My Autism Story from severe to very mild Autism (My Life)

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Hello, My Name is John Miller. I Have a story for Alex Plank about being an Autistic person. but I also have a photographic Memory, and i can still remember when i was 2 years old after my autism appears.

I was born in St. Ritas hospital in Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada in January 28th, 1995. I was a neurotypical newborn, (I didn't know about how life is being neurotypical person looked like.) When i was a 1 year old, i tore my Birthday cake apart, (I Still have the picture somewhere). I can talk, speak, and even had eye contact (I only said few vocabulary words).

When i was almost 2 years old, it was an early christmas gift. I started to loose speech and social skills,(I'm not regressive, My parents were shocked, and they said ("He is lost into his world"), (Which i don't Remember before i lost my memory, i think i developed My Memory storage after i developed autism, and i think i opened my eyes after i developed autism.), Which I stopped speaking, doing Autistic behaviors, and I opened my eyes into this world. Then i started to show symptoms of autism, first when i was playing toys in the wrong way, it was a toy bulldozer, instead playing in the right way, i flipped it over and play with the wheels, and when i see water from the rain in my toy, i pour sand into the water, and it looked like soggy chips, the second symptom i have remember is i open and close the door many times, i showed about 12 out of 13 symptoms. When i was 2 and the Half years old, I was first diagnosed with severe autism, which i don't remember hearing it, But I remember the hearing test i been to couple of times.

I wasn't put into the Institution, instead, my mother uses her trick, she gave me Vitamin Supplements, also i thought it was candy (Which i love candy alot, but mostly sour). i told her i want it to eat, which i don't know about the danger of the Vitamin Supplements, when i ask, which i was non-verbal back then, i cried for it, then my mother takes the Vitamin Supplements, and she put it up on the top of the cupboards so i won't reach it, because it's dangerous to the health. then my mother take me outside, but once a day, and she pointed things and i say it, but i used gestures to point at things. By the time when i was 3 years old, My mother had a baby (Which he is diagnosed with ADHD, and Learning Disabilities, but he is neurotypical.), which i didn't want it back then, but i started to like it after couple of months from getting used to it.

Injuries and Accidents i have remembered:

When i was a neurotypical baby, I jammed my finger on the door where the door holder is at, i got stitches for that. (I Also jammed my finger when i was Autistic too.) After i developed autism, when i was 2 and the half years old, i got hurt everyday for many objects, but in that part i remembered, i fell down going upstairs and split my chin open, but i went to the hospital to get stitches, When i was laying down, covered with the white soft blanket, wrapped like a mummy, except my face, because of my chin where i got hurt at, then, couple of doctors came, and they use the sewing needle, it pricked me, but the first time, it didn't hurt, but couple of minutes later, it felt like a bee sting, OUCH!. When i was 5, couple of months before i start talking, my brother pushed me off the chair, and i landed on his foot, which i sprained my left foot, and i cried very severely, so my mother took me to the hospital, which i was scared, and i got X-Ray scan on my sprained foot, and i can remembered, i see my skeleton foot, then before i got a cast, the group of doctors said, "Do you want to lay down on the bed.", but i said no, then they replied, "No", then i said cancel, then they replied, "Cancel!", then i got a walking boot, which it don't work on me, then i got cast on my left foot. Couple of days later, I went to the speech therapy with my sprained foot. Few Weeks later, I went to the hospital again to change the bandage, even i got an X-Ray scan again, and it's getting better, then i got a bandage on, then couple of weeks later, the day when i went for a long road trip with my parents, my cast is started to loosen, so my mother took it off, which i cried, because i liked my cast very much (Nothing was written on it.). The day of injured had happened a month after i went to halifax for the Test for my autism.

When i was 2, I was a rough boy, one day, i pooped on the floor, and painted on the walls, then i got caught, spanked, grounded, and washed in the bathtub, because i was dirty. the another accident that i had is, i pooped my pants while visiting my father's friend's house, and i felt it, my father saw it, and he punished me, then i got washed in his friend's house bathtub, and i got changed into my clean clothes. After i became verbal, i took an egg, and i dropped it on my mother's new puppy (Which he died when i was 13 years old.), I keep dropping eggs in the living room and i painted with mustard, and ketchup, I even dirtied my wedding clothes (Which i was a ring-bearer when my parents were got married), then i got dirty with ketchup, mustard, and eggs, even my hair. When my whole family woke up, and sees the mess that i made, i got caught, spanked, and got grounded. even, i had to stay in the room for the whole day, (I didn't understand at that time.). My Parents clean it up, and even threw the brand new couch in the garbage what my grandmother just bought a month ago.

