MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'difficulties'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:00:45 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5182091&cid=t_105441_129_f&fid=27216&url=http%3A%2F%2Flifewithadhd.com%2Fadhd-books%2Fvaxa-homeopathic-medicinal-attend-support-for-attention-difficulties-capsules-60count-bottle.php Price 35.05 Listprice $36.95 Description VÄXA Attend is a safe, homeopathic medicinal specifically engineered to help support the function of the Central Nervous System (CNS) of individuals who are inclined to be inattentive, under- and/or overactive and perhaps learning impaired, enabling the body to balance both neural growth and neurotransmitter production within the Brain and Central Nervous System.….more info Read More (Source: Life With ADHD) Life With ADHD blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5182091 Tue, 30 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5182091 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5139648&cid=t_105441_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F08%2Fsafe-technology-factors-contributing-to.html Conclusions Duplicate medication order errors increased with CPOE and CDS implementation. Many work system factors, including the CPOE, CDS, and medication database design, contributed to their occurrence. Duplicate orders can result in over-medication, failure to discontinue, or other medication errors if not caught. They by definition increase risk. The questions are simple: Considering that this was a "Northeastern US community tertiary care teaching hospital", not a small hospital in a remote town somewhere lacking in HIT experience, and that "duplicate medication order errors increased with CPOE and CDS implementation", is CPOE: A safe technology, in a practical sense in the complex clinical setting (with complexities that are 'Hiding in Plain Sight'), in 2011?A technology ready f... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5139648 Thu, 18 Aug 2011 15:50:00 +0100 5139648 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5107458&cid=t_105441_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F08%2Fwhy-ehrs-are-mission-hostile.html From "Revisiting E&M Visit Guidelines — A Missing Piece of Payment Reform" (free PDF as of this writing), Robert A. Berenson, M.D., Peter Basch, M.D, and Amanda Sussex, M.P.H., N Engl J Med 364;20 nejm.org May 19, 2011. Excerpt: ... Numerous problems have resulted. [From the CPT codes, Current Procedural Terminology codes used by physicians in billing, covering evaluation and management (E&M) services - ed.] The detailed guidelines often cause clinicians to overdocument, making the medical record an ineffective source of communication. ... A fundamental concern is that the office-visit descriptors and interpretive guidelines emphasize often-irrelevant elements of patients’ clinical histories and examinations, rather than decisionmaking and care-management activities. This is... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5107458 Mon, 08 Aug 2011 02:35:00 +0100 5107458 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4693335&cid=t_105441_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F04%2F08%2Fbest-of-our-blogs-april-8-2011%2F I’m going to skip my biweekly words of reflection today and talk about something important going on this month. While bees spread pollen during spring, organizations are spreading awareness about autism in April. There will be several activities running this month that will help raise awareness about autism, which is defined by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke as, “complex neurodevelopment disorders, characterized by social impairments, communication difficulties, and restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behavior.” It is estimated that “three to six children out of every 1,000 will have an autism spectrum disorder.” For more information, you can check out the NINDS website. And to find out what you can do participate i... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4693335 Fri, 08 Apr 2011 11:56:52 +0100 4693335 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4560205&cid=t_105441_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F03%2Fehr-eds-in-new-south-wales-will.html It occurs that one could look at Prof. Jon Patrick's recent health IT forensic analysis as a kind of "indictment" of the industry.He can be seen as suggesting the industry needs to be "put on trial" (figuratively) regarding "crimes" (again, figuratively speaking) they've committed with regard to IT robustness and reliability. The latter translate directly to patient safety.In a lawsuit such as a medical malpractice trial, obvious as well as potential evidence is put under "legal hold." For instance, if an EHR defect is suspected, metadata, audit trails, and patient data are asked (or should be asked) to be frozen or archived in the state they were in at the time of the alleged accident.It can take a page or three (or more) of specifications simply to define what information, exactly, needs... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4560205 Mon, 07 Mar 2011 23:36:00 +0100 4560205 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4536028&cid=t_105441_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F03%2Fbrief-primer-on-health-it-problems.html I have noted that numerous policy makers I've spoken with freely admit their knowledge of healthcare IT is zero, or limited to what they've seen and heard in the press (i.e., mainly marketing messages in disguise).Since most of these officials have little time to study the issues about health IT in depth, I've created a zipped archive of four articles I consider key. The articles can serve as a primer on health IT problems:1. Joint Commission Health IT Sentinel Events Alert, 2009.2. FDA Internal Report on Adverse Events Involving Health IT. ("Not intended for public use" - but obtained by the press last year, presumably via FOIA), 2010.3. ECRI Institute Top 10 Health Technology Hazards of 2011 - see hazard #5.4. Hoffman/Podgurski, Case Western Reserve School of Law: E-HEALTH HAZARDS: PROVI... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4536028 Tue, 01 Mar 2011 17:04:00 +0100 4536028 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4527722&cid=t_105441_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F02%2Felectronic-medical-records-two-weeks.html Electronic medical records in the pioneering years were about helping clinicians better understand a patient. They were about easing the clinicians' work in evaluating and caring for a patient, or in performing a consult on a patient being cared for by a colleague.The commercial electronic medical record is another beast entirely.Thanks the the imperative to document anything and everything to drive up billing, and due to the "computer as a data warehouse", early 20th century programmable card-tabulator culture of mercantile, manufacturing and management computing specialists (A.K.A. the MIS personnel in most hospitals and health IT vendor development shops), these systems have become a distraction and an error-promoting nightmare.In the June 20, 2009 Wall Street Journal article "The Myth ... