Using Pictures To The Advantage

First off, I want to wish a Happy Labor Day to everyone! Have an awesome day today with friends and family.

Now, I had another blogger's block (which is always fun...NOT), and I was trying to figure out what I should talk about next. I finally came up with a topic that I know a lot about: pictures.

Pictures are my favorite "P" word. That's because that's how I think and learn best. I think, learn, and understand better using pictures. Pictures are so incredibly important to any Autistic person, especially those who are non-verbal. It's a part of how we understand and how our brains receive information and how messages are sent to our brain. It's sounds complicated, but it works. I need pictures to understand and I need someone showing me how to do something to get the gist of it.

I've been able to learn how to control myself in a public place and how to do mainly the basic necessities by using pictures. Autistic children learn through pictures, and that's what prompted me to write my book, Meet My Autism. I used mainly pictures to help everyone understand how we think and learn.

So, that's my blog for today! Let me know what you want me to talk about next! Have a good one, guys.

Bullying and Autism

Hey guys. Since schools have officially started, I wanted to talk about bullying. I'm sorry that this is a more serious blog, but I feel that this has to be addressed, and this can't wait until October. I'm not sugar coating this either, I'm going to be as realistic and honest as possible.
OK, here's the reality: bullying happens. Autistic kids and teens do have a 50/50 chance of being bullied, even though most likely, they will. I'm not trying to be discouraging or mean, I'm telling you this because I was bullied from preschool all the way up until my last semester of senior year. I know how it feels and what it is, and that's why I'm being honest and I'm going to give some insight and advice.
The reason why bullying happens to EVERYONE, not just Autistic people like me is because sadly, there are mean and cruel people in this world. Some people want to feel more proud of themselves, and they go so far as to picking on people to feel that way. Why bullying happens to Autistic kids, teens, and young adults, I have no idea. All I know is that it's not only mean, it's sickening in my opinion.
Kids have called me "stupid", "dumb", "weirdo", "cry baby", "sensitive", and the r-word that I still cringe at to this day: "retard". Just repeating the hurtful words they've called me still hurts. I was also poked at, laughed at, picked on, and I was even shoved and pushed. It brings back bitter memories I long to have erased from my mind. I still remember the taunts, and the whispers from actual grown-ups, and the jokes. I don't understand WHY it happens, all I do know is that it does. People don't understand how much we hurt because we are extra sensitive. People don't know what we go through every day, living the life we live with the Autism we didn't choose to have. Again, we need more knowledge, more acceptance. I think if people can see how we function and how extraordinary we are, they would be more understanding, and more accepting, and less mean.
So, I'm going to leave you with some advice today:
To the bullies: Why? Why choose those who are obviously weaker than you? It's not right, it's rude. It's cruel. Bullying someone doesn't make you any more of a bigger person, it makes you less of a person because instead of being a buddy, you chose to be a bully, and that's just mean. My advice to you, specifically is to educate yourself on Autism. Ask grown-ups about it, read books, watch documentaries and movies, whatever you need to do to learn more about Autism and what we go through, do it. We don't want your cruel and mean bullying anymore, and we will not have it. I'll be praying for you.
To the parents of the Autistic kids and teens getting bullied: Keep doing what you're doing. Keep talking to them. Keep loving on them. Keep making them feel better. Your love and support is all they need to feel better and feel okay. I'm no parent expert or a Ph.D or something like that, but ensure your child that even though it's said doesn't make it true. Remind them that bullies are just mean, and to not mind what they say, even though it can be tough to do.
And lastly...
To the Autistic kids and teens, and every child and teen for that matter, who are bullied: Don't give up. Don't pay them any attention. That's what bullies want. You may not know it, but you are such strong people and you can do anything you set your mind to. Write in a journal, or the #1 best thing you can do is talking to someone about it. Whether it be your parents, friends, or a grown-up, I found that doing that has helped me cope the best. Another thing that has helped me is praying. I encourage you to pray, even if you aren't religious. Just know that even though they say mean things about you doesn't make it true. They just don't know anything about you. Also, be kind to them, that's what's going to make them stop. And remember, stay strong and never give up.

