Hardy Plants Staffs

@autcareandshare James at Ashwood Plant Sale today....picnic and a comic is all thats needed ❤️

Good morning all, i had a lie in , yup really a whole 45 minutes, I was finally woken by Ryan opening the curtains and pulling off my duvet and saying breakfast is late in a disapproving tone...it was 5:45 but for us still a lie in. Have a great day everyone.

@autcareandshare Oh yes...Still an issue with James after 46 years! Changing his winter to summer coat is tricky especially as he rips them to shreds and then needs a new one IMMEDIATELY. And of course all the time the brands change. Mind you its progress for 20 years he didnt know he was cold.

Good morning all, i could never get Ryan to wear clothes not for years, autism and clothes hypersensitivity to the seams the tags, just feeling hot every day was a challenge to get him dressed, to get him to wear clothes, so we started a clothes routine, summer clothes/ winter clothes, loose fit, same brands,started with the few clothes he would wear then added similar style clothes, put clothes out the night before,not in his room, on the landing, he'd get used to seeing them, over time he'd pick them up take them to the bathroom get dressed, seasonal clothes routine helped him to dress appropriately for the season as he doesn't get cold all this reduced the anxiety around clothes, so much so that now Ryan puts his own clothes on the landing and now asks for his summer clothes but it all started with a naked boy running around the house not wanting to wear anything. Have a great day everyone.

@autcareandshare Oh my. James really upset his aunty and uncle on a day out to a theme park. He was about 7 yrs old. He announced he needed a wee and then took his trousers down right there. Caused a right fuss when they came back and she didnt take him again! Yes we are always learning!

Someone asked me what Ryan was like when he was younger, I remember taking Ryan to soft play ball pits slides etc, he was around 4 so not long after he was diagnosed autistic and not long after we were homeless together, we've gone in Ryan's ran up the stairs ive gone to order drinks, im stood waiting and this guy stands by me and says id hate to the parent of that kid upstairs whys that I ask no idea what or who hes talking about, theres a kid up there jumping from table to table stopping on each table then drinking the drinks on the table, I run upstairs and there is Ryan sat on the edge of a table drinking a large glass of blackcurrant squash, next time I went i had drinks ready in the bag, I went as soon as it opened so that it was quieter, we dont learn to be parents on the first day , Ryan's almost 30 and im still learning, I still take drinks and snacks with me wherever we go, because just taking your eye off Ryan for a second means he could be running around jumping off tables or running through a public swimming baths completely naked and then having a pee off the top of a slide, ( yeah he did that too he was 4 maybe 5) and before I get the why didn't you do this or that replies, because im human i made mistakes i was running on 2 hours sleep a night back then, and im still making mistakes, hopefully not as many.

@autcareandshare Fabulous news... A victory for common sense.

Good morning all. had amazing news yesterday that there will be no thanges to Ryan's daycentre after a recent assessment/ review of his social care package, but I forgot to add.....and no changes to his transport, he will carry on with his current taxi driver who he gets on really well with. fantastic news, have a great day everyone.

@autcareandshare James very similar.

I do lots of tweets about Ryan and maps and routes, Ryan was fascinated by routes maps since before he could walk or talk back then I'd go around car boot sales buying up all the old maps and guides he'd sit for hours in his pushchair tracing them with his finger these days he uses Google maps, he keeps all the information I dont know how but he does, he can direct me from here in Gloucestershire to Scotland from memory, say we're staying at a campsite or hotel he will then direct me to the shops or the supermarkets, but even that doesn't go far enough to explain his amazing ability with maps, he does it flawlessly,I hear you , you're asking how did Ryan who way back then a non verbal autistic 3 or 4 year old in fact he didn't speak until he was around 8, how did he tell you which way to go, by pointing and imitating the sound of the car indicator, and he does all this while listening to at least 2 radios that are on different stations, he really is amazing. Have a great day everyone.

@autcareandshare Crumbs just like James. We have major problems getting him out a.m. as everything has to be done in the right order before he will go out to his transport & the rule is they will leave him if he doesnt get out on time. Very stressful for him and us.

Ryan was a little late leaving today with his taxi as he was going through his TV recordings routine he basically has to watch all his programmes in sequence before he'll go, this meant he was later than usual going into the taxi, he gets to the taxi sits in turns to the driver and says.... im very sorry im late, he's never ever said anything like that before. Very proud of him.

@autcareandshare 🤣🤣🤣

Ryan had a absolutely fantastic time at Highgrove Gardens with his daycentre, he did have cake...and soup ...and his packed lunch, so for tea I gave him a really really small tea a few cheese biscuits and one piece of cheese...he wasn't happy.

@autcareandshare There will be tea and cake...the cafe there is posh and lovely....garden is lovely too. Lucky Ryan.

Good morning all Ryan's off to Highgrove Gardens in Tetbury today with his daycentre, Highgrove Gardens is the kings private residence and Ryan's extremely excited and as always has asked the most important question....will there be cake? 🍰have a great day everyone.

@autcareandshare Yes its so difficult....the system is only really interested in tucking boxes and if the carers end up crushed they dont seem to be bothered. Feel for you....

