1. < Autism (ASD)

Adults On The Autism Spectrum

Posted by Mamacita, Alumna Mentor @mamacita, Apr 29, 2018

Maybe you were really shy as a child. Perhaps you took home a huge stack of books from the school library, read them, and returned them the next day. Or did your best friend find you crying in your closet, unable to answer the question "Why?" At any rate, your life could be traced to the Self-Help section of the local bookstore. Unfortunately, most of the books were not much help. ADHD seemed to fit, at times. Your shrink said you might be Bi-Polar, although she wasn't really certain. All you knew was that you rarely fit in, anywhere. One day at work, it hit you square in the face: I don't speak these people's language! Really, it was like you were all playing this game, and everyone knew the rules but you. You couldn't tell a joke, and you never "got" any joke your co-worker tried to tell you. People started getting annoyed with you, because you had a memory like a steel trap. They didn't appreciate it when you called them on the carpet. Who knew? This was my life, and worse. I finally aced several tests that pointed me to the answer to my questions. The Autism Spectrum. Guess what? Little kids with Autism grow up to be Adults with Autism. Diagnosed late in life? This is the place for you!

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Autism (ASD) Support Group.

Mentor
Teresa, Volunteer Mentor | @hopeful33250 | Sep 10, 2018
In reply to @sirgalahad "humour does have many variance and because as autistics we miss visualclues and also tone deaf..." + (show)
@sirgalahad

humour does have many variance and because as autistics we miss visualclues and also tone deaf to the way people speak .also we are impacted when we have experienced bullying and beingmade the butt of jokes to harass and intimidate and denigrate . that's why we miss jokes by our facial blindness and voice tone blindness

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There are many factors involved. You have provided a great deal of insight. Thank you!

REPLY
Mentor
Ginger, Volunteer Mentor | @gingerw | Sep 10, 2018
In reply to @sirgalahad "humour does have many variance and because as autistics we miss visualclues and also tone deaf..." + (show)
@sirgalahad

humour does have many variance and because as autistics we miss visualclues and also tone deaf to the way people speak .also we are impacted when we have experienced bullying and beingmade the butt of jokes to harass and intimidate and denigrate . that's why we miss jokes by our facial blindness and voice tone blindness

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@sirgalahad My husband often complains that I don't laugh enough, nor smile enough, and "take things way too seriously". You have explained it very well, indeed, and thank you for that. There simply is not much that I find amusing. It has to do with the way I see the world in general.
Ginger

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2 replies
sirgalahad | @sirgalahad | Sep 10, 2018
In reply to @gingerw "@sirgalahad My husband often complains that I don't laugh enough, nor smile enough, and "take things..." + (show)
@gingerw

@sirgalahad My husband often complains that I don't laugh enough, nor smile enough, and "take things way too seriously". You have explained it very well, indeed, and thank you for that. There simply is not much that I find amusing. It has to do with the way I see the world in general.
Ginger

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exactly

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stlouisgmajenn | @stlouisgmajenn | Sep 11, 2018

I'm 64 yrs old, diagnosed bipolar/PTSD. In most of my counseling, guided meditation, etc, I've been told to seek a SAFE PLACE. Until a few minutes ago I didn't have one. Can you imagine? 64 years old and NO SAFE PLACE?
On sucky childhood summer vacations my parents would fight. I would wander away unnoticed. My favorite place was a mountain cave, cool interior with a trickling stream. A boulder 4 perching, my boulder, right at the mouth of the cave, ever vigilant. I wasn't afraid of what was WITHIN the cave, just the humans outside. What I didn't notice until the 5th year was the mommy mountain lion deep inside the cave. She didn't growl. But her giant green eyes glowed. She let me stay. She guarded me, kept me safe.
Here's my poem to her:
MOUNTAIN LION CAVE
I'm 12
Hiding
Running Away
Seeking Sanctuary
A Protector, Protectress
Little do I know she has green glowing eyes
Watchful, vengeful
Nurturing
Welcoming.

REPLY
1 reply
Mentor
Teresa, Volunteer Mentor | @hopeful33250 | Sep 11, 2018
In reply to @gingerw "@sirgalahad My husband often complains that I don't laugh enough, nor smile enough, and "take things..." + (show)
@gingerw

@sirgalahad My husband often complains that I don't laugh enough, nor smile enough, and "take things way too seriously". You have explained it very well, indeed, and thank you for that. There simply is not much that I find amusing. It has to do with the way I see the world in general.
Ginger

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@gingerw I appreciate your sharing that. Thank you for the added insight and understanding.

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1 reply
Mentor
Teresa, Volunteer Mentor | @hopeful33250 | Sep 11, 2018
In reply to @stlouisgmajenn "I'm 64 yrs old, diagnosed bipolar/PTSD. In most of my counseling, guided meditation, etc, I've been..." + (show)
@stlouisgmajenn

I'm 64 yrs old, diagnosed bipolar/PTSD. In most of my counseling, guided meditation, etc, I've been told to seek a SAFE PLACE. Until a few minutes ago I didn't have one. Can you imagine? 64 years old and NO SAFE PLACE?
On sucky childhood summer vacations my parents would fight. I would wander away unnoticed. My favorite place was a mountain cave, cool interior with a trickling stream. A boulder 4 perching, my boulder, right at the mouth of the cave, ever vigilant. I wasn't afraid of what was WITHIN the cave, just the humans outside. What I didn't notice until the 5th year was the mommy mountain lion deep inside the cave. She didn't growl. But her giant green eyes glowed. She let me stay. She guarded me, kept me safe.
Here's my poem to her:
MOUNTAIN LION CAVE
I'm 12
Hiding
Running Away
Seeking Sanctuary
A Protector, Protectress
Little do I know she has green glowing eyes
Watchful, vengeful
Nurturing
Welcoming.

