What does it mean to be autistic? Like many diagnosed later in life, I turned to books for some answers. The autistic label was applied to me during my first year in a doctoral program. That was also the academic year I started this blog. Among the books I read…
Category: Health
From diagnoses to “treatments” and everything in between, posts about health and autistic life.
I love Red Vines. Not Twizzlers. Not generic red licorice. Red Vines. And I miss them. I also miss gummy candies, Butterfingers, and every candy bar with peanuts or peanut butter. Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Buckeyes, Abba Zaba, and peanut butter Twix bars. Thank goodness I can still eat peanut…
Podcast Episode 0054; Season 04, Episode 18; February 2, 2021 Roy Richard Grinker is a Professor of Anthropology and International Affairs at George Washington University. His books include Unstrange Minds: Remapping the World of Autism. I met Dr. Grinker in May of 2007 while he was promoting Unstrange Minds, my favorite book on autism’s history.…
Parenting comes with anxiety and stress. Those are part of the bargain when you decide to bring children into your life. Susan and I are natural worriers. We hope for the best, prepare for the worst. We have emergency kits in the cars. We keep a stocked pantry. We bought a…
Podcast 0053; Season 04, Episode 17; January 26, 2021 Autism encompasses social and physical disabilities. Traits become disabilities when they limit “normal” daily routines and life activities. My sensory sensitivities exist whether or not I interact with other people. I’m not going to cope well with bright light (including sunlight) or…
My wife and I have two neurodiverse young daughters. The girls are in the first and third grades, ages at which doctors verify or revise diagnoses. As parents, we reference my experiences with the health and education systems to evaluate the services provided to the girls. Reading Rosie Weldon’s autobiography…
The future scares me. The Pessimistic Me dominates my internal deliberations when I try to prepare for the future. I’m an odd mix of pessimist and optimist, which isn’t easy to explain. A friend said that’s true of other creators and entrepreneurs. Yes, I gamble on the future, but I prepare…
Podcast Episode 0050; Season 04, Episode 14; December 15, 2020 Self-Care is Self-Preservation When does being autistic mean we’re disabled? Autism becomes a disability when we cannot perform routine daily functions, either for fun or work. Daniel Sansing and Ben Sorensen discuss the autistic need for self-care. Autistic masking and struggles to “fit” into groups leave…
Podcast 046; Season 4, Episode 10; November 3, 2020 This podcast is scheduled for Election Day in the United States, November 3, 2020. Though I have some interesting episodes with guests recorded, I decided this was not the week for episodes on education or general health topics. Instead, the election…
Since August, I’ve lost a bit more than ten pounds. In a pandemic, without going to a gym, without a major change in diet, I am losing weight. We do eat relatively healthy meals. I also ride an exercise bike at least six miles daily. Many days, I ride twice,…