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4527722 Sun, 27 Feb 2011 21:32:00 +0100 4527722 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4399474&cid=t_105441_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F01%2Fblogscan-electronic-health-records-and.html From the blog of Dr. Sanjay Gupta at CNN health:Electronic health records no cure-all Electronic medical records, also known as EHRs, often touted as a powerful antidote for uncoordinated and ineffective medical care, do little to help patients outside the hospital, according to a new study. Researchers from Stanford University analyzed federal data on more than 255,000 patients, about a third of whom had health information carried electronically. The researchers compared the care of those patients to the care of patients without EHRs, on 20 different measures of quality – for example, whether proper medication was prescribed for patients with asthma or simple infections, or whether smokers were counseled on ways to quit. On 19 of the 20 measures, there was no benefit from having an EHR... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4399474 Tue, 25 Jan 2011 17:12:00 +0100 4399474 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4382724&cid=t_105441_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F01%2Fyou-heard-most-of-this-first-on.html Conclusions There is a large gap between the postulated and empirically demonstrated benefits of eHealth technologies. [You've heard that here before - ed.] In addition, there is a lack of robust research on the risks [I believe it would be more accurate to say there's been a suppression of research and/or of publicity on the risks - ed.] of implementing these technologies and their cost-effectiveness has yet to be demonstrated [in other words, healthcare IT is an experimental technology. You've heard that here before, too - ed.], despite being frequently promoted by policymakers and “techno-enthusiasts” as if this was a given.[In other words, there's an irrational - or contrived - exuberance. You've heard that here before, too - ed.] In the light of the paucity of evidence in relation... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4382724 Fri, 21 Jan 2011 18:45:00 +0100 4382724 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4372007&cid=t_105441_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F01%2Fmd-on-ehrs-i-might-have-inadvertently.html At "Clinicians Going for a Swim and Drowning in Information" I commented on a NY Times article about how information and cognitive overload can lead to deadly consequences in warfare. My implication was that medical care (e.g., the ED) bears some similarities.I received this reply from a clinician hospitalist I know, who also is well versed in Medical Informatics:Wow, great piece, but a little too close to home for me right now.Eerily similar to / descriptive of my experience last night in the hospital: processing multiple information sources related to multiple different problems for a new admission (patient, family, ED staff, disjointed EMR - some documents in the Documents tab of the [major EHR vendor name redacted - ed.] system but most others in the hospital system Portal requiring a ... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4372007 Wed, 19 Jan 2011 17:49:00 +0100 4372007 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4309787&cid=t_105441_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2Fnt45-6_iTZE%2F If your life seems like a string of one challenge after another, new research says that you’re in luck: Past adversities may aid you through emotional recovery. It may be cold comfort for anyone who’s in the depths of a rough patch (as many are in this economy), but the research gets us closer to discovering what triggers depression. Several studies have combed our genomes for genetic predictors of depression, but research has been inconclusive at best. But a recent study suggests that life experience might have just as much influence over the outcome of emotionally difficult or traumatic events. The study, published in the current issue of The Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, tracked the mental health of over 2,000 adults over several years through online surveys.... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4309787 Tue, 04 Jan 2011 20:00:06 +0100 4309787 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4349480&cid=t_105441_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F01%2Fnew-york-times-doctor-vs-moron.html A stunning story was published in the New York Times entitled "The Doctor vs. the Computer."A more appropriate title would have been "The Doctor vs. the Computer Fool."The computer is simply a tool and is not the doctor's opponent; rather, the people under whose auspices the IT was designed and implemented are the physician's foes here: New York TimesDecember 30, 2010, 10:19 amThe Doctor vs. the Computer By DANIELLE OFRI, M.D.Electronic medical records promise efficiency, safety and productivity in the switch from paper to computer. But there are glitches, as a patient of mine recently brought to light. My patient needs prostate surgery. It is my job, as his internist, to estimate the risks this surgery poses, decide whether he can proceed with the surgery and make recommendations for his ... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4349480 Sun, 02 Jan 2011 01:21:00 +0100 4349480 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4302850&cid=t_105441_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F01%2Fnew-york-times-doctor-vs-moron.html A stunning story was published in the New York Times: December 30, 2010, 10:19 amThe Doctor vs. the Computer By DANIELLE OFRI, M.D.Electronic medical records promise efficiency, safety and productivity in the switch from paper to computer. But there are glitches, as a patient of mine recently brought to light. My patient needs prostate surgery. It is my job, as his internist, to estimate the risks this surgery poses, decide whether he can proceed with the surgery and make recommendations for his medical management before and after the operation. He is an extremely complicated patient. His hypertension requires three concurrent medications. He’s taking pills for diabetes, but he really should be giving himself insulin injections. His kidneys are wending their way toward dialysis. A few ye... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4302850 Sun, 02 Jan 2011 01:21:00 +0100 4302850 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4294581&cid=t_105441_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F12%2Fblogscan-are-electronic-medical-records.html This doctor writing at Cleveland.com really doesn't like EMR: ... Our practice implemented EMR about three months ago, and it has not been a downhill sleigh ride thus far. Here's the scorecard. • It saves time. It doesn't. • It saves money. It hasn't. • It promotes office flow and efficiency. Hardly. • It improves staff morale. Are you joking? • Patients prefer it. None that I know. • It's been a bonanza for document-scanning companies. Bingo! What I find most troubling about EMR is that it is "point and click" medicine. It radically disrupts the doctor-patient relationship. Taking the patient's medical history -- the bedrock of doctoring -- is reduced to a sterile data-entry process. Taking the history, the conversation that physicians and patients have had since Hippo... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4294581 Mon, 27 Dec 2010 04:20:00 +0100 4294581 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4294583&cid=t_105441_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F12%2Fscience-in-medical-informatics-is-dead.html The science in Medical Informatics is dead.I'm not going to even use academic fabric softener in my assertion, e.g., "may be", "appears to be", or "is it?" (as a question) dead.It's dead.When HIT experts recommend changing the study goalposts when existing studies don't give results they'd like to see, rather than first and foremost critically and rigorously examining why we're seeing unexpected results, science is dead. http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/study-highlights-lurking-question-measuring-ehr-effectivenessStudy highlights 'lurking question' of measuring EHR effectivenessDecember 22, 2010 | Molly Merrill, Associate EditorWASHINGTON – Hospitals' use of electronic health records has had just a limited effect on improving the quality of medical care nationwide, according to ... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4294583 Sun, 26 Dec 2010 17:22:00 +0100 4294583 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4285227&cid=t_105441_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F12%2F23%2Fmeeting-again-for-the-first-time%2F It’s Friday afternoon, and that means clinic. It’s 1 p.m., and that means I’m walking to get Samantha from the waiting room for our therapy session. I take a deep breath before I open the door, and find myself looking forward to our session. “Hello, Samantha,” I say, “I’m Dr. Hufford. Come on back.” I always reserve the same room for our work, hoping that it will help her to remember that we’ve met before. Samantha and I have met many times before, but for her, every session is like meeting again for the first time. She is stuck in an unrelenting present, experiencing life about an hour at a time, before her anterograde amnesia — an inability to remember new events — sweeps the memories away, floating just out of her reach. “Cognitive difficulties”... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4285227 Thu, 23 Dec 2010 11:44:29 +0100 4285227 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4097860&cid=t_105441_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F10%2Fwhy-i-find-healthcare-it-industry-so.html At "Background On The 'Ecosystem' of Commercial Healthcare IT" I wrote:... In reading about HIT difficulties it is important to understand the “ecosystem” of commercial health IT, that is, the identity and nature of the principal constituents and stakeholders, and their interrelationships. Familiarity with this environment is useful in order to place the social and organizational issues affecting HIT diffusion in the proper context. By implication, I made the case that the commercial HIT ecosystem was far from healthy.Recently at Healthcare Renewal and at another blog I visit, HISTalk, frequented largely by IT industry workers and officials, I've noted an uptick in comments from anonymous commenters that resort to ad hominem, strawman arguments, or other forms of logical fallacy in a f... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4097860 Fri, 22 Oct 2010 12:54:00 +0100 4097860 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4097861&cid=t_105441_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F10%2Fconcerns-about-adoption-of-electronic.html Even within the Medical Informatics community, it is not common to hear major real-world issues that must be faced before national health IT can become a (safe, effective) reality presented candidly.I therefore found this candid presentation by a fellow Medical Informaticist, Dr. Richard Gibson, refreshing. (Dr. Gibson was in Medical Informatics fellowship training at U. Utah at the same time I was in my postdoctoral fellowship at Yale.) He presented on issues related to standards for the most part, but also presented some serious caveats as I reproduce below. The caveats will sound familiar to readers of this blog.The head of ONC, Dr. Blumenthal, was present at this meeting. I hope he will heed Dr. Gibson's words on the difficulties of health IT and cease to present clinical IT as a dete... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4097861 Thu, 21 Oct 2010 23:41:00 +0100 4097861 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3890501&cid=t_105441_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F08%2F21%2Fethical-best-practice-in-an-evidence-based-age%2F There were 2 presentations at this year’s annual American Psychological Association convention, which were important to psychotherapists in particular. With the ever-growing challenge to prove efficacy of each and every treatment, healthcare providers and consumers alike face some confusion as to how much information is enough, or too much. Does every therapists need to give a long presentation about the relative proven efficacy of low-dose medication combined with verbal therapy — and 2 hours gardening per week? (I made up the last part, but hiking and fresh air were a popular cure for quite a long time in 19th Century Europe.) Physicians are acutely aware of the need to know the research, and most ethical codes demand informed consent. Both health and mental health professionals ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3890501 Sat, 21 Aug 2010 14:20:35 +0100 3890501 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3805818&cid=t_105441_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fpre-med-vs-liberal-arts-dont-know-much-biology%2F2010.07.30 Study painting, drama or the “soft” social sciences and you’ll probably be a pretty good doctor anyway. Mt. Sinai School of Medicine has been doing it for years and compared students in a special liberal arts admissions program to its traditional pre-med students. For