24 hours of hell

Last night was our usual knit night. I went along and all was going well until about 10pm when Jess sent me a text to say that they'd all probably be at their Nan's when I got back.

I called to find out why as my mother only lives next door and Alex told me that Kyle had completely flipped out, grabbed Jess around the throat and shoved her. He said that Kyle had then left the house.

I told him to get Nan around until I could get home and I left knit night.

When I got home, everyone except Kyle was sitting in the lounge. Jess said her shoulder hurt where he'd shoved her; I had a look but it looked ok to me. Mum went home and I sat with the others and we told jokes and chatted to pass the time until Kyle got home.

After about an hour Mum buzzed through on the phone and said that he was there so I went next door. I tried to talk calmly to him, but he was well past that by then. He was screaming at me and crying.

Then he got right in my face. I raised my hand up and told him to step back as I was still sitting in the chair and he slapped my hand away.

I had to leave. I knew my being there wasn't helping at all and even though I was being as calm as I could, my presence was winding him up.

I sat in my lounge for about half an hour and cried, more from shock than anything, then went back next door.

Kyle was sobbing at this point and it was then that I made the decision to contact the Mental Health team. They couldn't send anyone out but said they would get someone to call me the next day. They also said that if he kicked off again then I should call the police for our own safety and that it wasn't a punishment. I told him that I couldn't do that because Kyle would see it as a punishment! He said "Well we'll deal with that at a later date." I couldn't believe it, as far as Kyle is concerned; bad people go to jail and that's it, police don't take good people away and if I called the police on him then he would believe he was no good for the rest of his life!

I ended up giving him a couple of Alex's bio-melatonin just to help knock him out. He'd calmed down by this point and was quite happy to take them, have a hot shower then go off to bed. Everyone else went to bed shortly after.

Well, except for me...I sat here shell shocked until around 5am!

The following day I was woken by Graham the builder who is replacing the fascia boards under the bit of roof that sticks out around the house and is painting everything else. The kids all slept for another couple of hours and when they got up, everything was ok.

Mental Health called me around 10am this morning. He was astonished that Kyle was never offered anything like counselling or support after he was diagnosed with ASD (Autistic Spectrum Disorder) and recommended I make a start by visiting our GP.

I phoned the doctors surgery and at first they wanted to give us a sit and wait appointment because, apparently, there was nothing else available. Until I told them that MH had told us to get an appointment, then we were miraculously squeezed in for a double appointment at 4pm.

I stayed at home today; I was actually waiting for a converter plug so that I can plug my Mac into my new monitor (which never arrived!).

I heard a bang at one point and thought Graham had fallen off his ladder, I went into the hallway, but I could see the ladder through the glass door propped against the house so I didn't investigate further.

About ten minutes later, Mum rushed through saying that there might be "big problems" outside. I went out to discover that the string on the paint pot had broken. The paint pot (quite full, no lid) fell to the ground and white paint went everywhere! Even over the wall and onto a passing black car!

Thankfully, there was no accident and once we'd hosed the guys car off he was so nice about it he wouldn't even accept money to take the car to the car wash!

Graham has cleaned the garden up as best he can, but I think it'll be a whitewash the next few times it rains!

I took Kyle to the GP, not one I had seen before, he talked to Kyle a bit, asked me some questions, informed me that Kyle's diagnosis hadn't been recorded in his notes (our wonderful NHS at work!) and then said he'd refer Kyle to CAMHS (Child and Adult Mental Health Service) and I should hear from them in the next few days!

I'm absolutely shattered, obviously I didn't sleep much. After getting home from the doctors surgery, all I've wanted to do is sleep.

I did some spinning in the garden, the sun was shining and it was lovely. I think it's helped calm me down slightly too!

I raided my money box yesterday. I was initially saving this for iKnit, but I don't really need any yarn after Ravelry Day and I would like some more fibre so I'm taking it with me this Saturday to Fibrefest!

I have £150!!

Fibrefest! Here I come!