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@stlouisgmajenn
Sometimes safety comes in unexpected ways! Thank you for sharing that!

REPLY
sirgalahad | @sirgalahad | Sep 12, 2018
In reply to @hopeful33250 "@gingerw I appreciate your sharing that. Thank you for the added insight and understanding." + (show)
@hopeful33250

@gingerw I appreciate your sharing that. Thank you for the added insight and understanding.

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TERESA ,sir galahad her and or john golding I have a dear friend and her son are in Mayo hospital endocrinology unit and cardiology .she and her son Weston are autistic and both have lupus and enlarged hearts and I am hoping to see if I could get one of the volunteers to see if they can go and see them in the mayo hospital .Weston will be there for 2 weeks and arrived last sunday 09/09/18 .if someone is able to assist them that will be wonderful

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2 replies
Mentor
Teresa, Volunteer Mentor | @hopeful33250 | Sep 13, 2018
In reply to @sirgalahad "TERESA ,sir galahad her and or john golding I have a dear friend and her son..." + (show)
@sirgalahad

TERESA ,sir galahad her and or john golding I have a dear friend and her son are in Mayo hospital endocrinology unit and cardiology .she and her son Weston are autistic and both have lupus and enlarged hearts and I am hoping to see if I could get one of the volunteers to see if they can go and see them in the mayo hospital .Weston will be there for 2 weeks and arrived last sunday 09/09/18 .if someone is able to assist them that will be wonderful

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@sirgalahad Hello John:

How very kind of you to be looking out for your friends. Let me see what I can do to get some volunteers by their room. I live in SE Michigan so I'm not able to do it personally. If you would like to send me a PM (private message) with their last name, that would help.

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1 reply
Moderator
Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Sep 13, 2018
In reply to @sirgalahad "TERESA ,sir galahad her and or john golding I have a dear friend and her son..." + (show)
@sirgalahad

TERESA ,sir galahad her and or john golding I have a dear friend and her son are in Mayo hospital endocrinology unit and cardiology .she and her son Weston are autistic and both have lupus and enlarged hearts and I am hoping to see if I could get one of the volunteers to see if they can go and see them in the mayo hospital .Weston will be there for 2 weeks and arrived last sunday 09/09/18 .if someone is able to assist them that will be wonderful

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It must be an additional challenge when seeking medical care from professionals who are not specialists in autism. You are obviously concerned for your friends. The volunteer Mentors on Connect are virtual volunteers living across the country and in some cases in countries outside the US. The mentors are not located on Mayo Clinic campuses.

However, all 3 Mayo Clinic campuses have on-site volunteers who visit patients and families in all the waiting areas and patient rooms. You can contact volunteer services here https://www.mayoclinic.org/about-mayo-clinic/volunteers. There are even volunteer dogs on-site. They are called Caring Canines and are especially trained to help reduce anxiety. https://intheloop.mayoclinic.org/2015/11/19/a-dogs-life-at-mayo-clinic/

Your friend may also wish to know about the Concierge Services https://www.mayoclinic.org/patient-visitor-guide/minnesota/becoming-a-patient/concierge-travel-services. Concierge Services can help them find things in the area during their 2-week stay.

And finally, you may also suggest that your friend become a member of Connect. We would gladly hold her virtual hand and accompany her while she waits and prepares for appointments. She and her son don't have to be alone.

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1 reply
sirgalahad | @sirgalahad | Sep 13, 2018
In reply to @colleenyoung "It must be an additional challenge when seeking medical care from professionals who are not specialists..." + (show)
@colleenyoung

It must be an additional challenge when seeking medical care from professionals who are not specialists in autism. You are obviously concerned for your friends. The volunteer Mentors on Connect are virtual volunteers living across the country and in some cases in countries outside the US. The mentors are not located on Mayo Clinic campuses.

However, all 3 Mayo Clinic campuses have on-site volunteers who visit patients and families in all the waiting areas and patient rooms. You can contact volunteer services here https://www.mayoclinic.org/about-mayo-clinic/volunteers. There are even volunteer dogs on-site. They are called Caring Canines and are especially trained to help reduce anxiety. https://intheloop.mayoclinic.org/2015/11/19/a-dogs-life-at-mayo-clinic/

Your friend may also wish to know about the Concierge Services https://www.mayoclinic.org/patient-visitor-guide/minnesota/becoming-a-patient/concierge-travel-services. Concierge Services can help them find things in the area during their 2-week stay.

And finally, you may also suggest that your friend become a member of Connect. We would gladly hold her virtual hand and accompany her while she waits and prepares for appointments. She and her son don't have to be alone.

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thankyou Colleen

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