Lived Experience Forum

[CheerBear]

Thanks for your understanding and insight @eth. I think my main worry is that this worker isn't going to be a good fit and with such a long appointment, it's going to suck if we don't click.

Hope your Sunday is going well.

Hi and thanks for the call outs @greenpea and @Adge 🙂 Yay for the haircut adge. As someone with 2/3rds of mine at a number 2, I get how good it can feel to be neatly shorn 😁 Love rubbing my hands over my head when it is freshly done!

👋 to you also @Zoe7

[Zoe7]

Good morning CB - as always lovely to 'see' you to brighten up my day a little. Getting things done by degrees here this morning. Going to watch a couple of things I recorded and have an early lunch - was up super early so it feels like lunchtime already lol

I hear you about the sw - hopefully you get on well and they are a good fit for you. It is not easy meeting new people for the first time and having that amount of time to spend together would make it super hard if you don't get along. Fingers and toes crossed for you that it is a good fit @CheerBear 

[eth]

Hey again @CheerBear  I always have my CoS introduce me to sw's before the day I first have to go out with them.  It's essential for me re anxiety about being out with someone new, but it also gives me a chance to see if it seems like a good fit.  You never really know for sure but it does help.

All these haircuts LOL @Adge @Zoe7  @CheerBear   I'm growing mine long again and only get it cut once most years, occasionally 2 if I'm sprucing up for a special event.  I want to be an old lady with long hair!  I just love that look.  At 55 now, this might be the last time I grow it long, I'll never get it shortened again if possible.  And most of my grey hair is growing in a streak around my right hand side part.  Works for me!  Still mostly dark brown.  This is the first time I've had long hair that's never been coloured and it's much healthier.  Blah blah!!

[CheerBear]

Lol @Zoe7. It often feels like lunchtime just after breakfast time for me with the time I wake up 😉😖 It's a glorious weather day here and I'm thinking it may be where you are too.

Thanks for your understanding also. I'm being maybe too negative Nancy thinking about the support worker which I know isn't helpful. My experience with this whole process so far has given me little reason to trust or have hope it will go well I guess. Adding to that is that I know the level of qualification and experience they have under that title (which psych and the support coordinator have both said it may mean it won't be hugely helpful) and I'm feeling like there's a pretty good chance we might struggle. I can bite my tongue for a few hours if I have to (hopefully lol) 😉 and cross fingers it magically works out 🤞

@eth that's a great idea to have your CoS with you when you meet a new worker. Your hair sounds awesome in a completely opposite way to mine. Mine does better the unhealthier it is 😆 It doesn't like being soft and clean, goes better when it is bleached and then bleached some more (though it tends to snap lol) and appreciates being heated up with all the things that destroy hair 😝

[Zoe7]

My hair is very long too @eth but needs a cut - not much but enough to make it more manageable. It grows pretty quickly though. I wouldn't recognise my own hair if it was it's natural colour lol - been the colour I have now for some time and I like it like it is 

Been getting more done this morning than I thought I would so that is good - planning on mowing the backyard this afternoon but that may not get done - see how I feel in a couple of hours. It will depend how hot it is outside too - can't do it in the middle of the day as the UV is too high for my skin and I burn and itche very quickly on the meds I am on. It is frustrating but I will wait until later this afternoon and see how I feeling energy wise then.

[Zoe7]

It is quite natral to have those feelings when meeting new people @CheerBear  Sometimes our negative thinking is a protection mechansim but I am hoping very much for you that it all works out. You have certainly had the run around with all this so it is good that things are moving ahead in that regard for you. I will be very interested to see how the meeting goes - and who knows this person could be awesome and you may get a lot out of the time with them. 

It is a lovely day here too. Cat is happily sitting in the garden in the sun - Toby is of course next to me but has ventured outside a couple of times when I have been cleaning up in the kitchen - he is such a little shadow my little buddy 

[eth]

Yay we're all here at the same time @Zoe7  @CheerBear   I coloured my hair a lot over the years - fire truck red a few times, purple most often, and at one stage I had a full rainbow for a performance poetry event.  Had to have a debate with the hairdresser to get that one done - they really didn't want to do yellow or green - not so uncommon these days.

@CheerBear  I'm sure you could request an intro from your CoS if you wanted to.  It is the only way for me.  I think part of the anxiety is a) knowing they are likely a peer worker and not qualified by education to work with MH speciality and b) not knowing what or how much to disclose to them about your life and history.  The latter does get easier as you build trust with them over time.  I've been quite specific about only having women and prefering them to be mature.  On hireup I mostly get responses from babies who are students, often in physiotherapy.  Not at all suitable for me.  You have the right to assert for what you want - as they say "Choice and Control".

[Appleblossom]

Hello Long Ravers

@Mazarita @Zoe7 @eth @CheerBear @eth @Adge 

Its funny thinking of all your hair styles.

I greyed quite early in my 40s, battled with colouring it for a while. Went a la natural for about 8 years and am back to mildly sprucing up the colour as I have regular concerts.  Found those touch sprays so I dont need to colour often.  Mostly I just cut it myself. Its thick and curly and can hide little mistakes. Been about 8 years since I went to a salon.

Son is poking around in the kitchen.

I do love him. 

 Sigh.

See you round.

Off to choir.

[CheerBear]

Nawww to cat and Toby @Zoe7. I looked down as I read your message while I was doing the dishes to see my little Rocket sitting at my feet 😊❤ She slept under my blankets for the first time last night and it was lovely! Great you have a lovely weather day too 🙂

@eth I'm having problems with my support coordinator also. I struggle to get hold of them and hear words but see no action when I do. I called an advocacy organisation last week and we played phone tag for a little while. I'll keep going if I need. My plan review is primarily about asking for support through people with higher qualifications. "You're going to eat them" was exactly what my psych said in reference to this kind of support. Maybe not the best reflection of me but I think it is also a reflection of me having way too many not-so-good experiences over lots of years.

I can see you with fire engine red hair 🙂 Neon pink and purple (sometimes at the same time) have been my go-to for a while. No colour at the moment as I have an interview soon and might be best to go with a toned down me for that I think 🙂

Better head out and do some things for a while. So good to catch you both (all) in real time ❤

[Zoe7]

@CheerBear @Appleblossom You have probably both gone by now - I was busy having my early lunch - now I have to clean up after myself again - doh!

I hope you enjoy choir Apple - it is such a wonderful release for you and it always makes me feel happy for you when I hear you are off to sing again 

CB I can imagine little Rocket sitting at your feet - we are so lucky to have our fur babies - they do give us so much joy and manu smile. I love that she slept under the blankets for the first time last night too - that is a special moment and definitely showing she is very relaxed with you. My little girl comes in some mornings to wake me up - she is pretty loud when she starts talking to me and then Toby usually follows her by jumping along the side of the bed adding his voice too lol

@eth I find it very interesting all the different hairstyles and colours we all have had here - I have a new image of you now though with your rainbow hair - that would have been quite something Hon  I have never been that adveturous - a bit more traditional in colour but did have my hair in braids for many years - it takes time to do but is so much easier to manage than the curls. I have though a lot about doing it again but really haven't had the energy. I might think about it over Easter when I have a little more time though.