Life, Love, and Autism...

SO, I've been on a blogger's block for a while, but I'll have a few posts for you this week, since today is my first day of a la escuela. So, I'll be on my computer a while.
I've posted on Instagram about what YOU want me to talk about, and a mom came forward and asked that I write about how I feel about love and life. So, I'm here to deliver.
So, I have been in a relationship when I was 13, and that only lasted for two months. Since 2009, I've been single. Yep, I'm still single. I think boys just don't want to date me, which I cannot understand. As someone with Autism, I am a VERY picky and needy person, I always go into my own world at some point every day, I have meltdowns from time to time, and I can't stay out in public for a long time because of the many noises and sights that would shut me down. Yes, that's true. But, I'm also a funny, sweet, caring, and enjoyable girl, and all they see is my Autism. They push themselves away before getting to actually know me, which hurts more than not having a boyfriend. I am also a God seeking and God fearing girl as well. I've learned to trust in his timing and He'll send the one He picked for me when the time comes. That being said, I do see myself getting married to Mr. Right one day, and ADOPTING my children. I'm all about adoption because #1, I have a very high pain tolerance, and childbirth looks very painful. And #2, there are children who want a good home with parents who'll love and care for them, and I'm more than willing to do that for a few of them. Who knows? I'm leaving it up to God and His timing. So, that's my stance of love and romance.
Now, onto life. I'm now 20, which is the age that young adults are living in dorms, and drive, and have jobs, and live on their own. But I'm also Autistic. I don't drive, I don't live in dorms, I don't have a job (well, with my book and all this advocacy, I guess that classifies as a job), and I'm not living on my own. But I can vote (PLEASE VOTE IN THE 2016 ELECION, YOUR VOICE MATTERS)! Other than that, I have to rely very highly on my parents. I rely on them for food, clothes, transportation, money, and a roof over my head. Some Autistic people are on their own, which I've always dreamed about. I just don't feel I'm ready to venture out into the world on my own just yet, and my parents feel the same. Because the discrimination of people with Autism, Asbergers, Down Syndrome, and other learning, cognitive disorders is brutal. We might get a job, since the National Americans With Disabilities Act passed in 1990, but people give us looks, and whispers, and judge how we do things, which makes it so hard. Plus, if we get too overwhelmed, we get tense and don't do anything, which causes more people to judge, which makes it worse.
 I say this a lot, but with Autism, everything comes down to ACCEPTANCE. I cannot stress this word enough. Acceptance is the KEY word when it comes to Autism. Accepting us with Autism for who we are is something we all need to do. If I can do it and YOU can do it, so can everyone else. So, accept others for who they are on the inside and not on the outside is the main message here.

