Well, here's my story:
My name is Andrea and I'm 20 years old. I was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome in the year 2000, when I was 10. Until then, I was misdiagnosed with ADHD, OCD, and other things of that nature. I've been through a multitude of tests, and I've been on all sortsa different medications, but only a couple have actually worked.
My father was in the Air Force, so I moved around a lot as a child. This was hard, because it's tough enough trying to fit in in ONE elementary school, much less three or four. But that's what I knew, so it didn't really bother me at the time.
Growing up has been hard. I was bullied ever since I started school, simply for being different. In preschool, kids laughed at me because I was the only one who colored inside the lines (I would even go as far as to throw a huge fit when I got outside a tiny bit). In first grade, a group of boys used to gang up on me and beat me up (push me down on the playground, hit me, kick me, step on me, etc.). Luckily, that was the only time in my life that I was beaten up. Things didn't exactly get better, though. In some ways it did, but in other ways, it got worse. I got to high school and things were more on a psychological level--my peers were sneakier and would say mean things to me (or about me while I was sitting right there) when the teacher wasn't paying attention.
That's not to say I never had any friends. That's far from the truth. I've always had friends. I had friends in first grade and I've had friends ever since. A lot of them I only knew for about a year (since I moved a lot), and others just simply "fell off the face of the earth", so to speak. Once I moved here (to Texas, at age 9), however, I've been able to form meaningful, long-lasting friendships, since I don't have to worry about moving anymore. I've had time to cultivate relationships with people.
Academically, I'm very bright. I was mostly a straight-A student through all 12 years of school. I was usually the teacher's pet who sat in the very front of the classroom and was the first to raise my hand. I'm sure this was another reason people didn't like me lol. I tried my best to follow the rules and not make waves, but when I was provoked badly enough, I took action. I've got a bit of a temper. Usually, though, I was the one who got in trouble. I never starting anything, but I sure as hell finished things. I've pulled out chairs before the class jerk could sit down (more than once), I've grabbed girls by the hair and clunked their heads together, and I'm sure I've done a lot more than that. I don't take s**t from people. I never have. But I've learned to cope with a lotta things.
I have a 15-year-old brother named Tyler, who I love very much. He was diagnosed with PDD-NOS at around the same time I was diagnosed with Asperger's. They (school, medical professionals, etc.) asked my mother if they could test him for autism, to which she replied, "Test Andrea, too." I'm somewhat jealous of him. He was found out earlier in life than I was (he was five, and I was ten--early intervention is CRUCIAL, people), and he got the help he needed sooner. He's never been bullied or picked on in his entire life, and to be honest, is actually quite popular no matter where he goes. People are just naturally attracted to him. I'm glad he's never had to experience what I have, and I would never wish that on him, but I'm jealous all the same. I never asked for popularity--I just wanted acceptance. I tried as hard as I could to be normal. I tried to wear clothes that KINDA looked like what normal people wore (I have Sensory Integration Dysfunction--it's like my brain likes to constantly remind me that I'm wearing clothing, sitting in a chair, or that I have carpet under my feet). People always asked me why I wore dresses and skirts all the time, why I always wore sandals, etc. I'm the only person I know that will wear a satin shirt with sweat pants, sandals, and a leather jacket. It's not something I'm proud of. It's not that I don't have any fashion sense, it's that I cannot STAND to wear clothes. I use Gaia, IMVU, or anything else with a dress-up feature as an outlet, since I hate to dress myself. I express myself through avatars.
I work with special needs kids in the summertime. I've been employed by the school district every summer for the past 3 years to help students with disabilities (mostly autism) in a summer school-type setting. I've made friends with the director of special education (she was my in-home trainer when I was first diagnosed, and after that, she climbed the ladder), and I've been a guest speaker for her at a seminar or two. She taught college courses on ABA and whatnot to teachers, and had me come in to answer questions and tell my story. That was something I really enjoyed doing. I'm currently working towards a degree in special education myself, so I can help others like me, as well as help parents/teachers/friends/whoever understand what it's like to have autism. I've been nicknamed by my mom, friends, and coworkers, "The Rosetta Stone", because I act as a bridge between the "normal" and the moderately to severely autistic. I can explain what goes on in my head in a way that people understand, and they consider me a valuable resource.
I have been in relationships before. That's never really been much of a problem for me. I can function in a relationship better than a lot of people can, I'm sure. As of now, I've been seeing a really great guy for almost two years, and I can honestly say he is my soulmate (he feels the same way). He understands me more than my closest friends. I can almost go as far as saying he knows me better than my own mother does (he's getting there). He knows when I'm upset, he's good at figuring out what to do, what not to do, etc. and he's extremely patient (very important thing to be when you're in a relationship with someone with Asperger's lol). He treats my brother better than he treats his own brother, and always listens to him babble on about God knows what. He's one in a million and he's aaaaall miiiiiine. He's a HUGE part of my life and we plan to get married sometime in the near future. heart
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