So im sat having my tea last night and I get a phone call....we'd like to start Ryan's adult social care review, I knew it was coming,its now a 3 to 4 month review to make sure that Ryan's getting the correct support and services at his daycentre these reviews are necessary checking that the services are still suitable is important, but nothing has changed since last review and these reviews take around 3 to 4 months to complete sometimes longer and they are every year, and the social worker changes with every review, this is on top of all the other paperwork and forms, such as Ryan's pip, his blue badge, its a lot and that all of course on top of being a dad a carer working full time, and all we hear is how easy it is to claim benefits, thats certainly not my experience.

@autcareandshare Oh yes recognise that....at ours he only needed 11 sticking plasters before sleeping....one of those behind his ear fell off and that was a major trauma. Its like living on another planet sometimes. 😀

Bit of a restless night Ryan woke randomly at 4am checked his TV to find no signal being received i somehow while half asleep reset all the boxes isolated the problem to the hdmi lead, got the spare out the drawer while im doing all this, Ryan's sat singing along to islands in the stream with kermit the frog on YouTube. This is house this family is as different as different gets and I love every minute....but would like some more sleep please.

@autcareandshare That's incredible...there are some good people out there.

Ive had some fantastic news, you might remember how I tweeted early January how Ryan's transport company would no longer be taking Ryan to his daycentre, which meant he'd no longer be taken by the husband and wife team who Ryan got on really well with, local authority put the contract up for bid and Ryan had temporary transport, a new company won the contract, the husband and wife team found out who won the contract and moved over to them, which is incredible, they moved taxi companies because they know how important routine is to Ryan, what a amazing thing to do.

@autcareandshare Well done...and of course you are an expert....😀

Good morning all, i had a good day yesterday, i was invited to a meeting as a expert in my field, thats so surreal to me, that people consider me a expert, a professional, people are interested in what I say, and I didn't freeze once, i mean I stuttered I talked quick and fast I broke four pens ripped up tissues and scribbled on a book all while talking passionately about autism, for the record I'd never refer to myself as a expert in anything, just a autistic guy trying his best, have a good day everyone.

@itsme_urstruly @charbhardy Just like a jumbo jet at Heathrow ....incredible

Swans have one of the coolest water landing techniques ever

@autcareandshare Ditto here. They sit at the bottom of the stairs and eventually move across onto his sofa....

Ryan unwrapped all his Christmas presents Christmas day, he didn't take any into his room, I dont put any in his room, instead I leave them in the corner of the front room, this way he'll go up and down the stairs pick something up look at it then put it back, when hes ready he will take it in his room, this is something we've been doing for years, putting all those new items in his room straight away will mean he'll take them out of the room, this way they go in his room when he's ready.

@autcareandshare Merry Christmas to you....

Merry Christmas everyone hope you're all having a great day, time for our Christmas Dinner. 🍽 🎄🎅

@autcareandshare Oh yes....just like James! He wants to check his panto times and routine and it's not for another 2 weeks! Not at 2am though thank goodness. Bless your patience.

Good morning all, i was woken up at 2am by Ryan asking me what hes having for lunch on Tuesday, hes off out to see a panto with his daycentre, now luckily I'd brought him a selection of items to choose from a few days ago, so off we went downstairs so he could see all the different items , then he went back off to sleep, I'm autistic and a anxiety sufferer adhd too is also very likely, if you told me to go back to sleep that wouldn't work and it doesn't work on Ryan either, I've also taken a picture of the items so if he asks tonight, I'll show him the picture on my phone, what we do as a family isn't perfect and might be strange to others but its what works for us. Have a great day everyone.

There's no doubt about it - 'So Cool Cream' is a remarkable Salvia.

@autcareandshare In staffs lucky. The Sen dentist part of the community dentist service. Quick good service. Have just had fillings done for James under sedation hospital first time which went fine ... relief all round. Perhaps not well known about though

I've had a email from a lady who has a adult autistic daughter her daughter desperately requires a referral to a orthodontist but she cannot get that referral, when a referral is made its rejected because the orthodontist has no training or experience in learning disabilities and autism, after many messages and much persuasion her daughter is now on a waiting list for a SEN/ specialist dentist and its hoped that'll result in the referral but its a 2 year wait for the SEN dentist, the mum has been told that the treatment is expensive and that the treatment may not even work and this is another reason for refusal which could well be a valid point but at the very least I think the daughter is entitled to a referral to a orthodontist with the appropriate training/experience in SEN so that they can make a informed descion, does anyone have any experience in this area that can offer any advice please?

@autcareandshare Transfer over to Universal Credit will have to form an orderly queue behind the County Council argument. And to think I do all this for no payment whatsoever. Pensioner so get no recognition.

@autcareandshare Trying to get some sense out of our CC who have done an audit of James' Diect payments acc Didn't look at a single invoice paid but toted up the £54 a week contributions and came to the conclusion he owes them £200 & the payments are made weekly on standing order No sense.

Good morning all, last year Ryan was denied transport to and from his Thursday and Friday daycentre, I took on the local authority and finally got transport approved for the next 12 months, its just been approved again for another 12 months, with the same driver and passenger assistant, which is fantastic news as Ryan gets on really well with both of them, very very happy that Ryan will continue to get transport.