Tips for Traveling...Away From Home

Hey, it's me. I'm BAAACK!!! I really wanted to do this topic in May, but I wanted to wait to see when the timing was convenient. And, since I'll be doing this sometime this week, I figured now was the time to discuss it, even though it's back-to-school season. Today, I wanted to talk about Autism and traveling, and how I cope with the stress, the changes that really only last a few days, and homesickness.
OK. So, my grandparents invited me to stay with them for a few days this week to celebrate my birthday, which is the 10th of this month. This has been a tradition for me since I can remember. They also live out of town, which is forty five to about fifty five minutes tops away from me, so they don't see me often (well, in the summer they do because of my dad's racing photography every Saturday). So, every year, either on the weekend of my birthday, or the week before, they invite me over for a few days so I can celebrate my special day with them.
Like I said, they live a bit far from me and my house. Before I leave and before I begin picking out clothes and things to bring with me, I wanted to share with you Autism moms and dads out there what I do to help with packing and coping. This particular topic is another reason why reading an Autistic girl's blog comes in very handy. I'm just going to say it: packing is super stressful for me, even for the few day trip to the grandparents' house, because I'm the type of person who doesn't know what they want to bring or what they don't want to bring. Fortunately, I found a great way to help me handle that, since I'm the type of Autistic person who does not handle stress too well. One word: organization. Yes, you heard me right. Organization is not one of my excellent qualities, but being organized and planning a few days ahead helps me best. I would start packing the things I REALLY need to bring, like clothes, toothbrush and toothpaste, etc. two days before, or the night before. Then, a few hours before I leave, I pack the movies and DVDs I want to take with me, some things to do, and a stuffed animal, or in my case, three. So, pack a few days ahead, and you'll be sure you have all the things you need to bring, and the things you want to bring.
Being in a different setting for a few days can be a small adjustment to scheduling and routine, but it can also cause homesickness. I'm the type of person who gets homesick, VERY easily. So, if your Autistic child tends to get homesick easily like myself, here's what I do. First, I take a few stuffed animals from home, three being the maximum, so that I can have a piece of home from me when I go to bed. Next, during the day, I do something that I like to do to help make the time go by faster, like working on my Rainbow Loom while watching my wrestling DVDs. You might like to do something else, like go to the park, or go run errands, go to the museum, go see a movie or two, watching the same show or DVD over and over again, playing a game, something like that to keep the child occupied so the time goes by quicker. Also, communicate with your child. I use messaging with my mom with my iPod since I can't text out where my grandparents live. I always try to keep some things until I am reunited with my parents to tell all to them, but there are also times where I don't tell them everything. This is because sometimes, what happens at Grammie's stays at Grammie's. Communication also keep up with my family. I tell you, what wondrous things social networking and modern day technology are.
So, those are my tips to deal with the travel shebang! I'll talk to you guys later.

Trying New Things and Coping With Change

Ok, guys. I've officially recovered from the Independence Day weekend. It was a fun weekend and I got to see loads of fireworks! I was with family out of town and I've been back since Sunday. Toledo's Red, White, KaBOOM! firework show was so massive, it felt like we were driving in fog at around 1:30, 2:00 in the morning Sunday! It must've been a great show.
Anyway, I wanted to give you guys the blog I promised you I'd give you last Friday, but as I said, I was with family out of town for four days. I wanted to talk to you about two topics that everybody struggles with, but Autistic people seem to struggle with a bit worse (I'm a nineteen year old with Autism, so I've got a glimpse of how regular people and Autistic people deal with these issues). Those issues are trying new things and coping with change.
First, I want to talk about trying new things. I've tried numerous different things, like activities and FOOD, my whole life. I've always seemed to struggles with trying things that are new. For example, when I was in eighth grade, I went to Camp Marengo. One stormy night, they had chicken with sausage gravy. I had to take the plate because I do not like peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I was hungry, and I had to eat. I ended up eating, and I discovered it didn't taste that bad. I've tried different foods my whole life. Some were good, most were bad. As an Autistic person, it's hard to open myself to trying new things because of the fear of failure. I've got a more recent example, and by recent, I mean the past week. I've been watching YouTube baking videos from Rosanna Pansino, KawaiiSweetWorld, and Cupcakes Cookies and Cardio. They inspired me to take up baking as a personal hobby. Before I watched their videos, I did NOT wanted anything to do with it, because if I didn't like it, I ain't making it. So, I tried it. I baked for a week. I have to say, it was actually fun. I actually enjoyed it! I just had to let go of the fear and negativity that was holding me back.
The same fear and negativity concept applies to the "c" word, change. Change is not my friend. Autistic people seem to do things every day like a routine. Some days, their routine is different than the rest of the days. They adapt in this routine that if one little thing changes, let's say last minute trips to the store, or a last minute visit to a family member's house, it screws the routine up, and the Autistic person doesn't know what to do and their mind is all over the place. It gets to a point where they freak out (again, I'm Autistic, and I've been there on a huge number of occassions) and they are confused, upset, and scared. The routine is like clockwork for them, and one little change, they get upset. This is because change is new. Autistic people are more comfortable with the old than the new. Change can be scary, but my mom had to help me step out of my comfort zone, and she had to help me embrace the changes going on around me. Change happens, you cannot stop it. But you can try to help the Autistic person you know embrace change as a good thing. Inform them on all the positives, NOT the negatives. I know, you're probably wondering why I just said that. That's because if you do tell them about the negatives before hand, that will make them feel more upset and more afraid than before. I had to embrace the change of going to college, and I'm trying to embrace the big changes in my life as I turn 20 August 10th, trying to get the book published and out by late summer, mid to late fall, my second job as an advocate for Autism, weddings, parties, more nieces and/or nephews in the future, getting NEW glasses after FIVE YEARS tomorrow. I don't adjust well to change, but as Eric Idle said: always look on the bright side of life (da da, da dum, da dum, da dum), always look on the bri...just had myself a little sing along going on there. There's always a good thing that can occur during change. Just look on the good side of things, and let that negativity and fear go. You'll be alright, I promise.
That's what I wanted to talk about today. Hope you guys enjoyed reading it.

