I was born in 1989. The birth lasted for 33 hours. I was measured to be 49 cm and 3160 grams. During birth I had swallowed amniotic fluid. I could not breathe, and my skin turned blue. The doctors took me to the next room to pump. I also had a hidden cleft palate, so I had difficulties at breastfeeding. I probably couldn’t close my lips around the nipple, so I had to get fed with baby formula. From when I was 7.5 months to when I was 10 months, I was very cold with fever up to 40 celsius. I could often cry until I turned blue and lost my breath, so the doctors diagnosed it asthma. When I was three months old, I was hospitalized for 3 weeks with left foot in a knit because of an bone cyst.(which made it so that the foot broke). I had common cold, chickenpox and otitis, so I had 10 penicillin treatments through 6 months in my early years.
In kindergarten I was a silent and calm kid. I remember the other kids didn’t let me in on their play, and I, instead of using words, reacted violently. In primary school, fifth grade, PPT (the school psychiatric team) gave me an IQ test, where my score was a little over “mentally deficient”. The doctor recommended to keep it, and put the term “mild” in front of it, as it would improve my right to facilitation at school. I was granted a classroom assistant, was placed front row in the classroom, windowside. Thus, I had to turn around to see what my classmates were up to. Socially, this was a disaster. I went to a speech therapist, and measurement of hearing. I have had a lot of otitis throughout my childhood. I had many infections as a child, but it’s rare that I become sick when I was in my 20’s. I took the most of it with a smile.
My adulthood has been kind of better. I have some struggles, because I got detected with ADD/ADHD Inattentive type back in 2014 during the autumn, so I’m struggling with some of the symptoms that comes with it as well. I got driver license in 2011, and I love to drive. I would like to expand my social life, but since I’m a calm and silent person(at times) I think it’s a little difficult to get to know more people, specially in occasions where there are many people. I can then seem shy or that I’m not interested, but I easily get distracted when there are alot of people around.
Now that I am an adult, I work in a protected company which is a permanently adapted job for people who for various reasons can’t be in ordinary work. I have great colleagues and it’s a great place to work. We are also good at taking care of health, environment and safety requirements I have two friends that I work with and since they don’t have a driver license, I pick them up in the morning and bring them to work. We use to meet after work and on weekends.
I’m happy that I found and can be a part of the KAT6A support group.
by Caroline
