New Chapter: Moving on Out (Part 2)

I forgot to add this to my previous posts... Way way back many centuries ago... Oops, only a few months - When all the adaption work, the decorating and the carpets were done in my flat, I had a physiotherapy assessment to give an up-to-date picture for what exercises I needed to do to help keep me as mobile as possible. I'll be honest, I was dreading it because of recent experiences.

Right from when I was little and when I started doing physiotherapy, I have done stretches on my legs. Up until my second to last year at college, it remained the same, then my physio program changed completely...

The Neuro Rehab Physiotherapist was called because my college said my walking had become bad and said that I wasn't allowed to do standing transfers anymore. This would be detrimental to my well-being, so the Neuro physio stepped in to get me back on my feet. Even though they helped me with this, and I am grateful that they did, they also took every other exercise off my program, which was not what I wanted...

I fought for the exercises to be reinstated onto my program again for about two years... When I hadn't done any stretches for a while, I could feel the muscles in my legs tightening up, it was normally only my left hamstring that felt tight. I only got them back because I left college and couldn't get my standing frame inside my parent's house, so the physiotherapist gave them to me to do in the meantime...

I find it interesting that the physiotherapist who I saw on Wednesday gave me proper stretches to do, rather than just focusing on standing and walking, like the other one did. It's a bit disconcerting really. She was only called out because the college didn't like the way I was walking and said I couldn't do standing transfers anymore. Plus, my body hasn't changed that much.

A good physiotherapist should listen to their clients, but no matter how often I said that I needed proper stretches, she wouldn't listen because she was so set in what she thought I wanted. It just makes me wonder because surely it should be the same no matter who the physio I see is.

Hey ho, at least I got what I need.

As I said, first of all, it was Social Services holding it up. When I was offered this flat in January, we told Social Services that if it was suitable and all the adaptions could be done, I would need a live-in carer sorted. Fast forward a few months to May, the adaption works started on 24 May, and were done in two and a half weeks, minus bank holidays... Social Services still hadn't sorted out care for me by then, so I still couldn't live in my flat.

I finally got the keys, and we did the cleaning and decorating after the adaption work was completed. I won't go into detail about what we found behind the radiators... Let's just say it was rather disgusting! After we had done all the decorating and cleaning (special thanks to mum's friends and my sister for helping out with it), the carpets went in!

Anyway, onto photos! This first photo is my living room. I wanted to make my living room light and warm at the same time, so I chose to paint it a pale pink. I have had a flowery mural with butterflies that was meant for my bedroom at my mum and dad's house for ages, but it never got put up, however, looking at it now, I am actually glad that it didn't because it looks awesome on my living room wall!

I decided to have the main tree placed there to make it look like it grew up from behind my radiator. There is another branch that I had strategically placed next to my hoist bar to make it look like another tree was in behind it.

This is what my whole living room looks like...

My living room and kitchen are joined together; I suppose you could call it an open-plan. Half the wall in my kitchen was tiled already, and I chose to paint the top half a creamy yellowy colour because again, I wanted to make it look light but warm, and it needed to go well with the colour in the living room. I decided to go with a black theme and I chose to have black appliances as I thought it would be a bit different to most kitchens.

When I was younger, I had a pink and purple bedroom with a Groovy Chick theme. Ever since I grew out of that, I wanted a red room because red has always been my favourite colour. When I was about to move, I found out why my bedroom at my mum and dad's never got re-done. It doesn't really matter to me now because I've got my whole flat exactly how I want it! These are photos of my bedroom.

Early on, I knew that I wanted some shelves in my bedroom to display some items that have sentimental value to me. To begin with, I was going to take the shelves that are in my room at my mum and dad's house, but then I decided to get myself some new ones.

I looked on the Argos website, browsed through their shelving units. I saw these but I didn't like them at first. I kept going back to them because I wasn't sure about them as I thought they weren't symmetrical (I'm a bit OCD with things being "just right"), but now I'm glad I did buy them because they look brilliant!