Echolalia and Special Attachments?

Sorry I haven't been on here blogging lately. I've been super busy running around all last weekend. Also, I was enjoying my summer vacation, and looking for a publisher to publish Meet My Autism.
I was asked by a mother whom I've been talking to quite a bit if I have any echolalia and/or special attachments to anything. So, I'm going to start this week off with this subject.
For those who don't know, Echolalia is when an Autistic child repeats what is being said to them or what they hear. For example, a person may say; "Why don't you go over there and ask politely for a turn?" And the autistic child would say; "Okay, I'll go over there and ask politely for a turn." Things like that, or movie quotes. I do recite a few movie quotes here and there when I'm by myself, but I do NOT have echolalia. I'm more of the "Okay, mom," "Okay, dad," and simple answers type of girl. I don't repeat movie quotes unless I'm in my room all by myself. That's all part of my own world. I didn't put it in quotes because I LOVE my own world. I'm always acting out my own every day adventures, and I truly am in my own state of peace in my own world. My world is a place for comfort, peace, and fun (I just noticed I went off track. I'l make a separate blog post about my world in a few...).
As far as special attachments, up until I was 11, I was way too overly attached to the famous purple dinosaur, Barney. Yeah, I was obsessed with Barney for the first eleven years of my life. I also liked VeggieTales a lot, too. I still have an attachment for sleeping with a stuffed animal at night. Reason being is because every time I do sleep with a stuffed animal at night, it just feels so right and so comforting, I don't exactly know why, it just does. I'm also have grown quite attached to my home, which might explain why I get so easily homesick if I'm away for more than 7-8 days. My mom will say that I'm VERY attached to my iPod because I'm always on it, and I agree with her. I had this doll of Molly from The Big Comfy Couch when I was little, and I took her everywhere around my house. One day, Molly was gone, and I was so upset. That was the start of learning something very valuable; sometimes you just need to let go. As I got older, my Barney toys were donated, most of my toys are in the attic (except a few dolls AND my Care Bear collection), clothes donated (some I really was attached to), and in their place came more things that seemed more appropriate for my age. The attachments I did end up giving away was really hard to let go. One attachment that I have still to this day from when I was six is Jesus Christ in my heart and in my life. That is one attachment I'm keeping forever.
So, that's what I have to say about this topic. Hope you guys liked reading it.

Seventeen Years Since...

