The door lock Saga.

Following being instructed by my Oncologist to ‘sort something out for Kerri’ and following some intense consultations with her social worker, it was decided by all concerned that the best plan was to look at Kerri living in a supported living house with three other tenants who have varying special needs. The only venue with a vacancy was fairly close to where she goes for day care services, and as an added bonus she knows one of the tenants already living there.

We visited to look around. The room that was chosen as her bedroom needed lot’s of work doing to it such as decorating to her taste, new carpet, new furniture etc, and she and I began saving like mad, not an easy task over the Christmas period! Slowly Kerri was introduced to the other tenants and support staff via various ‘tea visits’ and a sleepover which ended up being a complete shambles, where because she couldn’t lock her bedroom door from the inside in order for some privacy and to feel safe, she ended up spending the night sleeping in her friends bed!

So we obviously insisted on a ‘privacy lock’ being fitted to the door before she was prepared to sleep over again. Time went by and eventually a lock (actually an old toilet lock judging by the fact that it stated on the outside of the door ‘Vacant’ when unlocked and ‘Engaged’ when locked!).  Whilst up there delivering some bedding for her new bed, we tried the lock out just to make sure that Kerri could move the bolt on from her side at night.  All seemed well and although it was a trifle stiff to move, needing a lean against the door to fully lock, she managed to move the bolt fully home.  A sleepover was arranged for Tuesday of this week.  I envisaged no problems now that her bedroom was looking attractive and she could lock the door.

How wrong did that prove to be!  Apparently following tea and a bath, she decided to go and lay down on her bed for a nap. Of course this  entailed locking her door, when horrors of horrors, the knob on the bolt came off in her hand!  She was locked in!  Shouting out “Help!” to the staff soon brought assistance and they sent for the fire brigade to come and break down the door so that she could get out!   I could see it all in my minds eye, the fire truck lights ablazing screeching up outside, several burly firemen rushing in to rescue Kerri from her predicament!  And this is only her second sleep over!

Needless to say that a new lock has now been put on her bedroom door that seems much more suitable and really should have been installed in the first place. Where the joiner had got the previous one from I dread to think!  A job lot from demolished toilets?  To be honest with you all, I’ve actually been having nightmares about this blasted bedroom lock, and doing some internet homework (entailing scouring Amazon and also visiting our local Wicks) I found some really good one’s for just £10 and was actually tempted at one point to buy one and employ my own joiner to fit it to the door!

I laughed so much about this incident and my thoughts on how the support staff up there are going to have to adjust to my daughter and her needs (and frequent ‘incidents'!). The other residents have never asked for a ‘privacy lock’ to be fitted to their doors, she has insisted, she knows what she wants, she has demands and voices them in no uncertain terms (though she still uses me far too much as her spokesperson) but little do they know this is probably just the tip of the iceberg.  There will never be a dull moment, that I can promise!

Wonder what's next?

TG

Technorati Tags: bedroom,lock,privacy