Obsessions:

My earliest obsessions was designing the city, one time, i see the skyline while going to the overpass, i use my legos and build the city with it. I have many obsessions that i had loved for many years, one time i loved Pocahontas, and i watched it over and over again until the tape wears out. then also i loved Mulan, and i seen a girl tying up her hair after cutting her hair with a sword, then i tied my sister's hair, even my brother's hair, and also myself, then the tape wears out, then when i was almost 5 years old, I seen the movie poster about the movie called, "Jack Frost", it came out on tape in 1999. then my mother rent it, and we sat and watched the whole movie. The movie got me so obsessed because i loved the snowman so much, even i wished i was a snowman also (Because i didn't understand fantasy at that time, and i used to believe everything.) couple of months later, we went outside, and build a snowman, 20 minutes later i ran to the driveway while the car is driving into it, i got punished, went inside the house, and i hit my head to the wall, i got hurt, because i threw a tantrum over snowman, another month later, i decided to watch the movie again, but my father won't let me, and i threw a tantrum, and my father said, "No Jack Frost". A Month Later, I wanted to watch the Jack Frost movie, but i watched it, but mother ejected the tape, and put on "Barney goes to the Concert" because a friend was watching the movie first, (He was severely Autistic also, but he has never been recovered since today.), and i threw a tantrum also. a month later, while my sister went to the sleepover to her friend's house, i got up early in the morning, and i put papers in the floor, then i took the permanment marker and drew couple of snowman in her wall, then my mother sees it, then i got caught, and spanked, but i didn't got punished for it (I still got the picture somewhere.). Then i stopped being obsessed with it. A year later, when i watched "Donkey Kong" on Teletoon, then i started to like him. One time, i took the chocolate chips and put it under my wedding suit, while watching Donkey Kong. When i looked at the catalog, i seen Donkey Kong picture on the catalog, my mother told me she will take me to the mall tomorrow. In the next day, she took me to the mall, and got the game, and she lay-away the game for christmas, (Which i thought it was a check-out at first) but i seen putting things into the box and tape it, after it puts away, I started to cry when i leave the building, she gave me the same catalog, but i rejected, and i cried until i got home in my bed, then i stopped crying, i would say, i won't go to the lay away in my life again, but i would write it on the wish list. In Christmas of 2000, i opened the present, and it was donkey kong, but the console was green instead of pink, i thought the lay-away worker painted, but i found out they replace it for reasons, then i found out i don't believe in Santa Clause. But one time she lay-away the Roller-Blades, but i didn't cried at this time, then i opened it on Easter, and i found out i don't believe in Peter the Cottontail. Later, I liked the "Road to eldorado", then i build this place with pillows like the Mayan Temple. In 2001, I started to like the Prince of Egypt, and watched over and over again, which i got obsessed with long hair, but i still do. In 2002, My parents bought me the Mature game "Turok" and i started to like it, even i wore the headband. in 2003, i used to like "South Park" because of Kyle, then couple of months later, i started to hate it, even i still do as of today. In Late, 2003, i Started to like computers, (But i'm mostly obsessed with it in my life.) when i first seen Microsoft Windows XP, (I didn't even know at that time). I became obsessed with it, because of green start button, i was begging my mother to use it, (Her laptop was Windows 98 SE running Intel Pentium II) a month later, she upgrade it for a short time, when she changed the theme (GUI), i started to cry, even she downgrade it back to Windows 98. A year later, she got a new computer that has Windows XP on it, running on Intel Pentium III 500MHz. A Month Later, she wanted to downgraded to windows 98, but I Saved Windows XP from being downgrade. I decided to do some animations, in 2010, i stopped, and i resumed back to computers, until December, 2010, i got bored with XP, and wanted to upgrade to Windows 7, because of Aero. In Christmas, i got a netbook, that have Windows 7 on it. A year later, i built my first computer (Which it is faster than my netbook.), but i'm still doing projects on it, but i'm almost done with it. in 2012, i port forwarded it, and i connected all of my computers into the server, which it still there as of today, and that's all of my obsessions that i have in my head.

Surprises of my Autism:

When i was 4, My parents were surprised about i started to dress myself. My mother said, "You dress by yourself". When I was 5 and the half years old, Another surprise has went, because i started to talk, because the speech therapy that i had done with it was successful. over the years in my elementary school, i got struggled with my schoolwork. In Grade 7, My bad behaviors diminished. and i got super smart, (Which i got high functioning Autism as of today), in grade 10, i learned few social skills, and i got rid of pencil spinning, and hand flapping (Which i got excited with, mostly music triggers it and disturbs my work.). now, the symptoms i have leftovers are: Rocking, Noise Sensitivity, and Repetitive Speech.

Anxiety:

I was diagnosed with Anxiety during the H1N1 outbreak, when the Symptoms appears, i got so worried, because it thought i got the swine flu, but i found out, it was an anxiety attack. A Month later, i choked on a piece of an italian bread, but i spit it out, and i survived, and i develop pseudophagia (Fear of Choking), now i am taking Zoloft (Seraline) 120Mg, and i developed Nasty Side effects. (I thought it was cancer, because i developed Severe Hypochondriasis.), when i found out it was the side effect from the pill, My hypochondriasis went from Severe to very low. Now i am now felt better as of today, i thanked my parents, teachers, and of course my Computer Monitor (Actually My computer of course, (The Monitor, which I am Mostly Obsessed on this computer Materials)

You Can Write Questions Down if you like, even members also.

I am now diagnosed very Mild Autism (High Functioning Autism) which i am verbal, and very smart person, I'm Looking Forward to recover most of my symptoms into the Neurotypical Person.