I also have a red feature wall with lots of daisies surrounding my name.

Ever since I can remember, I have always liked to have my bedroom door slightly ajar when I'm sleeping. I had a horse doorstop that someone gave me as a Christmas present a long time ago, but that looked a little old and tatty. So for my birthday this year, my mum and dad gave me this lovely dog doorstop, and I love it!

My carer's bedroom has a purple and lilac theme to it. I had trouble thinking about what colour I should have it. I know that this sounds selfish, but I think this was because I had it in my head that it didn't really matter as I'm not going to be going in there. I then struggled because I wanted a neutral colour so that every carer I have would like it. In the end, I chose to have a purple theme...

My hallway is quite plain, but the colour is awesome... I chose to have it painted yellow because it looks light and welcoming. It works incredibly well because it brightens up the hallway!

Now, let me show you my bathroom... When the previous tenants moved out, the housing association ripped the last bath out and replaced it with a brand new one... Unfortunately, a bath is no use to me as I am unable to get in and out safely, so they had to remove the new bath as well and they replaced it with a shower and wetroom. I had turquoise tiles dotted around the top half, a thin border around the middle of the walls and then plain tiles at the bottom. I also have a towel rail to hang my towelling robe on. The only thing is that the towel rail only works when the heating is on, and therefore my robe isn't warm when I put it on, unfortunately. (I hadn't had the heating on until the end of October or November because my flat was so warm, however, I am starting to feel cooler, so we've set the thermostat to come on when the temperature falls below 21 degrees).

Last but not least, the only thing that is bothering me is my meters. Long before I moved, we decided that having a smart meter would be best for me because then I could go onto direct debit so I can have my bills paid automatically. My rent is being paid by Universal Credit, and it's going straight to the housing association, and my council tax is near enough sorted. However, the power supplier that I'm with at the moment is messing me about big time. First of all, there was the issue that the block of flats that I'm in wasn't “smart ready”, which isn't their fault I guess, but then it was ready.

So, we asked for a smart meter to be installed, but they kept cancelling the installation appointment. They did this several times... Finally, a lovely man came out to fit a smart meter. The man came on 20/10/21, and was very friendly. However, when he had finished, we found out that he replaced the pre-payment key meter with another pre-payment key smart meter... He apologised profusely and said that it was on his job list to install like-for-like, so what he said was the supplier should be able to switch from pre-payment to a credit meter remotely within a few days, maybe a week, but it hasn't switched...

After a lot of going back and forth, the supplier has now said that there have been problems with connecting their system to my meter and that they can't do it until March, next year! Even though I have electricity and gas, I am not happy with the service I'm getting at all... From what I understand, the supplier hasn't got the updated equipment to be able to change my smart meter over yet. The thing is, if they had done what they were meant to do in the first place, then we wouldn't be in this mess!

To be honest, this is the thing that's bothering me the most because the smart meter display is on the kitchen worktop and I am always sat on the floor so I have to ask my carer to keep an eye on it and tell me how much money is on it, and I have to relay that to my dad, so he or my mum can put extra credit on for me. Trying to interpret my dad's writing in my head so that I can explain to my carer what information I need to tell my dad is such a nightmare. It is also extremely exhausting and stressful!

There have been a few mishaps along the way, I didn't have the best start and it is a bit lonely at times, but overall, I am fairly happy with living here.

Moving out is always nerve-wracking and stressful, but when you have a disability and rely on other people to help you with everyday needs, it can be even worse than moving out without a disability. You have to balance the carer position with your carer being a “flatmate”. If you're able to, you also need the confidence to speak up for yourself when something is bothering you, and you can't let emotions get in the way, as in if you're worried about what your carer might think when you say something, so you don't say anything, you're never going to get anywhere. Anyone who's been in this kind of situation will know that it is tough, but it's so important to be yourself and speak up for yourself!

I've learned this the hard way, but now I have my own space and it's great! I love inviting my friends round... We always have a brilliant time!

Merry Christmas everyone!