Happy to be here :-)

[Vicki Gail]

I've been here a couple of weeks but haven't done an introduction yet...still trying to find my way around. My name is Vicki and I am the mother of three "kids"...not so much kids anymore and I live in Louisiana. I have a 30 year old son in Colorado, a 27 year old daughter an hour from me who has our only grandchild, a 21 year old daughter in college and then there's Landon. Landon is 17 and was diagnosed with Aspergers, ADHD and OCD when he was six. I have been homeschooling him since first grade...we do online public school and it's been a Godsend for me. I am here to meet other mothers of autistic children and to meet people on the spectrum so I can maybe better understand my son. I'm very happy to be here.

 

[Ken S.]

Welcome to the forum Vicki.

 

[tree]

 

[Moshi Moshi ^w^]

Welcome Vicki! Hopefully you will find some insight here for your son. I'm glad you're putting in the effort to understand him!

 

[Federico Fernández]

Welcome Vicki!, it's wonderful and moving that you are taking care of your 17-year-old son like you're doing. Please never give up on him. We are kinder than most can even think, you must already know by now by your son.

Well, welcome again, and greetings from Argentina!, my English, ewww, is not the best, but I manage to stay on here ha ha ha.

 

[Vicki Gail]

Welcome to the forum Vicki.

Thanks Ken Are you a parent or on the spectrum yourself? It's hard keeping everyone straight here but I'm trying.

 

[Vicki Gail]

Welcome Vicki!, it's wonderful and moving that you are taking care of your 17-year-old son like you're doing. Please never give up on him. We are kinder than most can even think, you must already know by now by your son.

Well, welcome again, and greetings from Argentina!, my English, ewww, is not the best, but I manage to stay on here ha ha ha.

Thank you so much Federico Our last names are very similiar...I am a Hernandez. I don't look like one do I lol. I know that I am Landon's biggest advocate and will spend the rest of my life making sure he is okay. There is no way I would ever give up on him and I pray often that God allows me to stay around long enough to get him to a good place. There was a time I thought he would be able to live on his own but as of right now he is far from doing that. He is verbal and can read fluently, however, he has no interest in learning to drive and has almost no concept of how money works. He could so, so easily be taken advantage of. He's very trusting. And, oh yes, I know he and others like him are kinder than most, hands down no doubt about that. He is kind to everyone and sees the good in them, even when they are being mean to him because a lot of that goes over his head. It makes my husband and I sad at times to see how he doesn't get when even his cousins are being not so nice to him but then again, maybe it's a good thing he can't see it sometimes, you know. How old were you when you were diagnosed? Sorry this got so long...thanks again for the sweet welcome. I'm so happy I found my way here.
Vicki

 

[Vicki Gail]

Welcome Vicki! Hopefully you will find some insight here for your son. I'm glad you're putting in the effort to understand him!

Thank you Moshi I've only been here a short time and have already met a few really nice people who are so easy to talk to. I will always work harder and harder to understand him because I am his biggest fan. It's been a bit of a rough ride the past year/year and a half but I know a lot of that is most likely hormone related. I know he struggles so hard every day and that he gets lonely many days. Are you a mother to a child on the spectrum or are you on the spectrum yourself...or both? Thank you so much for the welcome. I'm still trying to find my way around here and so far am loving it.

Vicki

 

[Federico Fernández]

How old were you when you were diagnosed? Sorry this got so long...thanks again for the sweet welcome. I'm so happy I found my way here.
Vicki

Vicki [Hernández] , I live in a city some 300km south of capital of Argentina, Buenos Aires, with roughly 120,000 inhabitants. When I was born in 1992, autism was unspoken about in this city and I got a huge, a failure of a misdiagnosis [schizophrenia] and I was just recently re-diagnosed within the spectrum. I was so badly treated for a disorder I didn't have that I sued them. I am not interested in the money, I'd donate it all, I did it for the sake of others coming in the future. Greetings, dear friend.

 

[Tom]

Hi, I am undiagnosed on the spectrum, parent of son (and possibly daughter) also undiagnosed.

Don't give up hope for your son's successful integration with the world at large. Just keep working at it with him, and being patient as the learning curve can be long.

