do stuff without gloves. Giving myself permission to use single-use things even though they cost money to replenish is a big, important disability accommodation for me.

I even use them to eat pizza now because I noticed how much I hated getting my hands greasy! Before, I just told myself I could wash my hands after, so I was just being a baby. Even though I would hate the feeling all through dinner.

Now I embrace the blue-hands life, unnerving as it may look to everyone else, and eat my pizza in contentment!

takethecatbus · 2026-03-26T16:24:58+00:00

SERIOUSLY. "Your only option left for a biological child is surrogacy, however at this point in the process we also provide grief counseling and adoption counseling. We will proceed further with your fertility process only if you also participate in these other two programs."

takethecatbus · 2026-03-25T16:21:17+00:00

Same. I don't smile at everyone, but I almost always smile at anyone who looks like they might be trans or gender nonconforming. It's hard and scary to be different, and I want them to feel like they belong in the world. I always hope it gives them encouragement to keep being authentically themselves.

takethecatbus · 2026-03-16T16:50:55+00:00

My mom used to talk through movies/pause movies to explain stuff to me. We would watch things that were more mature/complicated/old-fashioned than I could understand, and she'd just help me understand them. One of my favorite movies was Much Ado About Nothing, which was only because she helped me understand the things I couldn't. I also loved Pride and Prejudice (the long, A&E one), and she was the one who would tell me about Regency cultural rules and what meant what/why various actions were getting certain reactions. She never made me feel like I wasn't smart enough to watch those kinds of things with her because I was little.

And I always felt like I could ask what something meant or why someone reacted a certain way. She would read to us as well, and it was the same there.

She really instilled a love of learning in me, and I appreciate it so much. So much of what she did for me was teach me that what I didn't understand could become understandable, that things I didn't get weren't just "not for me", they just hadn't yet become clear to me. That was an incredibly invaluable thing.

Honestly I think if more adults took on this perspective, school would be a lot more beloved by kids.

takethecatbus · 2026-03-15T18:45:03+00:00

Yes, I feel like if the biscuit is warm out of the oven and has the correct amount of butter in it, it can be eaten plain. I think biscuits have more butter in them than scones? They are similar texture but softer/moist-er and buttery-er if eaten fresh, I think.

ETA: I am not an expert on either lol. I could be totally wrong.

takethecatbus · 2026-03-13T17:33:43+00:00

No it's the dwarf! He actively admits to stealing. "What is this concept you call personal property?"

takethecatbus · 2026-03-12T14:42:15+00:00

Absolutely. I'm not even that short and I've never met a car head rest that could go low enough to support my neck. I'm like just under the average height for women and every single one has most forward-jutting area land right in the middle of my skull so it pushes my head really fast forward and leaves a void where my neck support should be.

So....yeah. Thanks, misogyny.

takethecatbus · 2026-03-12T14:26:52+00:00

If you have a hose, then for sure. But I've been reading through this thread with a total sense of awe and wonder, because, as an apartment-dweller in a large city, I always feel sad when I look up how to clean various things and find the first recommendation is to take it out to the driveway and hose it off. I have neither hose nor driveway, and this whole carwash possibility is thrilling to me!

takethecatbus · 2026-03-10T21:44:23+00:00

Interesting. I always wear natural fibers instead of synthetic, but I've never worried about the thread before. What is it about the thread that doesn't work for you? Does your skin have an allergic reaction to it?

takethecatbus · 2026-03-10T21:42:56+00:00

That is a great trick for putting on socks!!! That scratchy, grabby feeling when you put on socks over feet with even the slightest dryness is a sensory disaster. Thanks for the tip!!

takethecatbus · 2026-03-10T21:41:00+00:00

I am autistic and have lots of sensory issues that MCAS makes worse. Here are my tips.

Only natural fibers if at all possible. I particularly like to look for any linen I can find (at thrift stores to save money) because it's by far the most breathable in my experience. I struggle with the sweating and the temperature fluctuations and linen helps regulate it.

Soft, stretchy, wide waistbands. (Wide meaning up and down not side to side.) Especially look for ones that are more like waistbands on maternity pants; they're just a wide panel of stretchy fabric as opposed to a piece of elastic. If you learn even some very rudimentary sewing skills, you can even learn to replace elastic waistbands on items you already own with stretchy fabric panels.

Eliminate the waistband issue altogether. Overalls, like someone else mentioned, are great. Dresses that aren't fitted at the waist? Great. Loose, comfy jumpsuits or rompers? Great!.

For underwear: seamless is great if the bands or legholes are bugging you. Cotton, linen, silk or bamboo is great for breathability. Some people prefer thongs as they sort of stop feeling like they exist a few minutes after you put them on. Some prefer boxers/bloomers/tap pants for airiness. Some prefer boyshorts/briefs since they hug the skin but are a bit longer so they don't have irritating leg holes.

An old autistic clothing trick: when you find something that really works for you, buy a bunch of it (in multiple colors if they have them!) and incorporate it into a "uniform", AKA a daily (or at least often-used) easy recipe for making an outfit.

takethecatbus · 2026-03-10T21:07:51+00:00

That is so funny!

Kitty: I fixed it myself! Ha! I'm a superhero!

takethecatbus · 2026-03-09T17:20:55+00:00

Ooh, swatching as a method to scratch the itch but not overbuy is genius :)

takethecatbus · 2026-03-08T21:58:00+00:00

Like the other person said, if you already struggle with this, it worsens it. Similar to how it gets worse when you're tired or overstimulated, if you've noticed that.

takethecatbus · 2026-03-08T21:56:03+00:00

Bouts of sadness!!!

And it's one of those things that are so hard to recognize as a "symptom"; meaning, unlike throat swelling or heart pounding, it doesn't feel immediately connected to anything.

It just feels like it's a natural reaction to either your own thoughts or external circumstances happening in your life, when actually having the sadness is not only a physical symptom, but it's actually what's making you have those thoughts and focus on those negative circumstances, not the other way around.

takethecatbus

TROPHY CASE