tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2799087240760337340.post1871982458419887195..comments2024-01-28T00:21:38.809-08:00Comments on We Are Like Your Child: Lost, Mistimed, and Melty.Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06413844178426365789noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2799087240760337340.post-83097795423743494172017-05-29T19:24:24.046-07:002017-05-29T19:24:24.046-07:00I so relate to this. I can't tell left from ri...I so relate to this. I can't tell left from right, the words 'metre' 'kilometre' and so on have absolutely no meaning to me, and unless it's on a google map where there's. dot telling me where I am, I just can't read maps. They're fascinating, but how on earth do you know where you are? However, I can memorise entire maps, and could probably draw a map of most of south east Melbourne (which is where I live), or at least the parts I've been before. Yet I couldn't follow that map... such is autism, I suppose.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13129561004464984915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2799087240760337340.post-11626662582720555022013-07-11T12:50:38.182-07:002013-07-11T12:50:38.182-07:00These replies make me feel so good. It's like ...These replies make me feel so good. It's like a smiling sea of solidarity. Long live the Internet! You are all so awesome! Thank you!!!!Elizabeth J. (Ibby) Gracehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08330631899371657005noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2799087240760337340.post-79837444117633203512013-06-30T20:12:12.472-07:002013-06-30T20:12:12.472-07:00I can relate to some of this, being severely ADHD....I can relate to some of this, being severely ADHD. I've missed weddings and funerals of people I cared about because of my deficits. I've been known to max out the annual limit on the number of times AAA will send someone to my rescue (8, I believe) when I've left my lights on or locked myself out of my car. I've been lost and exhausted, on the verge of tears, and in need of a stranger's help more times than I like to remember. I'm a college graduate with a responsible job, and I'm learning to tell people up front that I have no sense of direction and no memory to speak of, instead of trying to hide it all the time. Bless you for sharing this post. Carolhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11306216927789192128noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2799087240760337340.post-12917766042054161692013-06-29T09:39:51.619-07:002013-06-29T09:39:51.619-07:00You mean this happens to other people too? You mean this happens to other people too? Daisy Katehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05239837919858049363noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2799087240760337340.post-91535555890333715992013-06-28T12:12:13.886-07:002013-06-28T12:12:13.886-07:00Thank you. Thank you for this blog, like, more tha...Thank you. Thank you for this blog, like, more than I can coherently say right now. You are appreciated,so much, by me.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2799087240760337340.post-61540847055279242832013-06-27T23:58:54.446-07:002013-06-27T23:58:54.446-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.Sabrina Porterfieldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16654053184241212461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2799087240760337340.post-7648743948843592792013-06-27T20:50:03.849-07:002013-06-27T20:50:03.849-07:00I'm loving these posts. Thank you so lovely to...I'm loving these posts. Thank you so lovely to readKerimahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08008406418960337170noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2799087240760337340.post-12510865591404531462013-06-27T18:17:10.526-07:002013-06-27T18:17:10.526-07:00Yes, you are like my child!! He would do much the...Yes, you are like my child!! He would do much the same as you, getting lost and needing help. And he would call or text me and I would point out the good things about what happened, and then he would calm down and have a good time. :-) I am glad there are people who are good and who help. I am also glad there is you. Thank you for telling this story. Michellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03108289448169770146noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2799087240760337340.post-46245263442691773112013-06-27T16:55:06.395-07:002013-06-27T16:55:06.395-07:00Thank you. xoThank you. xoKellyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13111450746906286666noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2799087240760337340.post-91262634281399707832013-06-27T13:41:31.527-07:002013-06-27T13:41:31.527-07:00Thank you Ibby! Thank you Ibby! Ollibeanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12558062889426562909noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2799087240760337340.post-14056230503820162592013-06-27T12:22:44.484-07:002013-06-27T12:22:44.484-07:00Thank you Ib - such powerful writing and such impo...Thank you Ib - such powerful writing and such important "testifying". Blessings to you always! So looking forward to meeting you in a few weeks!ADAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06147461706807764093noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2799087240760337340.post-17976793397220311222013-06-27T11:50:51.559-07:002013-06-27T11:50:51.559-07:00This poem was on our study wall when I was growing...This poem was on our study wall when I was growing up. It was there fr so long that it became part of my memories, even though I never tried to learn it.<br /><br />"When things go wrong as they sometimes will,<br />When the road you're treading seems all up hill,<br />When the funds are low and the debts are high<br />And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,<br />When care is pressing you down a bit,<br />Rest if you must, but don't you quit.<br />Life is queer with its twists and turns,<br />As every one of us sometimes learns,<br />And many a failure turns about<br />When he might have won had he stuck it out;<br />Don't give up though the pace seems slow--<br />You may succeed with another blow,<br />Success is failure turned inside out--<br />The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,<br />And you never can tell how close you are,<br />It may be near when it seems so far;<br />So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit--<br />It's when things seem worst that you must not quit."<br />-Edgar A. Guest<br /><br />And if that fails, remember that your calm and collected, never ruffled, super-organized, sensible, witty, incredibly smart wife... is the one who locked one of your twin sons in the car and had to get a random stranger to call the police to break the little fellow back out again. ;)<br /><br />I love you!BirdyGracehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01592608832320991574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2799087240760337340.post-68735598016823125252013-06-27T10:05:51.608-07:002013-06-27T10:05:51.608-07:00Another autistic adult here. I related to a lot of...Another autistic adult here. I related to a lot of this. Your story reminded me of a conference I was a headlining guest at last year. It was held as part of WorldPride in London, the day after the march. I opened the conference with an hour long history talk.