years, Mt. Sinai has admitted students from Amherst, Brandeis, Princeton, Wesleyan, and Williams colleges based on a written application with personal essays, verbal and math SAT scores, high school and college transcripts, letters of recommendation, and personal interviews. No MCAT is required. Students need to take one year of biology and one year of chemistry and maintain (swallow hard) a “B” average. They later get an abbreviated course in organic chemistry and medical physics. (more…) ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3805818 Sat, 31 Jul 2010 00:17:36 +0100 3805818 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3362422&cid=t_105441_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F03%2F13%2Ffive-things-a-loved-one-should-know-about-bipolar-disorder%2F Today I have the pleasure of interviewing Bruce Cohen, M.D., Ph.D, who is Director of the Harvard University McLean Psychiatric Hospital and Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. He is also the coauthor, with Chelsea Lowe, of the recently released book Living with Someone Who’s Living With Bipolar Disorder: A Practical Guide for Family, Friends, and Coworkers. Cohen lives in the Boston area. Question: I have always maintained that the best thing a person can do to support a bipolar loved one is get educated. But if you could offer folks a crash course, what are the five most important things you think a loved one should know about bipolar disorder? Dr. Cohen: Getting educated is good advice. Here are five important things everyone dealing with bipolar disorder should kno... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3362422 Sat, 13 Mar 2010 10:30:11 +0100 3362422 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3283856&cid=t_105441_180_f&fid=38610&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.productivity501.com%2Fthe-difficult-things%2F6555%2F When I’m working on something very, very difficult, I often find myself bumping up against an invisible wall. It is as if my mind just isn’t clear enough to break through. For example, when trying to learn a new, complex mathematical concept, I seem to spend a lot of time teetering just on the verge of a full understanding with no real idea of what is holding me back.  It is like looking through a fog. The feeling is similar to running at your top speed and trying to go just a little bit faster. Obviously, this is very frustrating.  You can almost taste success, but it just isn’t happening. When I find myself in this situation, I can sometimes get past it by focusing more.  This may mean getting rid of distractions, re-reading everything in an empty room where I know... Productivity501 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3283856 Wed, 17 Feb 2010 18:00:36 +0100 3283856 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2796692&cid=t_105441_133_f&fid=37107&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aspieweb.net%2Faspergers-sex-difficulties%2F One of the effects of Aspergers Syndrome is meltdowns or difficulties dealing with too much stimuli. One of the things that sex happens to bring with it is, stimulation in large amounts to all the senses. Thus anyone can see here that Aspergers and Sex can be an interesting and somewhat problematic combination. [...] (Source: AspieWeb.net) AspieWeb.net blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2796692 Mon, 14 Sep 2009 21:31:40 +0100 2796692 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2348534&cid=t_105441_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F04%2F20%2Fthe-magic-of-equine-facilitated-therapy%2F The New York Times published a fascinating article last week about one young family’s success using an unorthodox combination of equine (horse)-assisted therapy and Mongolian shamanism to ease their autistic son’s behavioral difficulties: When Rupert Isaacson decided to take his autistic son, Rowan, on a trip to Mongolia to ride horses and seek the help of shamans two years ago, he had a gut instinct that the adventure would have a healing effect on the boy. Mr. Isaacson’s instinct was rewarded after the trip, when some of Rowan’s worst behavioral issues, including wild temper tantrums, all but disappeared. …“The Horse Boy” traces Rowan’s early difficulties with “demonic” tantrums, speech delays and incontinence. The only thing that seemed to help, Mr. Isaacson disc... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2348534 Mon, 20 Apr 2009 15:24:32 +0100 2348534 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2349350&cid=t_105441_133_f&fid=35124&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Faspergerwoman%2F%7E3%2Ft_JBwP6i4tc%2Fautism-woman-was-differences-menwoman.html I was so impressed by this article ever since I read it I seem to get more ideas on women and autism.Gonna do some brainwork in the sunshine outside (it's such a beautiful Spring Weekend) and will get back to you later today.Woman with autism migt experience more/other difficulties in life than men with autism because briefly said:- Men with autism are slightly more accepted. People know 'Rain Man'- For many women starting a family might be one of their goals in life,if you are a female and have autism, there might be no chance to start a family, because of the lack of a partner. It can be very difficult accepting this thing, as autistic woman like myself do like to show the loving/caring side of my personalities towards others. I feel like I am a left over, feels like I am not 100% equal ... The Art of Being Asperger Woman blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2349350 Sun, 19 Apr 2009 15:40:00 +0100 2349350 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1975914&cid=t_105441_158_f&fid=36018&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcaregiversbeacon.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F11%2Fvideo-understanding-copd-chronic.html (Source: The Caregiver's Beacon - Resources, Links, Ideas, News) The Caregiver's Beacon - Resources, Links, Ideas, News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1975914 Fri, 21 Nov 2008 05:56:00 +0100 1975914 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1905989&cid=t_105441_133_f&fid=35128&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthiswayoflife.org%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D354 I’ve noticed a trend among some people who have autism, other disability, or even illness. The trend is trying to equate “severity” with “suffering”. The illogic is pretty simple: “If this condition really affected you, you would be miserable. If it affects you more than me, it will make you more miserable than I am.” Yet, this is clearly not the case. Different people respond differently. If I make jokes, am happy, or, conversely, let you know how miserable I feel, that doesn’t really tell you if I’m in pain or not. What it