05 May 2007, 9:08 pm
05 May 2007, 9:10 pm
Hamster wrote:
aylissa wrote:
NIN was very popular amongst the Aspergian Elder Council.
Hamster has an awesome MySpace that plays a kick-ass NIN song, and she is the goddess in my eyes.
It was a bit of an inside joke on my part.
Hamster has an awesome MySpace that plays a kick-ass NIN song, and she is the goddess in my eyes.
It was a bit of an inside joke on my part.
From one goddess to another.
I have since changed the song and now have "White Rabbit" by Jefferson Airplane on my MySpace. I also have Bea Arthur as my profile pic now...Not sure if I'm digging the whole feel, though.
Dude, if you were anybody else, I'd be hating your avatar. But cuz it's you, I'm totally okay with it.
I can see how there might be a dichotomy between Bea and 'White Rabbit'. Hmm. Sounds aspie-ish.
05 May 2007, 9:11 pm
05 May 2007, 9:54 pm
06 May 2007, 9:36 am
06 May 2007, 10:14 am
07 May 2007, 6:13 pm
08 May 2007, 8:29 pm
What is your first name? Sometimes known as Wilson 
Age: 48 (yes for the observant ones, its just gone up 1 
)
Location: Australia, a.k.a. the Antipodes
Current perseverations: I think about duck hunting all the time. I have 4 boats but rarely go boating (unless its duck hunting, but there is no season this year), have a garage full of fishing gear, but rarely go fishing. I have guns I haven't shot in years. Most of my time is taken up doing things with my kids. 
When did you discover AS? last year
Do you have other psych diagnoses? do you think I should?
Do you have a degree? B.Ec. + post grad + CPA
Kids? 2 teenage sons
Favorite music, other than NIN: Linda Ronsdadt (all genres), Indigo Girls (Kate and Anna), Emmylou Harris, Jewell, MArtha DAvis
Job? Accountant
Relationship with significant other, past or present? Yes - only 1 - still
Plans for the future? Did have, but gone off the rails. On my "must do" list. Not looking past my kids reaching adulthood.
Other: I drink too much to be healthy. Most nights I feel I need a beer or wine or 2 (try to not have whisky in the house too often) to relax. While its not a problem, I am conscious of drinking too much too often.
08 May 2007, 11:35 pm
09 May 2007, 5:37 am
aylissa wrote:
And you left out your introduction, Ahem.
Sorry Aylissa! Didn't mean to be rude!
I type so slowly (cerebellar problem? Have been typing for around 35years. Still can't exceed 20 to 25 words per minute) that I had to wait until I had time to type. So here goes...
What is your first name? Chuck
Age: 49 next month
Location: Deep in the woods of a small town near Nashville, Tennessee, USA
Current perseverations: writing and illustrating a children's picture book; making paper with a zinc oxide surface so that I can draw on its surface with silver. Memorizing the neuroanatomy and neurophysiology books used by the neurology department's graduate program of Vanderbilt University's Medical School.
When did you discover AS? January 2007. My friend Jamie told me that doctors thought her daughter Eva may have Asperger's. I had never heard of it. Went home and discovered myself in the description. Went to my psychiatrist at Vanderbilt - he and another psychiatrist evaluated me and ran tests. Officially diagnosed at that point.
Do you have other psych diagnoses? You Mean I'm Not Lazy, Stupid, or Crazy? caught my eye at a bookstore April 2006. Found myself on almost every page. Went for evaluation at Vanderbilt. Yep. I have ADD (the day-dreamy type most often displayed by women with ADD). In spring each year, I'm more ADHD. Officially diagnosed May 2006. I asked my sister, who has a PhD in psychology (and who had known about my "differences" for years, myself being clueless) if I was going to be discovering myself in the pages of any other "disorder" anytime soon.
She is autistic. She said, "Chuck, some psychiatric disorder names were chosen at a time when "mental illness" was looked down upon. I believe that Autism, Asperger's, ADD, OCD, Tourette's, ... and Savants are like a smorgasbord table: some people have only one "disorder"; some have a helping of two types; some have mostly "this" and some of "that", and a smidgen of "that". I'm mostly autistic, with ADD, and Asperger's. Chuck, you started out fully autistic, became an Asperger/ADD mix. But you may also find yourself in the pages describing "Idiot Savants". I know, its a terrible name, and you are not fully Savant. (fully idiot? ) But you have eidetic memory, which is usually only seen in Savants and Asperger's. I wouldn't rush to the psychiatrist's office to get that one officially diagnosed if I were you.***People still have phobias and misunderstandings of those who are "different". It may affect your ability to keep your driving license, medical insurance, your pharmacy license... lots of things. Who knows? I was right about the ADD and Asperger's wasn't I? Well, you have this too." [She never told me what she had recognized in me some 30 years prior: "Chuck, you were doing so well (don't know about that, I just never know when to quit, and I never give up), I didn't want you to know - didn't want it to hold you back, limit you, or cause you to stop trying. So use this new knowledge, for what it's worth, to help you make future plans. Now you know a little more about yourself. But you're the same person today with this knowledge as you were yesterday without it. Don't limit yourself! You are not a "disorder", and you are not "damaged"!" But you can quit trying to learn how to type. You've tried for almost 4 decades now - it ain't gonna happen! " (Hence my decision to carve more time in my life to draw and do art, which I always loved to do. And to carve time out to just day-dream, which I love to do most of all).].
