We’re in April and that means it’s Autism Month. Whether you choose it to be about awareness or acceptance, puzzle piece, infinity symbol, light it up blue or whatever, just as long as you make yourself known and ways to help you or someone you care or support for that’s all that matters to me.

As for me there’s always been something about me. Early on in my life there were the noticable behaviors but being the late 80s and early 90s there was no understanding that I could be so articulate yet have challenges with everyday life until it became noticeable or something set to go off because of what I now know was my sensory system, etc. We just lived life with those who knew just knew with little help or support for nearly 9 years.

But going from expert to expert and running a alphabet soup of acronymic diagnosises, we finally got to a point where someone knew advocated for me to find the right experts and get the diagnosis of Asperger’s Syndrome at the age of 13 in 1998 when it was under the autism spectrum umbrella.

Even though there was a diagnosis finding out how to help me and puberty happening was a double whammy while working on the right medication cocktail being in an out of psychiatric hospitals including on my 15th birthday and eventually a 9 month residential placement to get everything balanced out and eventually back home with my parents made life manageable but there was still mysteries about how to help me on the right way.

However those that helped me took on the mission with great pride and made the rest of my childhood the best it could be and even with my parents being the best advocates pushed for

Opportunities after highschool and even though there were reservations I excelled.

Eventually I landed the part time job I have now and even though it was challenging at first I’ve become quite the natural at it beating the autistic stereotype even though there’s been sweeping changes the past few years I’m extremely grateful for an employer that accepts and accomodates me for my needs and knows me well.

Even though I highly doubted it I began living independently several years ago and for a long time there were challenges with things especially when I was not caring for my mental health but I now understand that it’s just as important as my physical health and it must be equally respected because I want to be successful at living independently and not have to go to a supervised place to live because I know I wouldn’t be happy nor would it be ideal.

I still go to day services two days a week but that’s my own choosing to go and use my time there fruitfully and it too has changed but I’ve learned and grown the last few years being better and knowing that I can be the example

By being my best living life to the fullest and showing others that life can be good.

This is just a glimpse into my story but it’s just one story of an autistic person. There are many others each of them different from mine with a wide array of support needs and their own challenges and preferences and talents.

This is just my story.