Hello everyone! I have been aware of this site for sometime and I want to thank all of you for the in-sights you have provided me.
I am 38, married for 18 years, have a 16 yr old son with dx of AS, a 6 yr old son with a dx of AS, a 3 yr old that seems NT, and I am self dx with AS though my sons Dr. says he will give me an official dx but it would cost $$ and I really don't need it because I am aware of it. I have a MS in Computer Engineering and am currently classified in my employment as an Engineer Scientist, and I lead a small team of electrical engineers. For those of you out there who think a person with AS can't have a career, family, relationships, etc. I am an example that it is possible.
I have been aware that I was different since my HS years. I tried the socializing things, did extra-curricular activities, even the senior class musical, but my awkward, quirky behaviors always kept me separated from being really in the center of things and truly accepted. Without any awareness of what was wrong (not that having AS is wrong), I chose to throw myself into the most uncomfortable social situations that I could find so I could learn about them and then formuate the plan to deal with them when they occurred again. I could definitely tell some stories about some of the social blunders I made, but maybe somewhere else in the forums.
I was married at 20 and over the course of 18 years I have had several jobs, made many employment mistakes which cost me my jobs, but I think I have finally figured out "the game" and have been able to keep my current position for 6.5 years. Lots of ups and downs in all aspects of my life, and in retrospect, see how my AS played a role in all of it. I give a lot of credit to my success to my wife, who never knowing what AS was until our 6 yr old was dx, stood by me and weathered all of challenges that we have had and never stopped believing in me.
So again, Hello Wrongplanet community! The PinWhiz has landed!
30 Jan 2007, 10:07 am
