IRL
transcript from 2019 Cal-TASH breakout session entitled, "Communication Support in Real Life," with Brendan Collins, Kristian Constantino, and Molly K. Rearick
How is everyone? I am excited to be here.
I learned to type a few years ago and it changed my life. Before that everyone thought i was stupid and now at least some people believe i am smart. I like to ski and ride my bike and swim.
I was not allowed to type in school so i didnt get my diploma like everyone else. Instead i have to go to a community college then get my G.E.D. then transfer. Phew.
My dad and molly and our team fought with the district for a long time because the district thought i was too slow to learn. My teachers talked to us like we were pets and drilled us in baby stuff like colors and numbers. Its not that i was slow its that the district didnt care to learn my communication method.
I want to go to college so my story does not end like others who dont talk. I am happy to work on fascinating subjects like chemistry and spanish with people who know i am smart. Me gusta espanol con jose. I also like physics.
I also want a wife and my own family someday. Maybe they will type like me.
I am now able to share how my body feels and advocate for better medical care. For example I recently changed doctors to a neurologist who agrees with my goal of cutting back on meds. I never liked my old doctor but I had no way of telling anyone my concerns. When i learned to type I told my parents that a change was desperately needed. We chose to part ways and now I have a team. I am cutting down meds which is helping me sleep better and feel less compulsive.
I began attending college in august which is something I was afraid would never happen. My whole public school career was made up of being drilled on crazily basic skills like numbers and colors. Teachers talked to us like pets and I was lonely and hopeless. Why do they think reviewing seasons and weather every day is relevant in Southern California? I have understood sunny and warm my whole life lol. Thankfully I got some good homeschooling and now my brain is on fire. I take online and in person classes and am getting ready to take the GED. So far I am enjoying poetry Spanish and philosophy.
My autism and apraxia prevent me from speaking, and until I learned to type at age fourteen I was angry and alone. My mind would race with feelings of loneliness and extreme frustration. In an effort to control any part of my life I began obsessing over things like putting items in their proper places and closing doors. Of course these compulsions turned into motor loops that I now fight every day.
My kind of autism is the opposite of those who experience trouble understanding others. My autism does not stop me from having empathy or understanding others’ states of mind. In fact, I have been told I often have the best read on a room. To look at me you would think I am clueless or just don’t care. The irony is that I feel and love deeply.
Thank you for taking the time to think about people who dont speak as intelligent loving human beings despite our unruly bodies.
