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Welcome to the World.
I was born on June 12, 2003 at 8:46pm. I was the first born in my family and the first grandchild on both sides. I had to be induced almost three weeks early because my mother developed preeclampsia, the final of many complications during her pregnancy. I was rushed to the NICU because I had a fever, which is life threatening for newborns. Luckily, I was alright and went home on Father's Day 2003. -
Learning to speak
I was born with a short frenulum and was tongue tied. Because of it, I could not do normal things, like speak or lick an ice cream cone. It was clipped by a surgeon when I was two but I had missed out on normal development. I would make sounds, but I could not speak words. Because of this, I would get very frustrated and it was one of the reasons I had to go to a special school . I had to have speech therapy to learn how to talk and I had that until I was in 4th grade. -
My diagnosis
When I was five, I went to a special preschool and I had a lot of trouble with behaving in class. I would have tantrums and melt downs. I went to a Neurologist. She discovered that I had Asperger's, ADHD and a metabolic disorder which does not allow me to metabolize certain types of food, like Red 40, MSG, and High Fructose corn syrup. It is listed as an allergy, but it is not a true one. I am missing an brain enzyme called MTHF. It affects my brain chemistry, as well as causes red cheeks. -
Grandpa's heart transplant
My grandpa had a heart attack in 1994. He was my babysitter and we sent hours and hours together. Over time, his heart got weaker. Finally, his heart was too sick. We visited him in the ICU at Yale twice a week and played games. He even got the nurses to steal cookies for my sister and I. Then, he got a new heart on May 1 after two weeks on the transplant list. It came from a 19 year old. I am so thankful for the time I have had with him because of that family's selfless gift. He is the best. -
Getting Emmy, my dog.
As a kid, I had a great deal of anxiety. I was afraid of everything and would not go to my room or to the playroom alone. My therapist suggested that we get a dog. Our family friends found a dog living under a deck. Our friend Emerson waited patiently for her to come out and then took her to the Putnam Humane Society. No one claimed her. We went to visit and I loved her instantly. She became my trusted companion and helped me get over my fears. She is named after the man who found her. -
We all made mistakes.
I forged a signature on a test. The teacher went to the Health office, got my medical form, and showed me in front of the class that the signatures didn't match. That is when I saw "Aspergers." I had not been told, because at the time, there was a lot of untrue things in the news because of Sandy Hook. I was suspended. I asked my mom and she explained it. My mom went to the school because the teacher violated my health privacy rights and my mom was upset. I was not suspended after that. -
8th Grade Washington DC trip
This trip was a milestone in my life. This trip was the important because it was the first time I was away from my parents. I had stayed over night at a friend's, but I had never been so far away from home. There were chaperones but we were able to have more freedom than I had ever had before. I learned that I was able to take care of myself and it made me a little less dependent on my parents. -
Getting my drivers license
The day I got my drivers license was a important day. I failed my first drivers test and I knew that because of COVID 19, there was a possibility that the DMV was not going to stay open. Although nervous, I had a new found confidence. I had prepared for the event; by driving the course several times. I had sent a lot of time practicing parking and three point turns. The test was 6 minutes long and I felt so proud of my accomplishment. It was mine alone and I looked forward to the new freedom.