I have a nephew (diagnosed) who despite many early struggles who is now (later 20's) really shining in his areas of interest professionally which is bird conservation and music. And my son and I both have/had successful military careers (our areas of special interest), doing well in technical jobs within the clear structure and rules of the military.

 

[SkyForever]

Hi Vicki, welcome to the forums I hope you find all the support and help you need here. It really is a wonderful place and there's so many helpful and supportive members here.

Your family sounds wonderful and I can see how proud you are of them all. I want to be a mum one day as well.

Best wishes,
Sky.

 

[Moshi Moshi ^w^]

Thank you Moshi I've only been here a short time and have already met a few really nice people who are so easy to talk to. I will always work harder and harder to understand him because I am his biggest fan. It's been a bit of a rough ride the past year/year and a half but I know a lot of that is most likely hormone related. I know he struggles so hard every day and that he gets lonely many days. Are you a mother to a child on the spectrum or are you on the spectrum yourself...or both? Thank you so much for the welcome. I'm still trying to find my way around here and so far am loving it.

Vicki

I am on the spectrum. I had a lot of issues growing up because I had an IQ of 174 and was doing a lot of things on a computer that most adults weren't able to do, but I was failing school, not being social and had severe depression issues as well... Not to mention I had lots of issues with the teachers and classmates. My parents weren't very understanding and I only got diagnosed a few years ago and even now they aren't very understanding so I am lucky to have a wife who tries her best to understand.

I'm really happy to see you taking the time to understand him as at times it can get very difficult and also feel extremely lonely when people don't try to understand why you act a certain way. Big ups to you!

 

[Ken S.]

@Vicki Gail I am on the spectrum and I am sure my mother was. Unfortunately she passed about six months before my official diagnosis so It's just a personal hypothesis.

 

[Thinx]

Hi and welcome, I hope that you enjoy it here, people are friendly and supportive.

 

[Major Tom]

It's been a pleasure seeing you in chat. Remember, father's worth their own salt can also offer some advice too.

 

[Aspychata]

Hi Vicki
Definitely believe in homeschooling. It really helped my daughter who may have some traits, though l didn't have her diagnosed. Welcome.

 

[Andrew206]

Welcome to the forums Vicki!

 

[Vicki Gail]

Vicki [Hernández] , I live in a city some 300km south of capital of Argentina, Buenos Aires, with roughly 120,000 inhabitants. When I was born in 1992, autism was unspoken about in this city and I got a huge, a failure of a misdiagnosis [schizophrenia] and I was just recently re-diagnosed within the spectrum. I was so badly treated for a disorder I didn't have that I sued them. I am not interested in the money, I'd donate it all, I did it for the sake of others coming in the future. Greetings, dear friend.

It's so cool meeting people from all over the world on here. So, they had you on medications for schizophrenia? If so, then that couldn't have been good for your body and mind. I absolutely would have sued them, too. Sounds like you've been through a lot in your life.

 

[Vicki Gail]

Hi, I am undiagnosed on the spectrum, parent of son (and possibly daughter) also undiagnosed.

Don't give up hope for your son's successful integration with the world at large. Just keep working at it with him, and being patient as the learning curve can be long.

I have a nephew (diagnosed) who despite many early struggles who is now (later 20's) really shining in his areas of interest professionally which is bird conservation and music. And my son and I both have/had successful military careers (our areas of special interest), doing well in technical jobs within the clear structure and rules of the military.

Tom, this is so encouraging to read. I can't help but worry what Landon will do as an adult. I know he will find his way...right now it's just not very clear what that will be. I will definitely never give up on him and will help him any way I can. People comment a lot on how patient I am...I have learned to be that way because that's what Landon needs. He has to know someone is on his side no matter what. Thanks for the encouragement!!

 

[Giraffes]

Hi Vicki it's wonderful to hear and sence your love and understanding to ypur son, my Autism wasn't 'seen' till much later in life and when i realised, professionals were still unsupported and i paid privately for my diagnosis, i believe the home schooling was a positive decision, my experience of education left me feeling isolated and stupid, constantly being compared to more obviously academic siblings and anxious due to social expectations, welcome to the forum.