I've been trying to hold this post off until the date of my actual 17th Anniversary I was officially diagnosed, but I honestly don't remember the actual date. I only remember June 1998. So, I decided that today would be a perfect time to reflect back on a lot of things that happened over the past 17 years. I'm going to reflect on the memories of that hot, June day I was diagnosed, the things I've accomplished, the things I still have yet to accomplish, and where I'm going from here.
But first, let me give you a little background story that started ten months before the diagnosis.
The incident happened at my second birthday party in August 1997. You'd think that a regular two year old would be more than overjoyed about everyone singing to him/her and them making that all-important birthday wish. I wasn't. When the cake was brought out to me, I was so scared. I still have the horrific image of those two flames so close to me in my head. I crawled away as fast as I could. So, mom came in and offered me a present. In my mind, I automatically jumped to the accurate conclusion that if there were presents, there was cake, and if there was cake, there was fire. So, I threw the present away from me and that gift hit the wall. That must've been a point where my mom began to worry if something was wrong.
Here's where all the reflecting begins.
After that incident came many more. I would throw tantrums at the grocery store and my mom didn't know why. So, after ten months since that first sign, mom made the appointment for us to see a doctor to figure out what was going on. In June 1998, I still wasn't talking. I still wasn't walking. I still wasn't potty-trained. I had to be carried everywhere. We went into the office. I don't remember all the questions asked and the answers my mother gave. He told her that I had Autism. She must've been so confused and worried for my well-being and development. He explained to her that it's a developmental disability located in my brain. He went on to tell her that I would never walk and that I could never talk. She was told I would remain in diapers. He suggested that an institution (nursing home) was the best possible option for me. This is the part where I remember the most from that day. My mom stood up, looked that man straight in the eye and said this: "I don't care. She's my daughter, and I'm keeping her. I'm going to raise her and teach her. I'm keeping her and I'll do anything to help her." That was the first time out of many, many times my mother stood up for me. The doctor who helped my mom a lot said to lock me in my bedroom, and she moved to Columbus.
The key thing my family did to help me was praying. We are a family of faith and we are a Christian family, so they just prayed for me that I would get better. My mom and dad prayed for me every single night. At age three, I began to walk. In December 1999, I spoke my first words: "I love you, mommy." Around that same time, I was potty trained.
I went to normal schools, I started making friends (which ended up taking a while as I explained in my post "When I Was In School..."), I was doing average in school. It wasn't until I was in high school when I began asking questions to my mom. I felt so different and alone, that in November 2011, I developed a brief depression. Having depression was not fun, and I knew God would not wanted me living that way after all He has done for me and all He has blessed me with. After three or four months, my depression went away.
That was a time I realized that I need to set my focus more on my goals. In May 2012, I went from an IEP to Section 504, graduated high school, got accepted into college, I'm getting good grades in college (only one C of all the grades I'v gotten), and I've made The Honors List Twice, The Dean's List once, and The President's List twice.
It wasn't until January 2015 in my Child Psychology class where I was assigned to do a presentation and paper about Autism where I realized that this could be my chance to show my true colors. By the end of winter quarter, I now understood and realized why God gave me my Autism. To educate people about it and help parents by providing an insight so valuable. I decided that my second job next to Graphic Designer is Autism Advocate. I made a public Instagram profile, Twitter page, and Facebook page to connect with people. From this, I've made a friend who also has Autism and has almost the same interest as I do, as well as help provide insight to a mother for her daughter. I spoke publicly about my story and my faith for the first time on April 19, 2015. I was told throughout my life that I should write books about Autism for parents, teens, and children alike. So, I started right around February 2015, and I was completely finished in April 2015. It's called Meet My Autism. It's written by me, someone with Autism, who has used NO medical research or medical professionals at all. All information is all from my experiences and observations, and how I act. I figured that a book with only the view of someone with Autism would be so valuable. I'm still trying to find a publisher for the children's book, but I may begin writing another one over my summer break.
I've accomplished so much over the past seventeen years, but I still have plenty more left to accomplish. I'm still paranoid of bees and wasps. I still don't do the birthday cake at my birthday parties, and I go in another room if I'm at a birthday party when it's time for cake. I still get over whelmed by big crowds, loud noises, flashing lights, and I still cant fully handle a trip to the grocery store. I still have my moments where I laugh at things that aren't supposed to be funny, I have a weird sense of humor, and I have mental overloads frequently, as well as a normal meltdown sometimes. I still have a long way to go. There still so much work to do. But I'm going to spend my life with Autism trying to help people and provide a voice and advice that only an Autistic person can give. My only hope is that YOU guys can join me on this incredible journey.
Happy 17th Anniversary, Autism. Thank you for giving me the voice, creativity, and the personality that has shaped who I am. Here's to eighteen more years.