tells you is how I feel emotionally - maybe. But it is possible for some people to feel good emotionally while dealing with severe discrimination, pain, or other problem - that doesn’t make the discrimination ... NTs Are Weird blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1905989 Fri, 24 Oct 2008 13:15:52 +0100 1905989 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1825841&cid=t_105441_133_f&fid=35128&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthiswayoflife.org%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D320 A while ago, I took an online course on defensive driving that my workplace requires. Supposedly this type of course lowers accident rates (I’d love to see proof of that), which is a good goal I suppose. However, I suspect the real reason for the course is so that a lawyer from my organization can simply say, “We have a comprehensive defensive driving program” should we ever get sued after an accident…but I digress… A key part of the course is an online “assessment” to determine whether or not I possess the critical defensive driving skills that were being taught to me. There was just one problem: the assessment was incredibly badly designed. For instance, it asks, “what is defensive driving?” Does it matter? Does knowing the definition... NTs Are Weird blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1825841 Wed, 24 Sep 2008 13:36:12 +0100 1825841 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1798231&cid=t_105441_133_f&fid=35128&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthiswayoflife.org%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D341 I’ve seen, in myself, and in other autistic people, a tendency to get caught in what I’m calling “perfection loops” for lack of a better term. These “loops” are basically times when we try to do something perfectly. So, I might cook a meal for myself, taking extreme time in measuring the ingredients perfectly, setting the temperature exactly (measuring it with a thermometer for good measure), watching the clock carefully, cleaning the plates perfectly, etc. Sounds good, right? Not really. The problem with this is that instead of taking 15 minutes for me to cook my very simple meal, like it takes nearly everyone else on earth, it now might take me two hours. Sure, my meal is better - but is it 1 hour and 45 minutes better? Probably not. I’ve seen th... NTs Are Weird blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1798231 Tue, 16 Sep 2008 13:19:19 +0100 1798231 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1779198&cid=t_105441_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F09%2F09%2Fthe-sexual-habits-of-australians%2F Have you ever wondered about the sexual habits of middle-aged adults from Down Under? No? Well, some researchers have (lucky you!). In fact, some researchers are so curious about the sexual habits of people, they’re conducting a global study of sexual attitudes and behaviors of 27,500 people. But one of the first articles they’ve published from that study concerns our middle-aged and older friends in Australia. The researchers conducted a telephone survey in 2001 and 2002. 1,500 participants completed the survey (evenly divided between men and women), ages 40 to 80. The questionnaire survey covered demographic information, overall health, and sexual behaviors, sexual attitudes and sexual beliefs. The good news is that Australians are having sex. A lot of it. Overall, ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1779198 Tue, 09 Sep 2008 14:27:25 +0100 1779198 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1734073&cid=t_105441_133_f&fid=35128&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthiswayoflife.org%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D337 Do you get grouchy when you are sick? I suspect that 90% or more of the world’s population shares this particular trait with me. I also suspect that the majority of the world gets grouchy when in pain, grouchy when hungry, and grouchy when tired. Yet this same type of reaction, expressed by an autistic person, is often considered an “out of proportion” reaction. I’ll give an example. Let’s say that I, after having to listen to a radio playing in the background for 5 minutes, scream, “SHUT THAT DAMN RADIO OFF!!!” Now, if that was the only thing I was reacting to, that would quite likely be a reaction that didn’t fit the circumstances. However, what people might not realize is that I’ve spent an entire day coping with sensory input that h... NTs Are Weird blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1734073 Tue, 26 Aug 2008 01:22:57 +0100 1734073 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1660833&cid=t_105441_133_f&fid=35128&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthiswayoflife.org%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D331 Self-injury can be very disconcerting and upsetting to watch. Nobody likes to see someone else causing themselves physical pain, and there are very frequent questions about “How do I stop this” from parents and friends of people who self-injure. Self-injury also seems to justify nearly any treatment and enable the bypass of ethical standards, in the name of treatment - I obviously don’t agree with this, even some unethical treatment does stop self-injury. A lot of the issue with self-injury is understanding why it is occurring. I suspect everyone who self-injures is a bit different, and has different reasons, but I do think there are some trends, and, even more importantly, I think self-injury shows that something is very wrong in someone’s life. Just getting them t... NTs Are Weird blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1660833 Mon, 28 Jul 2008 13:38:26 +0100 1660833 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1655378&cid=t_105441_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2008%2F07%2Fend-of-line-for-advamced-cell.html I have been very critical of Advanced Cell Technology, believing it to be a publicity seeking enterprise that used press releases to raise venture capital for morally problematic research into human cloning, ESC, the like, while at the same time, it tried to manipulate the political system to create an environment that would be conducive to it receiving taxpayer dollars. But now, that strategy may have reached the point of exhaustion. The company is apparently on the verge of going out of business. From the story: In a Securities and Exchange Commission filing Tuesday, the company warned that it doesn't have cash to continue operating after July 31 without raising additional money or drastically slashing operations. It reported $17 million in current liabilities, but only $1 million in cas... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1655378 Fri, 25 Jul 2008 04:32:00 +0100 1655378 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1652240&cid=t_105441_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2008%2F07%2Fend-of-line-for-advamced-cell.html I have been very critical of Advanced Cell Technology, believing it to be a publicity seeking enterprise that used press releases to raise venture capital for morally problematic research into human cloning, ESC, the like, while at the same time, it tried to manipulate the political system to create an environment that would be conducive to it receiving taxpayer dollars. But now, that strategy may have reached the point of exhaustion. The company is apparently on the verge of going out of business. From the story: In a Securities and Exchange Commission filing Tuesday, the company warned that it doesn't have cash to continue operating after July 31 without raising additional money or drastically slashing operations. It reported $17 million in current liabilities, but only $1 million in cas... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1652240 Fri, 25 Jul 2008 04:32:00 +0100 1652240 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1642723&cid=t_105441_133_f&fid=35128&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthiswayoflife.org%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D330 As happened in my most recent post, lots of people assume that a social model of disability is incompatible with the idea that there are ways of helping people interact with the world as a whole, without necessarily changing the entire world. I believe this this was expressed by telling me that I only believe in “being nice to [autistics] and bringing [autistics] comfortable surroundings” - a common, but wrong, view of what the social model of disability says. I’ll mention a few things that can help many autistic people - really help, not just act as a placebo for a parent or, worse, cause harm. I won’t be mentioning things that require 40 hours of work for a child or any therapy intended to counter “toxicity”, as these have plenty of scientific and eth... NTs Are Weird blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1642723 Mon, 21 Jul 2008 13:59:53 +0100 1642723 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1630916&cid=t_105441_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2008%2F07%2Ftechical-issues-update.html Regular readers will have noticed that there were no new posts here at SHS for about a week. That wasn't because I had nothing to say. (That will be the day!) Rather, and I won't use the bad words that are in my mind, Blogger would not upload to my FTP.It got so bad, and I became so frustrated, I started Secondhand Smoke II. If this crashes again, I will be over there for the duration of the outage: http://www.wesleyjsmith.blogspot.com/.It appears the problems have resolved (or you would not be reading this). However, this isn't the first time I have experienced these difficulties. So, I am planning some changes here. They will take awhile to effectuate. More when the time comes.In the meantime, I apologize for any inconvenience and thank you for your reading and participation in Secondhan... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1630916 Wed, 16 Jul 2008 22:18:00 +0100 1630916 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1605965&cid=t_105441_133_f&fid=35128&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthiswayoflife.org%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D328 I noticed something very strange when I went to Autreat this year: it was fairly easy, and not very overloading. There are a few reasons for this - first, I didn’t do quite as much as I usually do at Autreat. But that’s not enough to explain why I felt I almost always had energy to participate and interact with others, while in the past, for large chunks of time, I did not have this energy. It was held in a very nice location, very well suited to my particular type of autism, but, once again, that isn’t enough to explain it either, as the other venues suited me well too. I certainly came to Autreat a bit less stressed than I had in the past, as my life situation is fairly stable. But, once again, that isn’t enough to explain this either. Nor is the combination of th... NTs Are Weird blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1605965 Thu, 10 Jul 2008 13:45:45 +0100 1605965 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1451878&cid=t_105441_133_f&fid=35128&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthiswayoflife.org%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D315 I wrote about autism “gurus” previously - you know, the people peddling secret knowledge of dark conspiracies. There’s another formulaic approach to autism - it isn’t always sold as secret knowledge. The approach is, essentially, that happiness can be achieved for an autistic person if she follows a given set of rules. She needs to follow specific scripts to get employment, friendship, and romantic relationships. And, if she gets these things, she’ll suddenly be happy. There’s a couple problems with this theory. First, having a job or a romantic relationship isn’t necessarily going to make your life better. I realize that someone without a these things may very much be miserable and want them - it’s one of the biggest things we have to work t... NTs Are Weird blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1451878 Mon, 19 May 2008 13:40:38 +0100 1451878 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1278292&cid=t_105441_109_f&fid=35677&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FBrainBasedBusiness%2F%7E3%2F245480122%2Fyour_brain_on_recession.html Billionaire investor Warren Buffet just reported that the US is already well into recession. Whether you believe Buffet’s alarming claim or not … human brains are being wooed into recession’s depressed slumps daily. How so? Five recent facts about your business brain on recession may surprise you: 1. Saving goes against your brain’s desire for instant gratification. Research shows "When our emotions are charged, we have a hard time waiting for a reward," says Carnegie Mellon University's George Loewenstein, one of the first study's authors. Even the chance of getting a slightly bigger reward tomorrow doesn't have the same stimulating effect on your brain as a gain today does.”2. The brain responds favorably to pricy items. Researche... BrainBasedBusiness blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1278292 Tue, 04 Mar 2008 13:20:43 +0100 1278292 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1075263&cid=t_105441_158_f&fid=36018&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcaregiversbeacon.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F12%2Ftasty-tempting-recipes-for-seniors-on.html Vegetable stews with pasta, home-made chicken noodle soup, and pureed vegetable soups are some of the aromatic and tempting foods that caregivers can make for seniors who are on a soft food diet. The smell of the stew or soup cooking, and the aroma when it's served, helps to encourage seniors with poor appetites to eat. When seniors are on a low-salt, low-sugar diet, the cooked fresh vegetables, perhaps seasoned with some herbs, make the food flavorful instead of too bland to seem appealing.At Health Touch caregivers can read a check-list of foods allowed for seniors whose doctors have advised a soft diet due to swallowing or chewing difficulties. A diet of moist, soft food, eaten in very small bites, chewed slowly and eaten slowly, can be important for people with swallow difficulties, to... The Caregiver's Beacon - Resources, Links, Ideas, News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1075263 Thu, 06 Dec 2007 23:24:00 +0100 1075263 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=967212&cid=t_105441_158_f&fid=36018&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcaregiversbeacon.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F10%2Fduke-university-says-hearing-aids-help.html This article was from 2006, written by Michael Stewart, and it is unfortunate that such large numbers of people are not getting hearing aids or not using them. Digital hearing aids and modern advances have made the old hearing aids a thing of the past. Finding hearing aids that people enjoy wearing can still be a challenge. Plus the cost of hearing aids makes it difficult for many people to afford them.Being able to hear and to communicate is a major part of staying connected to family, friends, and the world out in public. Advances are being made in the world of hearing aids. If someone you know does not have one, or has one with older technology, perhaps a chance to try one of the newer hearing aids will make a difference. (Source: The Caregiver's Beacon - Resources, Links, Ideas, News) The Caregiver's Beacon - Resources, Links, Ideas, News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=967212 Sun, 21 Oct 2007 20:40:00 +0100 967212 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=957295&cid=t_105441_133_f&fid=35128&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthiswayoflife.org%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D264 One common theme in people who seek a cure for autism (both autistic and non-autistic cure seekers) is that the field of autism is a parched, dry, brown field of stubble, while the field of normalcy is a lush, vibrant, alive field of good eats. That’s not quite the way things work. It also ignores the fact that there are neurotypicals who struggle and have problems - not because of any fault of their own, but rather because of bad circumstances and lousy luck. There are neurotypicals, for instance, who are unemployed. Others desperately long for a life-long relationship with that “special person” but will never find it in their lives. Others will have the misfortune to be abused by someone they thought was that special person. Some will face employment challenges that are... NTs Are Weird blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=957295 Wed, 17 Oct 2007 03:40:22 +0100 957295 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=944619&cid=t_105441_133_f&fid=35128&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthiswayoflife.org%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D259 I’ve been really worn out the last few days. That’s probably because I’m on vacation, after some really stressful days at work, and I haven’t really had a day or two “off” in a while. Today, I headed into Edmonton and did a couple of things I knew I’d be mad at myself over if I didn’t do them. So I rode the light rail through the downtown (it’s in a tunnel!) and visited the aviation museum. Now I’m resting. I am very shocked at how worn out I am right now. I expected to be a bit worn out, but not this much. I think part of that is that I do have a lot of endurance - I can force myself to keep going, so long as I don’t slow down. That’s not always a good thing - it means that the crash is inevitably deeper and longer th... NTs Are Weird blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=944619 Thu, 11 Oct 2007 22:02:33 +0100 944619 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=915383&cid=t_105441_133_f&fid=35128&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthiswayoflife.org%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D250 Yesterday, I had a chance to visit some new friends - I found some people that share a lot in common with me, which I’ve learned is extremely rare in this world. It was nice to be able to spend the day with people that understood, because they live it, what it is like to be me. This requires, of the other person, more than simply a diagnosis of autism. While I have a lot in common with other autistic people, and love spending time with almost all autistic people, there’s something else to the equation, something else that makes me “Joel,” something that is part of only a few other people (not the “Joelness”, of course, but the traits). It’s hard to explain, but when it’s there, there is an instant connection between us. It’s the friends... NTs Are Weird blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=915383 Sun, 30 Sep 2007 17:40:33 +0100 915383 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=869565&cid=t_105441_133_f&fid=35128&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthiswayoflife.org%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D236 Most disabled people face continual prejudice; they have to fight for, only to often not actually get, good jobs, support, the ability to live in the community, and an appropriate education, among many other things. However, I see some errors that a lot of people fall into when thinking about success. People outside the disability community, and some successful people (in a non-disabled-person’s view of success) inside the community will tell someone who is having a rough time with a system that continually abuses them that the person being abused just needs to “try harder.” This is a form of blaming the victim. There are plenty of disabled people who try just as hard as successful disabled people, have just as much ability, yet don’t manage to overcome society&#821... NTs Are Weird blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=869565 Fri, 14 Sep 2007 01:11:02 +0100 869565 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=861879&cid=t_105441_133_f&fid=35128&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthiswayoflife.org%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D235 Almost all white-collar workplaces today, when asked about their dress code, will respond “business casual.” The exceptions are primarily law and financial firms, where they will be a bit more explicit - men will wear a suit and tie (I won’t