Heavenly Beverley : Another Milestone for our Autistic Superstar.

Thursday, 26 November 2015

Another Milestone for our Autistic Superstar.

Alex's life adventures have rarely been easy or uncomplicated. Diagnosed with a complex heart defect prior to birth, asthma at thirteen months, autism at four years three months and a mild intellectual disability in his teenage years, Alex has always faced adversity the only way he knows how - with cheerful determination. His fierce quest for independence has not been smooth sailing. He always attempts to sort out his challenges on his own before asking for assistance. This can manifest in disasters (rarely of his own making) that I then have to intervene and help him.

Alex never gives up.

He works at the Swan Friendship Cafe, volunteers at the Warehouse Cafe, has just completed a year of studies at the Perth Bible College, loves his church activities and has an active social life. Meaningful employment was a long time coming; a satisfactory place to live was just as long and often frustrating.

When Michael and I moved to Beverley, Alex went to live with his dad. That was less than successful and saw Alex leave in less than a year. Two home shares, the latter with a lunatic religious nutter who enjoyed tormenting Alex were not particularly jolly either. A month in Beverley with us whilst we searched. Rents were extortionate two and a half years ago, but we chose the best available. This unit was saved by an outdoor courtyard that doubled its living space. Alex managed the rent whilst his brother lived with him. Callum and his lady Bronwyn built their own place this year and the rent became unmanageable.

Homeswest was useless. The Priority Waiting List had blown out to five years - probably longer now. I would suggest anyone of the ordinary waiting list will die before public housing comes their way. Oh cynical me...

I thought a miracle had occurred when an old friend approached me to invite Alex to share a Community Access house with her son. There was to be a month's trial, but I was blissfully unconcerned. Alex moved to the other side of Perth, divested himself of the majority of his household belongings (to avoid duplication and confusion) and I set up extra support to ease him into his new environment. I really believed there would be no problems.

Two weeks into the month's trial, the family changed their minds. Alex didn't fit into their "vision" for their son. That was it. I was gobsmacked.

Against all odds, I secured a one bedroom unit for him in under a week. Rents have reduced significantly and he can afford this one. He has returned to the suburb he knows, into a bright, spacious airy unit with his possessions around him and this is his own place. The owner is an investor, so further leases are on the cards. Dream realised.

We moved him yesterday. I had asked for donations for him on the Beverley, Buy, Sell and Notices Facebook page and was overwhelmed with generosity. I bought him some new items, for which he has reimbursed me. The local hardware store, Avon Trading, came on board and knocked ten percent off an already discounted pantry.

The only snag was purchasing a fridge. We had teed up a fridge in Bayswater. The sellers were not home, on two occasions. An incredibly helpful neighbour, a lady called Karin, came to our rescue and looked for another fridge on Gumtree for us. A wonderfully random act of kindness.

The fridge was duly sourced. Clifford and Maureen, the delightful couple selling it, even gave us a couple of soft drinks for the road. We had the fridge cleaned, positioned, switched on and functional in thirty minutes.

We were totally shattered at the end of the day. We dropped Alex off at his local shops to get dinner as we left the Big Smoke. We ate takeaway pizza on the way home. Two glasses of vino and I dropped gratefully into our bed.

What I will never forget is the sheer and unadulterated happiness on Alex's face as we left him to come home. Gold.