Yesterday was Fran’s birthday, or as my tics re-named it, “Fran-day – it’s like a birthday but for Frans” and last night she celebrated it at a Céilidh in North London.

For the last couple of weeks I’ve been trying to find someone who could go with me as my support worker, but at this time of year most people’s diaries are heaving under the strain of parties and social events and as a result I wasn’t able to find anyone.

Situations like this happen very rarely. Bunny and Leftwing Idiot were both going and I’m sure that if I’d pushed they’d have taken me with them. But I’d decided early on that I didn’t want to ask them because they’re both good friends of Fran and needed to be able to celebrate with her without being responsible for me.

On the handful of occasions when problems like this have come up I’ve felt sad, frustrated or left out. Yesterday felt different: I knew I’d done everything I could to find a support worker and that not being able to go was just one of those things.

I had a lovely relaxing evening and I’m seeing Fran tomorrow – we’ll make a plan to do something nice to celebrate ‘Fran-day’ together then.

Festive Outburst:
“Don’t like Christmas like Hans”