<br /><br />The actual conference and my talk both went extremely well. I'd arranged to stay with a trusted local friend who made sure I found the venue and attended the conference with me. My talk was well received and I found several write ups online afterwards that were very complimentary. I seemed to make a good impression on people meeting me that day and lots of people wanted to talk to me at the pub afterwards.<br /><br />The people who had met me on the march the day before had a different first impression of me. Despite planning carefully, I had missed my train and arrived far too late to make it to the assembly point to meet the conference organisers and join the marching group in advance of the march.<br /><br />I'd gone to the end of the march but they weren't there. The organiser then phoned my mobile and told me to come back to the start as quickly as I could because there'd been a huge delay and they hadn't set off yet. By the time I made it across the London Underground, running up several escalators, my legs were tired. When I left the station and phoned the organiser back, I was told that they'd now left and I should walk quickly along the march route.<br /><br />By the time I caught up with the marching group, I didn't know who anyone was, my legs were fatigued, I had a heavy weekend bag and it was noisy due to being a typical Pride march. The organiser eventually worked out who I was and said hello and gave me a t-shirt, but I was already feeling overwhelmed and overloaded and couldn't really socialise. However, I helped with giving out leaflets along the march route and tried to be friendly with everyone.<br /><br />I was proud of myself to keeping composed and making it to the end, despite being tired and my hypotonic muscles very fatigued. But after barely sitting for 15 minutes we were told that we were going to, unexpectedly, walk further across London to a busy world food market to find something to eat. Halfway there my legs gave up on me and by the time I actually made it to the market, I was in floods of tears and couldn't explain what the problem was.<br /><br />Eventually the friend I was staying with saw my messages and came to meet up with me, by which time some nice people had looked after me and helped me to regain some composure.<br /><br />I very much doubt that the people who met me being so confident, prepared and articulate at the conference would have believed that I'd been so vulnerable, overwhelmed and overloaded the day before. This shows how things going to plan, and there actually being a clear plan, is hugely important to me.<br /><br />Every conference since then I've arranged to arrive a day early and made sure I knew exactly what was scheduled and that someone on staff knew I might need more help.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2799087240760337340.post-77106961939623057922013-06-27T09:29:41.057-07:002013-06-27T09:29:41.057-07:00I love you so very much Ibby. This post is beauti...I love you so very much Ibby. This post is beautiful, which of course it would be, because so are you! Putting it on my blog roll!! YAY!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13287287238883728249noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2799087240760337340.post-33748766145188872932013-06-27T08:43:38.579-07:002013-06-27T08:43:38.579-07:00Always listening...always learning...thank you, Ib...Always listening...always learning...thank you, Ibby. xoAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16228096737185965716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2799087240760337340.post-47419987443873336192013-06-27T08:05:12.852-07:002013-06-27T08:05:12.852-07:00So much do I relate to all of this! When in hotels...So much do I relate to all of this! When in hotels I often call the front desk to ask questions like, what time is it, what day is it, what town am I in, etc. It used to embarrass me, but one time when checking in I asked one of these questions to a real person and then apologized and he laughed it off in a kind way and said he was always happy when he was asked a question that he knew the answer. Ever since then I ask "Where am I?" whenever I need to know.<br /><br />I also have started asking a new thing of people in hotels. When they tell me multi step directions how to get somewhere - anything more than one step - I ask if they might walk me there. So far only one time has someone said no. Mostly they are accommodating, even when it is obvious they aren't too happy about it. I just am extra kind to the unhappy campers and hope it helps them.<br /><br />But, at the end of the day, even though autism is hard and it takes continual energy to outsmart the obstacles I can and then live with what I can't I am glad to be me and wouldn't want to be anyone else. If it weren't for being autistic I would not have all the wonderful friends I have come to love and my life would be much smaller - maybe easier - but smaller and not quite as rich and full as it is today. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18118254926948370982noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2799087240760337340.post-78613784805503138762013-06-27T07:38:05.874-07:002013-06-27T07:38:05.874-07:00You always tell your stories in such a beautiful, ...You always tell your stories in such a beautiful, gentle, gracious way. Because that is who you are. <3Brenda Rothman (Mama Be Good)https://www.blogger.com/profile/17399227210081662280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2799087240760337340.post-59829118344413183632013-06-27T07:32:49.961-07:002013-06-27T07:32:49.961-07:00(((Ibby))))...sorry I couldn't be there to hel...(((Ibby))))...sorry I couldn't be there to help! But, how excellent that you were early! Yay!professorlinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09753671973178820364noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2799087240760337340.post-13391582157419414352013-06-27T07:30:13.237-07:002013-06-27T07:30:13.237-07:00I get lost in new places too. But once I've t...I get lost in new places too. But once I've traveled any route once, it's permanently etched in my mind, my mental map. It's a constantly growing beast. I can imagine my response to all you've mentioned above being much the same. It's hard. It sucks. It's sometimes really embarrassing. But we get through it. Thank you for sharing. Because that is also really hard. The act of getting it all into words and also the putting a story of a vulnerable experience into the world. I try to do it; I admire those who do it so well. Thank you.Imcombobulatedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03812472199510321224noreply@blogger.com