Hello Everyone,
Welcome to myspace on the net!
W ell Im Ade, Im a 33 years old and I..m from Sunny Birmingham and I am proud to let you all know that I have Aspergers Syndrome .
I was diagnosed just over 2 years ago and initially it was a shock to find out that I had AS but more so a releif to know that there was a logical reason for why I am like I am, finally I know why I AM so U NIQUE!
I always knew I was different in someway yet never would have guessed I was Autistic.
For those of you who does not know what AS is then I will try and explain below:
Asperger Syndrome is a form of Autism , a condition that affects the way a person communicates and relates to others. A number of traits of Autism are common to Asperger Syndrome including:
* Difficulty in communicating
* Difficulty in social relationships
* A lack of imagination and creative play
However, people with Asperger Syndrome usually have fewer problems with language than those with Autism, often speaking fluently, though their words can sometimes sound formal or stilted. People with Asperger Syndrome do not usually have the accompanying learning disabilities associated with Autism; in fact, people with Asperger Syndrome are often of average or above average intelligence
Because of this many children with Asperger Syndrome enter mainstream school and with the right support and encouragement, can make good progress and go on to further education and employment.
For further information please check out The National Autistic Society .
I was diagnosed with AS on the 28th April 2005.
I had my diagnosis by Maxine Aston - proably the UKs foremost councellor and advisor on AS. It was a relief to finally find out why I always felt I was different - by different I mean not wanting to do the things that most NT (Neurotypical) people of my age would be doing like going to the pubs and clubs, having lots of relationships.
I just liked to do my own thing like read books, magazines, papers even the Argos book literally anything that I could gain a knowledge of and then be able to help people out with.
I was once refered to by a girl I liked at senior school who was a year below me as "Ade - the one that knows where he is going" as there were 2 guys called Ade in my High School I was the older better looking one if I say so myself but - painfully shy.
I lead a quite solitary lonley childhood I was born on 14th November 1973 - I was under-weight about 2Lbs & under 10 inches in length - my dad was in intensive care when I was born as he had Septicemia of the blood and the doctors were fighting for his life and at the same time were fighting for mine too.
My parents were finally told that I would be lucky to make it to my teens and if I did I may have severe learning difficulties and have a small frame.
Well I did prove them all wrong as at 16 I was 10st or 140Lbs of muscle I did ok at school well all Ds at GCSE level. I was more of a hands on student very good at languages and accents and mimicking other teachers or students - a typical trait of a person with AS.
After leaving school I tried my luck at college to restudy my GCSE to get at least a C or above but I last 2 months as I got bored so I went to work full time at Burger King - I was previously working part time throught the summer at my local BK and was promoted to supervisor in no time at all.
I worked there from October 1990 till September 1991 when I went to college to a BTEC in Business & Finance I done this for a year passed with flying colours then went to a college in Solihull to study a BTEC National in Business & Languages - I was there for 2 years and passed with good grades.
I must say that I did enjoy school and college - I did find it hard at times to concerntrate as I was always the livewire wanting to know what was going on or bouncing around the class trying to make everybody laugh this at times proved to be my downfall as whilst I was playing the fool I wasnt getting my work done.
My interaction with other pupils was ok I suppose I did have a few classes of egos or personalities as I wanted to be the only Adrian at school, college or work I told Maxine Aston and my out reach worker from Autism West Midlands. as well as my employment support officer from ASpire . I dont know what it is it may be the attention thing as Adrian is not a common name or it wasnt when I was at school so to be the only ade was kinda cool but then to have someone steal your thunder is kind of a bummer!
If your still with me by now you will realise that my typing is kinda skitty it keeps changing as this is my thought pattern, I think of one thing then it diverts to something else and it keeps on so I think at the end of this my 1st ever attempt at putting my thoughts and feeling of my AS down on paper - or on screen as it actually is will probably end up at the begining.
We then got togther and made an appointment to see Maxine Aston and on the 28th April 2005 we met and within 30 minutes may have been longer - Maxine said you have got traits of Aspergers.
We did some eye tests with me trying to figure out what the meaning of the eyes meant - out of the 10 most common expressions like happy sad, confused, anger etc I got them all wrong!
I went away that day with a lump in my throat, my heart was heavy yet somehow I felt like the 200 foot question mark I had been carrying with me since my teens had been lifted off my back.
I consider myself to be normal - you cant look at me and see I have AS unless I have a t-shirt on saying " I have Aspergers Syndrome". It has been hard for me to come to terms with it as Im me just a little different yet I will always and have to realise that my brain is wired differently which will affect my relationships that I have and the way that I process information but having AS wont stop me from being ME Im still Ade and always will be.
I hope that you feel that you know a little bit more about me and about what life is like for me with AS - if you find that you have related to me or want to learn more about AS or if you have said thats me or Ive gone through that then please get in touch as I really want to reach out and help others and learn from others living or experiencing AS.
Ade