#Support systems

[thatonebirdwrites]

I am taking my time between chapters to recover after posting each one. This one I carefully edited over and over again. I wanted to capture more of the trauma Kara and Lena have, and how their situations are not so different.

I also wanted to show more of Sam and Jack's support of Lena. How Lena navigates her disability (which DID is indeed a disability). Hopefully I showed it all well.

Also, I'm particularly proud of some of my prose here. Especially the last few lines of this excerpt. Let me know y'all's thoughts. EXCERPT:

She sleeps until the sun rises in a cloudless sky, the fury of the storm washed away by gold, red, and turquoise. Her head aches, her limbs throbs, and her stomach churns. She swings her legs out of bed, dizzy. She’s wearing Sam’s sweatshirt. The teddy bear lays on her pillow. One of her chapter books is open on her side table. A presence simmers at the edge of her awareness and pulses with grief.

She hears footsteps. Cobwebs stick to her thoughts, the past day a nightmare that melts like poison into her crevices. A person smeared in bright colors appears in the doorway.

“Hey, you’re awake! How are you feeling?”

She blinks and stares. The comforting presence fades, and she's left alone with the person. All red, blue, and gold — she’s familiar, but her vision is too blurry. Good or bad? She wraps her arms around herself and looks down.

“Oh, gosh, I’m sorry. Please don’t be mad. I totally get this. I really do. And uh, I won’t tell a soul. I promise, okay?”

The words bleed together, a quilt that blankets her mind.

“I mean, you’ve seen mine.” The woman rocks back and forth on her heels. She tugs more on her cape. “And, gosh, is this too much? Because we don’t have to talk about it now. But I want to help. Because something bad happened, didn’t it? And I know I have bad news for you too, but that seems like a lot, and oh gosh, Lena, what do you need?”

Need? She looks down at her hands. They are still dirty. She rubs at the dirt, but it’s dry and strange. Everything feels weird. Her head still so fuzzy. Is the person safe? She signs for the bath, but the figure doesn’t understand.

She tries again.

“Oh, uh, signs. I’m sorry. Sam said you use a chart. Want me to get the chart?”

Sam? Sam is here? She jerks to her feet, but her legs are too long. She stumbles and starts to fall, only for the person to catch her. Her vision finally resolves the figure into Kara. Reader of tales, sings so pretty.

But she’s not Sam. She crumples and starts to cry. Her body hurts, her head all foggy, and she’s dirty. She has to scrub. To clean. To not be dirty. She rubs and rubs at her hands and arms, getting more and more frantic.

“Hey, hey, it’s okay, Rory. Do you need to wash? Is that what this is?”

She nods desperately.

“Okay, then let’s do that. Get you to the bathroom.”

But when Kara stands, she’s too tall.

Rory scrambles backward, terrified. Too tall means the scary one is here. Which means she’s been bad. She’s done something very, very bad. She curls her hands above her head and whines in pain. Everything hurts.

“Rory, it’s okay. You’re okay.” The voice is all wrong.

No, no she's not okay. She signs for Sam. The one who holds her just right. Rocks her to sleep. For her sister Ruby who plays games and colors with her. She doesn’t want this semi-stranger. She wants Sam.

“Singing helps, right?” Kara breaks into song. A familiar song, one about rainbows and bluebirds flying.

The melody coils around her, warms her, and soothes away the panic. She crawls closer and gently touches Kara’s arm. When Kara smiles and keeps singing, her thoughts come easier, less chaotic.

Lena loves Kara. She remembers this now. Kara is safe like Sam. Kara has colored with her in the past. Cautiously, she crawls into her lap and wraps her arms around her. Kara holds her so gently. Not Sam, but still nice. Still warm.

“Feeling better?” When she nods, Kara smiles. “Do you still want to wash up?”

She nods again.

Kara helps her to the bathroom. Finds more clothing and lays it by the sink. Asks if she needs help. She shakes her head. Kara isn’t Sam, but Lena loves Kara. But Kieran loves Sam. It’s all so confusing, makes her head throb. She wants to curl up and hide, but she has to get clean.

