Asperger's Explained for Children

A few months ago, when I was searching online for some general information on Asperger's, I stumbled on this video. Anyone remember the Arthur books? Well, they turned the books into a pretty fun cartoon series for kids. I was surprised to see the show tackle the issue of autism, and even more surprised that they managed to explain things so well. Yeah, it's a very generic description, but you have to keep in mind that this cartoon is aimed at a much younger audience. So, with that in mind, I'd say that the writers did a great job at explaining Asperger's in a way that young children can understand.

There are four parts to this episode, but you should be able to access them through the first part that I've linked to in this entry. Check it out if you have some time; it's a fun watch.

School Daze

After years of indecisiveness, I went back to school on 01/24/11. Well, okay, let me explain: I already have my BA. I went to Loyola University New Orleans and double-majored in Classical Humanities/English Writing with a minor in Philosophy. I had thought about attending law school after that, and I did pretty well on the practice LSATs, but I was majorly distracted after Hurricane Katrina. Several minor health problems, one interesting career at UPS, and a bad relationship later, and here I am: back in school. Funny how things work out.

For the longest time, I had no idea what I wanted to study. Sure, I have a great job, but I really don't want to make a career out of it; I could be content there, but I wouldn't be 100% happy with my life or what I was doing. I've always felt motivated to do more, to make some kind of difference in the world, no matter how small. When I came to terms with my Asperger's, I finally realized what I want to do with my life: I want to study autism and make a better future for kids who have been diagnosed with an ASD. Unfortunately, I don't have a background in child psychology from my undergraduate days, so right now I'm taking an undergraduate course called Infants, Children, and Adolescents. I'm also taking a graduate course called Introduction to Behavioral Intervention in Autism. Once I complete these courses, I can officially apply to the program that will lead to my MA. I'm pretty excited; it feels great to be back in school, and even better to be working towards a goal.

So, where am I going to school? UMASS (Lowell) online. Which is funny, because my BFF obtained her MA at UMASS, although she lived in Boston and attended classes on campus. The course work is fairly demanding for each class, but it feels amazing to be back in school and focusing on a subject that's important to me.

Oh, and despite my lack of scientific prowess, I've done really well on my exams... all three have been 90% or above! I can't wait to tackle more classes and earn my MA.

The Road to Recovery

So, I guess that I should start off by saying that I'm NOT dead. I know that may come as a surprise to some, especially since I tend to be clumsy and impulsive (not the best combination, trust me). Mostly, I've just been busy taking care of my mom in the weeks that followed her surgery. The hysterectomy went well; she only had to spend one night in LDS Hospital. I have to say, I really like that hospital; all of their rooms are private rooms, which makes such a big difference on the overall healing process. At least, that's what I think. Anyway, I had my herniated disc surgery at LDS Hospital in 2007, so I was somewhat familiar with it. Well, I was familiar with it, before they updated it and made it super fancy. I went to visit my mom after her surgery. Fortunately, I have a great sense of direction, or I probably would have gotten lost in the search for my mother.

Strangely enough, I wasn't even questioned by any hospital staff as I entered the building, wandered around for a minute, and eventually wound up in my mother's room.

She was heavily drugged, but seemed like she enjoyed my presence. I only stayed for a little while; my dad stayed overnight with her. I had to take care of my dog, who had been alone for most of the day, so I made a hasty trip home to tend to his needs. Afterwards, my girlfriend came over and cooked dinner for us, which was AMAZING. I swear, she's a culinary wizard. She doesn't believe me when I tell her that, but trust me... it's true.

So, back to my mother... she came home the day after her surgery. That weekend was rough for her, and she was in a lot of pain. Everything came back to her, gradually. She's moving around the house now, and seems more comfortable in general. She hasn't left the house yet, but we may be able to coax her out sometime next week. I understand that she's still swollen and in some pain, so I'm not going to rush her; she can move at her own pace. Literally.

We received the biopsy results about a week after the surgery. The good news is that they think they removed all of the areas affected by cancer. The bad news, of course, is that there's a five year period where they have to keep an eye on her, because anything could happen. So, much like the situation with her skin cancer, she'll just need to be extra vigilant in listening to her body and reporting any strange pains to her doctor.

For now, all's well that ends well!