***Oops. Would have been good advice In January. Took an IQ test during the Asperger evaluations. Decided to not hold back this time, to do my very best, so they could make an accurate evaluation. They went nuts. Now want to send me to Berkeley (some psychiatrist there is doing studies on people who have unusual visual memory ability). Don't want to be a guinea pig, so I'm not going. Gonna lay low, here at WP.
Have tried to take some time to re-evaluate my life and the decisions I have made not knowing this information. (Had assumed everyone was like me, but that I was "stupid". Couldn't figure out why I was so different).
Do you have a degree? BS in Biology, BS in Zoology, (minored in physics, chemistry, and English). Doctor of Pharmacy degree. Licensed in Massage Therapy. Finished a lot of other coursework without attending school - just read their books. Taught anatomy to medical students while in pharmacy school.
Kids? Nope. Would have loved them though. But probably for the best. I daydream too much.
Favorite music, other than NIN David Byrne (Talking Heads), Peter Gabriel, The Cranberries, Alanis Morrisette, Bob Marley, Enya, Type O Negative, ACDC, Metallica, Neutral Milk Hotel, Gregorian Chant, Bette Midler, etc. etc. I usually cannot understand lyrics when I listen to music - my brain won't permit it. Just hear the instruments, drums and musical voices. I love music.
Job? Work in a pharmacy mostly. Sometimes work in the hospitals. Sometimes patients or physicians who have known me for a while contact me and I help them with their cases. Do massage therapy on occasion, mostly for fun and to help. I do not charge for massage therapy. I don't charge when helping on special cases.
Train people in the gym (no charge).
Want to keep it light here at WP. Just meet you guys and have fun. Don't really want to do the "health care thing" here, but will help you if I can, ... and have time. I type so slow....
Relationship with significant other, past or present? <Reveals secret> I was married once.
Plans for the future? I hope to publish one children's picture book before I die. I love children's picture books! (especially Olivia, and anything by David Wiesner). When I retire from pharmacy, I'll probably write obscure books that no one will ever read, and paint paintings that will sell for pennies.
Anything else you feel is pertinent: I don't always respond to every question directed to me. If I don't respond it is not meant as an offense. I type slow, and my time here is limited because I work so much. Also, I don't always know how to respond, and do not want to offend. So, my apologies in advance for any bumblings and offenses of omission.
Served in the Marines. This helped me tremendously. I recommend physical activity to all Aspies, who may be non-athletic and clumsy like I was. Allow yourself to be embarrassed and just do it. It will develop your cerebellum, which will improve your ability to read. Improvement in the body creates improvements in the brain, and vice versa. They are in actuality one unit, not separate units. Do not neglect your body! Exercise! Move your body! (anything that changes body position: dance, swimming, tai chi, martial arts, gymnastics, etc.)
Best wishes to all!
(erm, ... did I mention that I type slow?)
09 May 2007, 2:38 pm
Thank you, Chuck, that was a brilliant intro!
I'm responding in particular to the UC Berkeley thing. Would you consider changing your mind and going because the information garnered would be of value to all of us with atypical neuroanatomy? If I were you, I'd want to know what's inside my head, but that's just me. But does the scientific value not appeal to you? Plus the free trip to Berkeley?
When I lived there, my youngest daughter was slow to talk so I took her to the researchers at UCB's psych department where they did some tests. They wanted to recommend some stuff for her, as they saw she had strengths in other areas (sound familiar?) but I never went back. I wish I had.
I have somewhat of an eidetic memory too, with great visual processing skills. Also have the central auditory processing disorder which makes me also unable to hear song lyrics. And can't type more than 40 wpm despite decades of practice. Isn't it nice to now know that we're not stupid! I'm surprised the marines didn't find out your special talents and turn you into a special agent 
09 May 2007, 2:44 pm
Chuck, Sorry about the health question. 
I didn't know. I type slow, too and have a nasty habit of typing words backwards. It takes effort to write things on here. I understand completely.
madscientist
Pileated woodpecker
Joined: 7 May 2007
Gender: Male
Posts: 193
Location: Across the 8th Dimension...
09 May 2007, 4:29 pm
09 May 2007, 5:39 pm
aylissa wrote:
I'm responding in particular to the UC Berkeley thing. Would you consider changing your mind and going because the information garnered would be of value to all of us with atypical neuroanatomy? If I were you, I'd want to know what's inside my head, but that's just me. But does the scientific value not appeal to you?
As long as they agree to keep me anonymous, I may work with them. I have noticed that my psychiatrist at Vanderbilt (an ADD specialist) seems to have a low opinion of ADDers himself (perhaps oblivious to his own biases). He mentioned that ADD was quite a handicap, and that over 60% of US prisoners have ADD. Then he added "... and these aren't your Ocean's Eleven-type of criminals. These are the kind who rob a convenience store at night, forgetting their gun."
