I wonder and think Austin may be to young too and now that this roommate problem is settling down, today I notice myself obsessing over all this and wanting to ask Austin to come home and wait, but we did talk about this and he is 18 and very determine to do this now while he can and he is really liking school, loves his classes his professors, he has high anxiety with the buses, the city is huge the roads are fast these plus many things pull at me today. I am so very worried and yet I know I am emotionally letting down from this whole mess. But know I am more concerned at Austin’s readiness, yet he can think of nothing but going to college, and his goals, I am so proud but beyond concerned
Austin said all was fine at his new place, talked 4 times to him today, his cell phone is a life line, he calls often. it is my life line too
Love to you all
Deborah

glad to see you here Vicki, how are you doing?

DON'T I KNOW IT! I have lived away from home since I was 20, primarily with complete strangers in share houses while at uni, and when I first started working, and couldn't afford the entire rent on a unit of my own.

I've been in a similar situation to the one Austin was in, where the owner of the house virtually "banned" me from every area of the house (and yard) apart from my bedroom - I was practically a prisoner. I boarded with a fellow (just up the road from where I now live) who was a friend of someone my mum worked with (and was in his 50s) who kept trying to make advances at me and grope me ( ), while at uni I boarded with a fellow who had a six bedroom house and rented out all the bedrooms but his own, and then began a relationship with one of the other boarders, who was also a student at the uni. I've shared houses with people who never contributed to the rent, leaving me to pay all of it, which seemed to defeat the purpose of having someone else in the house. In the end, I decided that the best way was on my own (eventhough it was more expensive) primarily for the peace of mind.

Unfortunately I have never had a friend who I could share a house with, as many of my friends continued to live at home while they studied, meaning I had no option but to live with strangers.

As for bringing up the hydro issue, I either didn't say anything about it to most of the people I mentioned above, or only told them about it when I felt comfortable about it, which may have taken several months. It is the same at work - I don't tell anyone unless I believe they will be understanding and not judge me because of it.

I'm glad Austin has found a place he is happy in now though. Maybe he needs a "family" atmosphere, rather than a "room-mate" atmosphere. I hope all goes well .


Nat.

To hear this saddens me, some people are just so ignorant and mean, they will get their due...It is a long way off for my little one, but a lot to think about!

I don't want to turn this thread into a thread about my health, but whenever anybody asks me these days how I'm doing, I just can't resist answering.

Honestly, I have never felt better in my life than I have for the last 2 or 3 years. And that's so unbelievable to me, after all the surgeries I've had since '97 (1 surgery in '97; 5 surgeries from 11/99 to 1/00; and 2 surgeries in March, '02). I know there's people here who've had more surgeries than I have, but I just have to say that I never thought it would be possible to feel this good.

Vicki

Hey that is great Vicki!!!
It is just the kind of news I need to hear
hears to you hope you feel this good the rest of your life!!!
Love
Deborah

Hey, Deborah, how's Austin's roomate situation? I hope things have settled
down for him now.

((((Austin)))) ((((Deborah))))

Actually,I'm wanting to know too..Any updates to share?

Ugh, that's the worst! I'm glad that you've been able to make other arrangements, I hope things have worked out better.

Austin likes his roommates and the family life is what he is use to. His room is now set up with his desk, computer, TV and he has a cell phone, his room has both a key locking front door and closet , so he feels he has privacy and is safe. I guess the older boys friends have taken some goodies (yummies) from the roommates (Austin's) fridge, hope that stops The bus ride seems to not be a problem now and he really likes his classes so college is going well, he took his first really big test yesterday stressed bad prior, it all seems to be a bit hard and with Austin’s memory problems it causes him anxiety he has to do and go over things over and over, but nothing good is easy, Austin has had a rash, and is coming home this weekend and seeing his doctor tomorrow to make sure it is not a reaction to Sinemet the new drug he is on, it could be mosquito bites due to he lives very close to a golf course and blocks away from Newport’s back bay. I can't wait to see him, his friends are up this weekend too so I will see little of him, but boy do I want to hug him
thanks for asking
love to each of you
Deborah