My Life is similar to Temple Grandin, (But the differences are: She is obsessed with cows, and I am obsessed with Computers)
Thank You.

From John L. Miller

Best luck to all.

Last edited by Aquais94 on 15 Oct 2012, 8:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.

To my knowledge you can't develop autism its likely you were born with autism and the symptoms weren't obvious from birth I mean its pretty hard to diagnose a newborn with anything. And while it is certainly possible to eliminate, reduce or manage many symptoms to my knowledge one with autism cannot exactly become neurotypical due to different neurology but that is just based on what I've read and such.


Anyways when you where not speaking could you have if you wanted to? just curious since you remember it.

Last edited by Sweetleaf on 14 Oct 2012, 1:43 am, edited 2 times in total.

Thank you John, reading about your life was interesting to me. My son is almost 6yrs old, has LFA and is non-verbal but he spoke words up to about 2.5yrs old.

Look up regressive autism.

Sorry to tell you this, but you will never become neurotypical. Temple Grandin is NOT neurotypical either. She is a well adapted autistic person. Autism is a neurological difference and is life long. This doesn't mean you can't adapt to it, but you will arrive at many things from a different perspective than an NT. For them, it is intuitive. For someone on the spectrum, it is arrived at after thought and consideration.

Also, as far as it goes, someone with ADHD is not neurotypical either. It's a different kind of neurological difference than autism, but it is still a fundamental difference. People with ADHD can adapt well too, but they still have life long differences as well.


(Sorry for being pedantic, but I felt it had to be said.)

I thought i was neurotypical person when i was a newborn, but i knew about they were develop normally, then they regressed, and become autistic.

You're welcome that you liked my story so much, as of today, when my teacher asked questions about any subjects (Which i am in the Integrated Resource), I Raised my hand, and answer very fast, but i always get correct (My IQ Level is between 108 - 121), which i finished my schoolwork very fast, and i got correct. but i interrupt my teacher to answer his questions. I'm very genius at Canadian History, Exploring Technology (I thought it was all about computers at first, but i found out, it was also all about inventions), Oceans, and English. I'm also in IPP with a Teacher Assistant support, because of people picking at me. makes me going physico. I'm mostly genius at computers alot.

other words, you should recommend SonRise Program for your child, it could may make a differences to your child, i seen the movie about the child was recovered from severe autism after using the method of SonRise Program, and he would recover. But i was recovered with Autism with speech therapy, my mother also pointed out things and i say it, but i use gestures, and my mother says it for me.

Best Luck:

From John L. Miller

Yes.

She had a nice enviroment and had intensive early training. She's also cognitively gifted. She adapted/ adjusted well. She eats alone in "social" settings and has no desire for a companion. Completely void of the usual social bonding. Naturally alone.

well, i knew about Temple Grandin wasn't recovered from Autism, because she thinks in pictures, (I also do too at some point (but mostly videos in my head)), all of my memories that i wrote my story from processing my photographic memory (which i think in pictures, and videos), which i was born with it. I'm really kind of similar to Temple Grandin's Autism, but very different than her, but similar concept than her.

You know what, that is a good quote, Sometimes i eat lunch alone, even changing outfits alone in the toilet stall for gym, because i don't like people looking at me. while people were in the bathroom, i was in the toilet stall alone while changing my outfits. as of today, i started to eat lunch with my friends that i just formed, (there are 2 people, but they're all neurotypical, but one has Hearing impairment, but another is smart.).

Interesting! I thought I was the only one who did that for gym class! For me, I started doing that during puberty as I guess that is when I first became self-conscious about being seen naked by others (it's also the first time I was in a school with class sizes larger than 10 students.)

Well we all know it's illegal for being naked in public. because if they are naked, they'll get into the big trouble, and even get arrested by the police, and you'll go to jail, but please don't do that.

Yeah as far as I understand its not something neurotypicals develop...its when the symptoms don't really become obvious till after normal development has appeared to take place.

Thinking in pictures is not a prerequisite for being autistic. I have aspergers and I do not think in pictures or the like. I have only blackness in my head (probably quite scary for some people ). I do know that some people on the spectrum have an exellent picture making mind but it does not hold for all of us. There are many ways of thinking and processsing thoughts, there are some exellent threads here on WP. It seems that the exposure of Temple Gradin have made most people (including people on the spectrum) that excellent picture memeory is a necessity in autism.

I can see pictures in my head, and I can draw what's in my picture what i just think. i also have an excellent picture memory also.

I agree it has to be said. But it's important to remember that being autistic is not a bad thing. Growing up autistic, you often have lots of people telling you (either straight out or by implication) that autistic equals bad and wrong, and neurotypical is your goal. That often leads to burnout. In the case of regressive autism, burnout can lead to regression. What you should be aiming for is to become more skilled; to learn to live in your world, on your own terms--to become a "well adapted autistic person", not a neurotic imitation of a neurotypical.

I do congratulate you, OP, on all you've learned. It's not easy--we all know that. I would just like to caution you against thinking of neurotypical behavior or thinking styles as innately superior, especially when it comes to your use of them to deal with this crazy, chaotic, non-autistic-friendly world.