The Autistic Me

Earlier this week, I was asked by a young man how knowing I am "autistic" changed my life. His big question was if I would have not made some choices if I had known the diagnosis years ago. Is "The Autistic Me" a different me, making different choices? That's a good question, but I don't have a good answer. I'm just me. I know the label means something, but I choose the name of this blog as part of a class assignment — there wasn't a lengthy rhetorical analysis of the label or what it might mean to me. I've written the following about "autism" as a label: http://theautisticme.blogspot.com/2011/01/what-is-autism-beyond-word.html http://theautisticme.blogspot.com/2010/08/socially-constructed-autism.html There are many other related posts, too. I am ambivalent about the "autistic" label, neither rejecting it entirely nor embracing it without question. As a writer with a degree in rhetoric, I'm expected to understand the...

Okay, here's the last bit I'm going to share online from my 2006 "re-assessment" that was requested for the University of Minnesota Graduate School. Remember you are reading an excerpt from my upcoming book, not the full chapter. However, your questions and suggestions will help me craft a better book. And yes, I am still reminding visitors that my book A Spectrum of Relationships is available from the two biggest online bookstores for $2.99. I appreciate how supportive readers of this blog have been. Dealing with the Assessment (and Some Denial) The Doctors Conclude…  Neuropsychologically, S. presents with a complex history, driven by significant physical trauma at birth. He does have a seizure disorder (which is treated medically). Imaging reveals specific left frontal and temporal lobe injury. A progressive neurological disorder is not ruled out. Characteristics of high-functioning autism, resulting from the brain trauma, are apparent.    I’ve had a few sca...

Yes, more from the formal autism assessment report prepared in 2006. This is from a chapter in my next book, due in early fall. Please feel free to ask questions or offer suggestions. This book is still being written. Your input can help make it a better book! If you would like to support this blog and my other projects, you can download my current eBook for Kindle or Nook. A Spectrum of Relationships  is only $2.99 on both Amazon and BN.com and I would appreciate questions, suggestions, and reviews while I consider preparing a revised "second edition" next year. Now, on with the current book excerpts. Quantifying Personality Traits Recall that I mentioned the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) and the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC) are similar evaluation instruments. It isn’t surprising that the evaluation I received at the age of 37 would be similar to the one performed at the age of eight. The instruments have been revised several times, and ...

Working on my autobiographical book this weekend, I reread emails and notes from my four years as a doctoral student at the University of Minnesota. It was a horrible time and the challenge of writing about those experiences might be too much for me to tackle on some days. Sometimes events and people manage to leave deep scars. I loathe the University of Minnesota. Despise isn't a strong enough word. My department closed after we moved here. I was mocked by peers. I was bullied by faculty. If it were not for the efforts of a handful of individuals, I would not have graduated. Yes, there were good people within a lousy setting. It amazes me that some people can fight the system year after year and not surrender. I will write the text, though it will be emotionally draining to relive those years. They are recent, and they haunt me some nights. More text on my 2006 evaluation is coming this week. By the end of August, I might also post on the 2008 assessment nightmare. Yes, I had asse...

In a previous post, I started to share the written report that followed my most recent assessment. I want to clarify some things based on private emails and the public comment posted. Read the previous post at:  Autism Assessment, Part 1. First, and most importantly, even though my 2006 assessment was mere a "confirmation" for the University of Minnesota, it was neither a short nor an inexpensive process. The interviews of my wife, notes and comments from my parents, the interview with me, and the review of neurological exams required some time before the testing was performed. Reviewing records and interviews is expensive and time-consuming. We even tried to locate a copy of the 1976 assessment. The confirmation for the U. of Minn. was required to either support or challenge previous assessments and diagnoses. The diagnostic criteria for various conditions and the evaluation instruments have been revised repeatedly during my 40+ years of life. The actual exams are ad...

If you have wondered what a formal evaluation for autism is like, now you can read one. From my current book project, this my reflection on the formal assessment I received in 2006. The assessment is eleven pages, so there will be several posts including my comments. A reminder that my overview of social connections and the autistic experience, A Spectrum of Relationships , is available on Amazon's Kindle store and the BN.com Nook store. What follows below is from my next project . On Monday, December 4, 2006, my wife and I returned to the psychologists’ offices for the results of my assessment. My wife was already certain of the assessment results, while I was unsure of what to hope for. If something was “wrong” with me, would it be something horrible? If nothing was “wrong” then did that imply a different issue? It would be as disconcerting to have nothing diagnosed as to have something diagnosed.  We were led into the lead psychologist’s office. Near her desk, relaxing ...