I hate parties. Hate them. They're loud, there are a lot of people, and I'm expected to socialize, even with people I don't really know. If you ask me, that's plenty of reasons to hate parties.
But, it was my sister's bridal shower, and I had to go. It's my sister. She wanted me to be there, and I would never let her down, if I could help it.
It wouldn't have been so bad if I could have relaxed before and afterward, but we had quite a few people staying with us. My sister and her fiance were here, in addition to the fiance's parents. My mom mentioned months ago that the mother-in-law, Vera, is very intense.... loud, almost in your face sometimes, but very loving. I was nervous to the point that I was falling apart. I usually can't stand people like that. I understand that they're just trying to love me, but they overwhelm me. I need space, and I need to be able to come to them.
I never did figure out if my mom told Vera that I don't like loud noises or lots of people, or specifically that I have autism. I guess whether she described the symptoms or the condition itself doesn't really matter, but Vera had some forewarning that I might struggle. And I did. She came over to show me how she spoke firmly without yelling at her fifth-graders all the years that she taught, and she sort of forced me to make eye contact. I felt my stomach lurch. Eye contact is still
really hard for me. She was close enough that I think it would have been obvious if I looked at her but not at her eyes. So, I looked and looked away, doing the best I could without throwing up then and there. She also touched me a lot, because that's the way she is. I guess she didn't hear me constantly going, "Don't touch me! Quit touching me!" to my mom. Oh well. I winced and survived.
I did okay for the time that it was just Vera and I. I can be a participating member of a one-on-one conversation (she even told me, "Good conversing, Lydia!" which I appreciated). It's when other people get involved that I withdraw. I can't follow, so I can't participate. When we have people over, I typically sit with them for about 20 minutes and hold the cat, then take the cat and go off into the other room to be by myself (with Elsie). If one person comes in and talks to me, I'm perfectly fine and don't mind it, I just can't handle all those people at once. So, all weekend, that's what I did.
Before the shower, I took a long nap with my door shut and with Elsie laying in the sunshine on the floor. We had to hurry to get ready, and we were late, both of which can kind of set me off, but I texted Leigh a little and felt okay. My sister didn't want to walk into the party by herself, so I went in with her, and I hated it when everyone clapped and cheered. It was loud and uncomfortable. But it's my sister, so I did it, even though I probably wasn't smiling.
So I sat next to my cousin and near my mom and my aunt and... sat. I didn't really talk at the party because it was so loud. I found out that my sister's college roommate
loves cats too, though, so I did yell across the table to her for a few minutes. After the food (which, I must add, the place was really rude about my gluten free stuff. They "couldn't" make me anything, so we brought my own. My mom asked them to heat it up for me and they brough it back and shouted, "EXCUSE ME!" to the entire party. "Who has this other food? We can't heat it up because of health codes!" I was so embarrassed and annoyed! Just ask quietly, come on!), we did presents and then went to my sister's friends house to start off the bachelorette party. More sitting and eating and talking (I tried to make friends with her scaredy cat), and finally it was time to go home.
So, it was an okay weekend, considering it was a party and people staying with us. Everyone was really nice. Vera told me she's "very proud" of how much work I'm doing and how far I'm coming and how well I talked, which made me feel good. Even if she is a little overwhelming, I know she means what she says. And now my house is back to normal and I'm back in my regular bedroom. Thank goodness!
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Comments (2)
It's good to hear that you can survive a crazy party like that. More power to you!
"I guess she didn't hear me constantly going, "Don't touch me! Quit touching me!" to my mom."
What a jerk! She should have stopped touching you IMMEDIATELY the first time you went "Don't touch me! Quit touching me!" to her. The mother-in-law should have stopped touching you too, just in case, as soon as she heard you going "Don't touch me! Quit touching me!" to your mom.
"After the food (which, I must add, the place was really rude about my gluten free stuff. They "couldn't" make me anything"
Whose idea was it to have the event at that restaurant?! Was there nowhere else appropriate to have the event, no other place which did have enough variety in its menu to serve a gluten-free meal instead of putting gluten into just about everything?!
"Vera told me she's "very proud" of how much work I'm doing and how far I'm coming and how well I talked, which made me feel good. Even if she is a little overwhelming, I know she means what she says. "
Those are good signs. Maybe someday she'll have improved even more and you'll be able to tell her you're "very proud" of how far she'd be coming. :)