(yeah? well, our plan would be brilliant, convoluted, and complex, but, er... yeah, we'd forget the gun...)
On a different visit he let me have a written copy of the ADD lecture he had just presented to a group of mental heath physicians from across the United States, as I expressed an interest in reading it. He mentioned the fact that he had graduated from Harvard and had taught at Yale before teaching at Vanderbilt. He seemed reluctant at first to let me see it [he had mentioned my career as a pharmacist once before: "Pharmacy? That's one profession we have no need for. They think they understand medicine, but really, isn't your job rather boring and unimaginative? How much education does it really take in order to count pills?" I got into pharmacy at the request of my dad, a pharmacist, who wanted to start his own pharmacy. I switched gears to help him out (had been planning a career in zoology research prior)], but acknowledged that as a "pharmacist" perhaps I would be able to grasp some of it. (I should have started screeching like a monkey, holding the paper upside down. He seemed to be expecting it).
It contained the slide presentation he had given. The "intermission slide" was of a Far Side cartoon, with a tiny-headed boy in the front row of the classroom, hand raised, asking, "May I be excused? My head is full." I laughed and said "Oh, I love Gary Larson! Was this for your tired audience , or was this a reference to a student with ADD?" He laughed, then stopped, turned red and got uncomfortable, which gave me my answer. The lecture contained some rather simplistic neuroanatomy and neurotransmitter material, and when I began discussing it with him he looked at me as if I had six heads! (Another show of his low expectation of me as an ADDer. "What? He can read? Understand? Reason?"). And this Far Side slide was being shown by a top ADD psychiatrist to others in the profession, as a joke about ADDers that they would all laugh at.
(I kid around and laugh at myself, a way I cope, but I would never laugh at any of you).
When I found out about Asperger's I consulted my sister. She said she agreed I had it. I told her, "They'll administer an IQ test probably. This time, I'm not going to answer the questions wrong - I'm gonna give them the real stuff. I want to find out where I really stand. I don't feel the need to hide my intelligence anymore." (When you have ADD, and you keep doing "stupid" stuff, a high IQ is used as a flogging instrument against you. "An IQ of __, and you can't tie your shoes?!") My sister was supportive, and with a wink, said "Go for it!"
I went back to him with my suspicions, and evidence, of having it (including an old video of me on the beach, about a year old, unable to crawl but bouncing on my butt and flapping my hands at water's edge).I had records from high school and college (where I had answered questions wrong on purpose) showing an IQ in the 143 to 155 range. When I tested this time, EVERYONE was suddenly interested. I wasn't just a pharmacist with ADD anymore. The psychiatrist who an hour earlier had told me that he had a plane to catch in two hours was no longer in a hurry to go anywhere. Psychiatrists, doctors and grad students all of a sudden were there from Vanderbilt, politely to ask questions "if I didn't mind".
"Can you memorize a whole book?"
"Depends on if I want to."
"Word for word?"
"Depends on if I'm interested in it."
"Could you memorize this neuroanatomy book, and its slides, and all the brain scans?"
"Maybe."
"Would you be willing to go to Berkeley? I have a colleague who's been looking for someone just like you!"
I talked to my sister about it. She said that my memorizing the material would help her in her research, so I'm working on it. But I'm doing it for my sister. Not the guys at Vanderbilt, and not the guys at Berkeley, nor anyone trying to make a name for themselves. They haven't really impressed me so far. Up until now, I've lived my life for everyone else. I want to carve out the last portion of it by myself looking at the nighttime stars.
aylissa wrote:
I have somewhat of an eidetic memory too, with great visual processing skills. Also have the central auditory processing disorder which makes me also unable to hear song lyrics. And can't type more than 40 wpm despite decades of practice. Isn't it nice to now know that we're not stupid!
You and I are cut from the same cloth! How nice to have another sister!
(I love my blood one very much).Don't ever let them convince you that you are stupid Aylissa, no matter how many times they say it! I know that you aren't!
And it is nice to know, especially having been placed in Special Ed, and having your parents told, "We don't believe he should be advanced to Jr. High school, Perhaps he can learn a trade...maybe be a garbage collector." aylissa wrote:
I'm surprised the marines didn't find out your special talents and turn you into a special agent
They tested me and said, "We're assigning you to be a combat engineer". Later, I specialized in demolitions, booby traps and mines. My ordnance motto was, "If you see me running, try to keep up!"
I did get to work on some interesting projects.
09 May 2007, 5:43 pm
blessedmom wrote:
Chuck, Sorry about the health question. I didn't know. I type slow, too and have a nasty habit of typing words backwards. It takes effort to write things on here. I understand completely.
I didn't know. I type slow, too and have a nasty habit of typing words backwards. It takes effort to write things on here. I understand completely. You never have to apologize to me! I know you are a sweety too, and a sister Aspie/ADD mix! SeriousGirl is this combination as well. I think you are very nice, and I wasn't offended in the least. Now, off with ya!
Go out and have some fun!
09 May 2007, 6:14 pm
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