Water cascades over her. She can’t remember how to bathe. Her head too fuzzy. She picks up items in the shower cubby. Puts them back. Picks them up again. A vague notion of body wash permeates her haze.

Kara helps her to the bathroom. Finds more clothing and lays it by the sink. Asks if she needs help. She shakes her head. Kara isn’t Sam, but Lena loves Kara. But Kieran loves Sam. It’s all so confusing, makes her head throb. She wants to curl up and hide, but she has to get clean.

Water cascades over her. She can’t remember how to bathe. Her head too fuzzy. She picks up items in the shower cubby. Puts them back. Picks them up again. A vague notion of body wash permeates her haze.

She finds herself standing on the bathroom floor with a towel wrapped around herself. The shower is off. Her hand smooths over the clothing by the sink, and she picks whichever feels softer against her palm.

Drink. She’s thirsty, but she can’t remember where Lena puts things. She stumbles into the hallway and sniffles. She rubs at her tears, upset and frustrated. Sound comes from the living room, and she follows it to see Kara on the sofa.

The TV is on, but it’s all wrong. She rubs at her face. Tears are bad. She’s not supposed to cry.

“How about we watch something until Sam comes?”

Relief floods her. Sam is coming. She crawls onto the sofa and huddles next to Kara, leaning into her side. She wants to be held again, but she doesn’t know Kara as well as Sam. But Kara must be good if Lena loves her, right?

Fix the show first. She points to the remote. Kara hands it to her. She presses buttons until the best show plays: alien planets and their ecosystems. Kara finds her a blanket and wraps it around her. Makes her mint tea when she indicates her stomach hurts.

Enduring is what she does. Yet she does not remember what she endures. Lena is not present to explain. Kieran is silent. She feels alone and scared. She shudders and huddles deeper under the blankets.

The soft sounds of the documentary lulls her into a state of not-awake but not-asleep.

The light darkens, ripples, and folds like origami into shadows across her walls. She fades into a restless sleep, full of sneering faces and eerie green lights.

[inshelliesworld]

[plato-repulsed-culture-is]

Oh I feel so bad for the sweet babe. :(( But if it makes nonnie feel better, many of us usually make up our lack of friend groups in other ways. For example, I have my therapist and my queerplatonic partner for one. I also talk to my Mama and Daddy a lot. Many of us have very strong support systems! 💪💪💪 They just usually aren't compiled up of friends.

. Yeah, I'm also just adding that aplatonics and/or nonfriending people do not have to 'make up for' not wanting friends/ friend groups - it's important to me that people not see my orientation as something I have to 'make up for'. And additionally I believe support systems should not be just affinity based social relationships because that support is not usually unconditional and this leaves people who aren't in social relationships abandoned (i.e. people should be given support if they need it not just bc someone likes them).

[remembertheplunge]

What kind of car do you drive?

September 4, 1990

(I had been assigned 6 preliminary hearings for September 4, 1990 by my Stanislaus County Public Defender office supervisor. The following is the result of my questioning of officers on the witness stand in one of them. )

The preliminary hearing Deputy District Attorney saddled up beside me and said that if I insisted on conducting my hearing in the manner I had been conducting it in that I “would get more speeding tickets. I hope that you drive 55mph. What kind of car do you drive? The officers really did say this. I just won’t tell you their names.”

So, I put it on the court record. My purpose was to say “Hey, I’m just doing my job. I don’t appreciate threats that punish me for doing it.”

(I try where and when I can to be reasonable)

I’m on my own on this one.

I just felt basic bottom line violation which I calmly revealed. My mood moved from anger at having been assigned 6 preliminary hearings for one day to happy acceptance.

Good support system tonight in this crisis and happy time: Mom, Dan, Mary (my brother and his wife), Chase, Bearnie,  and Daffney, three fellow deputy public defenders, a gay friend, and Mike , a court Spanish interpreter.

