Hi, Everyone, my name is Joan, and I am very glad to be here for my 35-year-old nephew Mark, and particularly his parents (especially my brother Bill). I have recently sent Bill some wonderful AE information and have now purchased the Struggling to Connect and 7 Ways To Motivate Someone With Asperger's audiobooks for him on his 66th birthday this month, and my sister-in-law Peg if she is still as interested as she has said she is through the years. I have even purchased the ebook versions of same for myself as Mark's aunt. Mark's Aunt Mary Ann, my sister, also became involved with this important endeavor to help our Mark become self-aware, hopefully find his place in our world, and self-sufficient years ago by helping get him set up in person with CVR (NJ Center for Vocational Rehabilitation) and DVR (NJ Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services). It was somewhere around this time or perhaps even a bit earlier that Mark was diagnosed with Asperger's by a doctor and then OCD and ADHD at Carrier Clinic. Mark was doing Friday group sessions with a psychologist/counselor for years as a result of all Mary Ann did as well. That seems to have stopped for some reason, but Mary Ann thinks the psychologist/counselor could still be a good source. I just don't see them making any of this happen myself and neither does Mary Ann at this point. Mark is still working at CVR and even had a job briefly with TJ Maxx the end of 2022 and beginning of 2023 over the holidays, but he also has a spotty attendance record at times due to his epilepsy/seizures and staying up watching TV, then into the night hanging in his room on the computer. That is in addition to TJ Maxx not seeming to take the time needed with him and his doing the best he could with asking for help from people with whom he connected, even his father intervening at times to help him get something usually simple like his work schedule. But their system for even that seemed a bit clunky. His mother, Peg, was an epileptic with seizures, but it appears she has grown out of that years ago. (We believe Peg might also have Asperger's but was never diagnosed. Bill has never weighed in on this, nor has Peg.) It is clear, however, that Bill is on his own with more responsibilities than usual in a marriage as a result, not the least of which may very well be the bulk of helping Mark get on with his life on his own. When I came across AE relatively recently, it seemed like the missing link to me especially after seeing a lot of the above fall by the wayside. 😌 (Years ago, I'd sent Peg two books, "Asperger Syndrome, the Universe and Everything" written by Kenneth Hall and "Parenting a Child with Asperger Syndrome" written by his mother, Brenda Boyd, all of which seemed at the time to be very good information and sharing of experience. Peg later mentioned she liked them but was hoping there would be step-by-step instructions.) 😔 Mark is now 35, and Bill & Peg are 66 & 65 respectively. So here I am still trying to help our Mark somehow while hoping Bill & Peg become involved here. I believe it is time to step up to the plate much more seriously and just do this for Mark who I believe still has a chance at a life for himself in some capacity at least, if not pretty much all capacities, and it is time to simply realize that Bill & Peg are not going to be around forever and something could happen to them. 😔 Question: Has anyone here had or had someone with Asperger's, OCD, and ADHD diagnoses plus epilepsy? Mark is on what I understand to be some heavy-duty meds for some of this, but I seem to remember it being mostly for the epilepsy. Thank you for having me here and "listening"! It is very good to be here! I look forward to spending some time here with AE and hopefully seeing brother Bill and sister-in-law Peg do the same. Bill has actually expressed interest in checking AE out, and I am encouraging him to let Peg know about AE as well. Here's to seeing much more progression without pushing! 😊

Posted by joandonshan at 2023-07-03 09:50:25 UTC