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Northerly Rose Profile picture
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Nov 16 • 8 tweets • 7 min read
I’m celebrating the 4th #autieversary #autiversary of getting my v late in life #autism diagnosis today.
Here’s a thread of some of the #threads I’ve written along the way, starting with my 1st anniversary when I wrote about my beloved dogs.
#ActuallyAutistic
#AutisticTwitter
1/
Nearly two years on from my #diagnosis I wrote about how much I had discovered about #autism and myself.
2/
On the second anniversary of my #autism diagnosis I wrote a thread about #bullying (not realising that it was my #autieversary at the time). It was very appropriate though, as bullying and abuse have had a huge impact on me, especially in adulthood.
#ActuallyAutistic
3/
Just over two years on from my autism diagnosis I reflected on what it was like to ‘start over’ after a very late in life #autism #diagnosis.
#ActuallyAutistic
#AutisticElders
4/
Nearly three years on from my autism diagnosis I re-read my diagnostic report.
One day I will rewrite it.
5/
Three years on from my #autism #diagnosis I branched out from Twitter and wrote this blog instead.
6/
Last New Year’s day I reflected on how my life had changed since my #autism #diagnosis 3+ years before.
7/
Re-reading these accounts reminds me of how far there is to go.
Not just on my personal journey, but in securing justice and #HumanRights for all #autistic people.
We’re fighting for the survival of future generations, because eugenicists are intent on eliminating #autism.
8/end

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More from @NortherlyRose

Northerly Rose Profile picture
Oct 29
#Thread
Rebuilding a career after a late in life autism diagnosis.
Personal reflections of a very late discovered #ActuallyAutistic person, 4 years on.
1/
Burnout was a factor in me finally finding out I was autistic.
I’d become overwhelmed and exhausted.
I’d drifted to a halt, and then couldn’t get going again.
I was overloaded by being bullied at work, being in perimenopause, unresolved trauma and my partner’s serious illness.
2/
A demanding new job immediately after my diagnosis didn’t kickstart recovery from burnout like it would have done previously.
What the psychologist had told me about taking ‘baby steps’ was true, even though I didn’t want it to be.
I finally realised I couldn’t afford not to.
3/
Read 23 tweets
Northerly Rose Profile picture
Oct 14
#Thread
Why it’s sometimes difficult to know how unwell I am.
A personal autistic perspective.
I’ve been feeling rotten since Sunday, with some kind of respiratory illness.
After 3 years of respite from colds and flu it came as a bit of a shock.
I haven’t had Covid yet either.
1/
I wasn’t too worried to begin with, as my partner was ill before me.
After 2 or 3 days he started to feel better, and I assumed I’d be the same.
Unfortunately I’ve been getting steadily worse.
Less energy.
More coughing.
Less desire to eat.
More sleeplessness.
Strange pains.
2/
I’m almost always in some kind of pain so that in itself isn’t a reliable indicator of being unwell.
Nor is severe fatigue, which occurs so regularly it seems normal.
I rely on objective symptoms like fevers, rashes and swellings.
Tests are a bonus, if they are available.
3/
Read 21 tweets
Northerly Rose Profile picture
Oct 4
#Thread
Several people asked me why I was bothering to get an autism assessment when I was almost 59.
My children were adults, my career was on the wane, I had already lived a lot of my life.
What difference would it make for me to discover that I was #ActuallyAutistic then?
1/
I knew I was autistic long before the psychologist told me.
I’d met other autistic people in an online forum and recognised myself.
It was undeniable.
I awaited the result of my assessment with trepidation simply because I knew some people wouldn’t accept self-identification.
2/
This has turned out to be a profound discovery.
In many ways my late in life enlightenment has been life changing.
Someone I interviewed years ago said ‘once I understood I could cope’ (this has been true for me too).
An overarching theme is being able to make sense of things.
3/
Read 16 tweets
Northerly Rose Profile picture
Sep 24
#Thread
The importance of protesting.
A personal (late recognised) #ActuallyAutistic perspective.
I struggle to understand why we’re being so acquiescent when the government’s taking a wrecking ball to the economy, social justice, and the natural world.
We should protest more.
1/
I was brought up not to make waves, to be obedient and law abiding.
My instinct was always for justice and truth though, and the importance of protesting soon dawned on me.
Children are subjected to various sorts of tyranny.
Protesting is one of the ways we protect ourselves.
2/
We soon realise how futile protesting can be, in terms of overcoming injustice, and achieving something better.
But not even to try is such a desperate position to adopt.
Giving in, letting go of the hope of influencing things, accepting our powerlessness, is a kind of death.
3/
Read 14 tweets
Northerly Rose Profile picture
Sep 21
#Thread
Needing my own space.
The personal reflections of a very late recognised #ActuallyAutistic person.
Discovering I was autistic at 58 led me to see many things that had happened in the course of my life differently.
With hindsight I was obviously autistic from birth.
1/
I was a ‘fussy’ baby who wouldn’t feed, and who didn’t like being held either.
My boisterous toddler brother was too much for me so I was left on my own in my pram at the end of the garden.
What I’d previously thought of as exclusion must have felt like wonderful liberation.
2/
When I started school I’d grasp any opportunity to escape from the herd and find some space of my own.
I relished the chance to run errands for the teacher, and those rare quiet times when we read silently to ourselves, or rested our heads on our hands while they read to us.
3/
Read 23 tweets
Northerly Rose Profile picture
Sep 15
#Thread
When a medical appointment ended up going smoothly.
A personal (very late discovered) #ActuallyAutistic perspective.
It didn’t begin well.
I got a phone call from the GP receptionist when I was on the bus.
I answered in case it was urgent, but soon became confused.
1/
“You’re still booked in to see the nurse on the 19th” she said.
I agreed and explained that my original appointment had clashed with work commitments and been rescheduled.
“But you’re still booked in on our system”
By now I was getting the message that something was wrong.
2/
What on earth could the problem be?
“I couldn’t come in to see the nurse today; I’m on the bus on my way to work now.
My partner changed my appointment last week.”
“Yes, but we’ve still got you booked in for the 19th”.
I was confused.
“Were you expecting me to come in today?”
3/
Read 21 tweets

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