End of this part of the entry

Note:

In 1990, I was a deputy Public defender for Stanislaus County.

A preliminary hearing is a middle hearing in a felony case in which the state has to put on enough evidence for the judge to entertain a strong suspicion that a crime was committed and that the defendant committed it. I must have be aggressive in my questioning of the officers during the preliminary hearing September 4, 1990. I was told to back off or I would be ticketed in the future.

[nnctales]

Tunneling: Methods and Applications

In the vast realm of civil engineering and infrastructure development, tunneling stands as a pivotal and fascinating aspect. It plays a crucial role in connecting people, places, and resources, allowing for efficient transportation, access to resources, and even scientific exploration. This article delves into the intriguing world of tunneling, exploring various methods, their wide-ranging…

[stimpunks]

Stimpunks Podcast Episode 3: On Jordan Neely and Support Systems

In this episode, Inna reflects on what happens when a neurodivergent person’s support system goes away and society fails them. Stimpunks Podcast Episode 3: On Jordan Neely and Support Systems Transcript Table of ContentsOur Loved Ones are Jordan NeelyLost in the SystemSupport Systems and IndependenceSleeping Better at Night Our Loved Ones are Jordan Neely  So, I’m sitting here by the lake,…

[hoosurdaddy]

Sᴜᴘᴘᴏʀᴛ Sʏsᴛᴇᴍs//Hᴏᴛʟɪɴᴇs. 

For all my followers suffering with mental health, here are some support systems and hotlines. Please remember it’s okay not to be okay, and that you are so much more than you think.🖤🤍

Please feel free to suggest, the more support the merrier.. 🤍🖤

Changedpoint.org.

UnitedforGlobalMentalHealth.org.

Helpguide.org.

www.aware.ie

www.pieta.ie

www.findahelpline.com

www.nami.org

www.mind.org

www.221.org

www.Canada.ca

www.psychguide.com

Text50808.ie

988lifeline.org

[shitpostroundhouse]

Let's look into that deeper complexity he's asking for:

Yeah, pretty complicated shit, dude.

Feel free to label everything in the diagram so as not to be simplistic.

[house-of-slayterr]

What about the autistic people who can take care themselves? Do they need support systems?

As I said, even allistic people require support systems. Just probably not as often. Im quite independents but I would fall apart without my best friend, my sister and my father. They make the hard days a little easier, and they don’t baby me or hold me back on good days.

[praiseinchains]

Gratitude Journal Entry (7/22/24)

Today I'm Grateful For:

*My dad. I awoke at 4:53 a.m. from a horrible nightmare that left me hot and jittery. I actually had a small panic attack. My dad was in the living room unable to sleep, and I talked with him a few minutes and that (plus having the fan on) allowed me to get back to sleep. My dad didn't know I'd had a nightmare (possibly induced because of my exploration of my past for my poetry challenge) but it just helped having him around.

*My new roller walker :-) My mom and I went to Walmart and before we left, I wanted to see what they had for walkers, and they had only one in stock that was the kind I was looking for. I have vestibular migraines in addition to everything else and they are worse in certain places (like Walmart) and I've had to use a motorized cart whenever I go there. They are convenient, but terribly in the way. I wanted the walker so that I'd have a way to sit down whenever I get one of my dizzy spells. It was just under $100, and I was hesitant, but my mom got it for me. I'm looking forward to using it in stores, down hallways, and in elevators, especially when going to the doctor.

*My copywriting course. It is giving me so many useful tips and it's just making me feel more and more that writing is what I want to do with my life.

Something I'm Proud Of:

Just taking back control of my life: the walker and figuring out what I want to do with my life. My disease took a huge chunk of my life away, but I'm doing my best to take control of the things I can.

Tomorrow I'm Looking Forward To:

Looking up a copywriting template and then reading the documents I've downloaded.

