Hi all on this lovely Monday! I am so excited to have discovered the Weekly Smile. This is, as the name suggests, a weekly blog event in which participants share what made them smile. Having discovered this meme itself is a reason to smile. I love being positive! Let me share what else made me smile.
First up is my new assigned staff’s kindness. Like I said in my #WeekendCoffeeShare post on Friday, I have a new assigned staff. She is calm, kind and very dedicated to her job. I initially worried she might get too attached and then have to withdraw as my assigned staff. She reassured me though that she maintains her professionalism.
Yesterday, I was feeling a bit triggered. The student staff, with whom I am not fully comfortable yet, had been my one-on-one for the evening. In addition, a male staff may get to work in my home soon. He seems kind enough, but still, it’s an adjustment. All this led me to feeling a bit stressed out when I was going to bed. Thankfully, my new assigned staff comforted me.
After the staff had taken me to bed, I pressed the call button a few times for the staff to come back, but she didn’t mind. She has this little rhyme she tells me each time she puts me to bed. It goes something like this:
Sleep well,
Head on the pillow,
Ass in the straw,
Then Astrid sleeps soon.
This time, the staff adjusted the rhyme to address not just me, but all of the voices (alters) inside my head. That definitely made me smile.
Second is my sensory room experience that I was able to create in my own bedroom. First, I found a calming essential oil blend to put in my diffuser. Then, I found the album on Spotify that I used to have in the CD player in the day center’s sensory room. It is called Songbird Symphony. Lastly, I crawled under my weighted blanket and had my staff cover me with the ball-filled blanket that came with the sensory bed from our makeshift sensory room. In total, I had at least 20kg of weighted blankets on top of me. This probably isn’t healthy for actual sleeping, so I threw off the ball blanket before actually drifting off to sleep. However, the feeling before this was so peaceful. It reminded me of Temple Grandin’s “hug machine”. Reading about that introduced to me the comforting effect of deep pressure years before I felt able to explore my own sensory experiences. Now, I totally appreciate my care staff, physical therapist and the manager for having helped me find my sensory comfort.
What made you smile this past week?
A Multitude of Musings 
You made me realize how little I pay attention to sensory items that would enhance my life. Your scent diffuser and weighted blanket sound delightful! Lucky you to have staff you enjoy. your post made me smile.
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Thank you for commenting. I’m glad my post made you smile. I didn’t use to pay attention to my sensory needs or wants either, but am so glad I do now.
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I like your new assigned staff member and her poem. I think hearing that in the evening would be lovely.
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It certainly is. It sounds even better in Dutch, but I am not poetically talented enough to make it rhyme in English.
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The poem made me smile. I’m happy for you the staff is working out very well.
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Thank you! 🙂
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You had lots of good smiles, your new staff sounds very nice!
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Yes, I did indeed. Thanks for your comment.
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The other day someone mention using a weighted blanket I joked that I have a 65 kg weighted blanket – my dogs like to sleep on me 😉 lol, sorry but that was the first thing I thought of when you said you had at least 20 kg. I’m sure having an assigned staff like the your new one would be super helpful and very much worth a smile 🙂
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LOL about your dog acting like a weighted blanket. That’s so cool! Thanks so much for commenting.
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I think that my dog-weighted blanket may be too weighted!
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Ah. yes, quite possibly so. 🤣
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The weekly smile is such a lovely idea. I’m glad that your new assigned staff is so kind and attentive and her little rhyme made me smile. That sensory experience sounds great. I’ve never tried a weighted blanket but I can imagine they feel very relaxing. #MMBC
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Thank you for commenting. Yes, my staff is truly kind.
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Astrid,
Either I forgot or totally did not know of your disabilities. This post got me curious to learn why you’re needing assistance, so I read your “About Me” page. I’ve seen autistic individuals who are musically inclined or artistic. Having you in my circle of friends I might learn more about autism as well as your other challenges. I’m truly amazed with how well you cope. Thanks for joining me in my little niche of Blogosphere and hopefully we’ll have more opportunities to cross one another’s path. Have a joyful day filled with lots of smiles! 😉
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Thanks so very much. I’m so glad I may be able to spread some awareness.
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Sounds like you are getting adjusted to your new staff and everything is starting to work out quite well! I love the poem too. I have heard about weighted blankets. I wonder if they would help me sleep better at night. Maybe I should try one.
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Thank you. Yes, things are definitely working out for the better.
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Nice smile Astrid – I think I would love a weighted blanket but I seriously struggle with heat adjustment. Either I’m too hot or too cool – never quite right. Throwing off a weighted blanket would well disturb the other half???? 🤣
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Oh, I totally get that. I haven’t yet used my weighted blanket when it’s warm though. And indeed, I suppose throwing off a weighted blanket would disturb your partner.
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such wonderful things to make you smile! Your assigned staff does seem really kind!
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She definitely is. Thank you!
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