[visionmedltcandcompoundingphar]

Opioid pain medications are a double-edged sword for seniors in assisted living facilities. While they can provide much-needed relief from chronic pain, they also carry a high risk of misuse and addiction. This is especially concerning because seniors often have slower metabolisms and are more sensitive to medications, making them more vulnerable to the negative effects of opioids.

[mariafraniayu]

Surviving Nursing School: The Manual

Surviving nursing school is a challenging yet rewarding endeavor that requires dedication, resilience, and practical strategies. Nursing school is known for its rigorous curriculum, demanding clinical rotations, and high expectations. This essay explores the essential aspects of surviving nursing school, including time management, effective study habits, self-care, and support systems, to help…

[the-heavyset-heartthrob]

Hello friends! This morning, I want to talk about body positivity, having a safe space, having support systems, and having safe friends to be yourself with.

Truthfully, this is something that I’ve wanted my whole life in many different instances, but in this particular moment, where I am being more vulnerable in a way that I’ve never been before, with something that is personal to me, with something that has dictated so much of my life, I truly do believe it is important to have a group (or just even one person) that you can be open and be safe with while you’re exploring your newfound self-love and body positivity.

My best friend and I have a very close relationship, and he has watched me struggle over the last year and a half trying to lose weight and it’s been a very hard battle and we’ve butted heads a lot. Because, let’s face it, I’m an insecure little baby who thinks the world is against him. That’s the trauma, babe.

My best friend is, and I say this with love, a hot white twink that doesn’t really understand fat people shit. He is 5’6, 130 pounds soaking wet, and he is never had to experience the fat lifestyle and all the discrimination and pain that has come with it, so him and I don’t always see eye to eye, but I think the difference is is that he is willing to listen and understand and learn, because I’m someone that he is chosen to have a close relationship with, he loves me, and he wants to support me in anyway that he can.

This includes my self love journey now.

I bring this up because a conversation that him and I have had in the last week or so, as I have been exploring this new era of my life. He stated that he is more than willing to hold my hand through this journey, and he has offered himself as a safe space and a safe person to be more open and vulnerable with; he said that he’s willing to have me be shirtless in front of him so I can feel more comfortable doing that with other people — I think that’s a really beautiful thing to have, because so often, we feel very lonely and isolated and that no one is really willing to see us or look at us with anything other than disgust.

At least in my experience. 😅

So I just want to reiterate that I think it’s incredibly important to have someone in your life that loves you enough to embrace the uncomfortable, and walk alongside you in a journey that you desperately need to take. It’s not always fun to do things alone, but if you have someone who’s willing to walk with you and love you through the hard moments of this journey, it’s going to benefit you quite a lot. I’m very grateful to my best friend and all that he has done for me, and even though our lives have been different, I’m very grateful that he has seen past my exterior and loved me for the person that I am regardless of my body. And I hope everyone gets to have a person like that in their lives, it’s very special.

We all need personal growth, but it’s absolutely necessary to have people that are willing to grow with you.

[favorhealthcareservicesllc]

After completing psychiatric services in Humble, Texas, individuals often wonder what comes next in their journey toward mental wellness. For those who have struggled with depression, transitioning back to everyday life can pose unique challenges. However, with the right support system and coping mechanisms, it’s possible to build a fulfilling life beyond mental health treatment.

[mydayswithtarotbystella]

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Confrontation, conflict, comparison, and judgment are inevitable parts of human interaction. These elements can become particularly harmful when they manifest as bullying. Understanding how to navigate these situations, especially when you find yourself the target of bullying, is crucial for maintaining your mental and emotional well-being. Confrontation & Conflict Confrontation and conflict…

[williambelfarmd]

Dealing with toxic people and situations can be incredibly draining, affecting both your mental and emotional well-being. Coaching services in New Rochelle, New York offer personalized strategies to help you manage and navigate these challenging interactions. Through tailored coaching sessions, you can learn to set boundaries, communicate effectively, and protect your mental health from the detrimental effects of toxicity.