talk much about women in this article because I have no idea what women are supposed to wear, although I imagine the challenge is similar). There is also some exceptions in companies that have young employees in young industries, such as some high-tech startups, where there may be no dress code other than “don’t get arrested”. Obviously the blue-collar world is a bit different, with uniforms and clothing that serves obvious purpose being used (a miner will wear, for example, coveralls and proper safety gear, for prac... NTs Are Weird blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=861879 Tue, 11 Sep 2007 02:27:47 +0100 861879 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=825478&cid=t_105441_133_f&fid=35128&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthiswayoflife.org%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D223 I’ve been wanting to write about this for a while, but it’s incredibly difficult to do so. Partially, it’s painful for me to write, but more significantly this kind of thing needs to be written right. It’s literally life and death for many. I spent the majority of my childhood and teenage years wanting to die. I simply wanted to be part of a group, to be accepted, and to not be abused by others. I didn’t want to stand out, but I didn’t want to be excluded either. I didn’t want to be abused anymore. There didn’t seem to be many ways out. What I’ve learned as an adult, who has friends who are friends not because of what I can give but because of who I am, is that things didn’t need to be the way they were. There’s no law that ... NTs Are Weird blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=825478 Tue, 28 Aug 2007 00:55:34 +0100 825478 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=765018&cid=t_105441_133_f&fid=35128&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthiswayoflife.org%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D217 In the US, there is a phrase, “Driving while Black”, which refers to blacks being more likely to be stopped by police for minor offenses, under the suspicion that they are more likely to be committing serious crimes. It is an illegal practice, and against the policies of most police organizations, but it still seems to happen. Last night, I was talking to a neurotypical friend about the prejudice autistic people face. Autistic people face a slight variation - one that we call “Walking while Autistic.” Most neurotypicals will never know what it is like to be stopped by a police officer while they are simply strolling down a street, walking through a park, or sitting on a bench in a public space. Yet many autistics know exactly what this is like. Despite the fact that... NTs Are Weird blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=765018 Sun, 29 Jul 2007 19:35:10 +0100 765018 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=740506&cid=t_105441_133_f&fid=35128&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthiswayoflife.org%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D213 Yesterday, Amanda and I started a new list on “daily living” issues for autistics, on both how to get formal support and how to manage without it. A lot of people have already signed up already - 67 people right now, and I’ve been amazed by the discussion already. While the list is new, and discussion is just getting started, I’m amazed at the sheer number of autistic people who have trouble with what I believe neurotypicals see as a really “basic” area of need - food. It’s easy to think you’re the only one who has had an eating disorder. In fact, I felt that way for quite a while until I found out a friend I knew from elsewhere online, another autistic, also deals with one. And then, when you realize that, “Okay, I’m not the only... NTs Are Weird blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=740506 Wed, 18 Jul 2007 00:30:35 +0100 740506 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=737586&cid=t_105441_133_f&fid=35128&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthiswayoflife.org%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D212 Autistic Daily Living is a new group to discuss challenges (and hopefully some solutions) for daily living. Amanda is helping me co-moderate this group. The full description of the group: This group will focus on issues relating to daily living needs for autistic adults, in an environment that is positive towards autism. Many of us have significant and real trouble with things like housing, eating, obtaining services, communication, cleanliness, work, access to medical care, finances, transportation, and other “basic” parts of life that are taken for granted by most of the neurotypical world. The group will be a safe place for autistic people to discuss troubles in these areas, without fear of being judged as “lazy” (as a result, people who think autistic people jus... NTs Are Weird blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=737586 Tue, 17 Jul 2007 00:55:17 +0100 737586 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=716645&cid=t_105441_133_f&fid=35128&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthiswayoflife.org%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D203 Yep, the subject sounds like a research paper. Don’t worry, it’s not (I could do computer science research, but certainly not any about functioning or emotions). Right now, I’m back in my home state (as in one of the 50 United States). I’m still traveling around, but I’m in areas that I’m very familiar with, and which I fully understand. That means I’m a bit less stressed and a bit more able. I’m about 5 miles from a 12,000 foot mountain peak right now. Mountains are good. Seeing the sky is good. Being in nature is good. I’m doing a bit better emotionally on other fronts too. I’ve told one person I know on the net that I no longer desire contact of any sort from them and added them to my spam filter list. It sucks when you make an... NTs Are Weird blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=716645 Thu, 05 Jul 2007 14:58:05 +0100 716645 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=676248&cid=t_105441_133_f&fid=35128&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthiswayoflife.org%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D185 I screwed up last week, I let my emotions get away from me. I’ve written about this before, about how my “flat” emotions are a result of trying to keep my emotional state in check, lest the emotions wash me away. Strong emotions are very difficult for me to manage, and I’ll trade some of the extreme happiness I feel to not trade some of the extreme sorry and sadness. During this time, I was very hurt and sad. Thankfully, there were several things I was able to do so that I didn’t hurt myself. The first was work - at least for 8 hours a day, I was able to focus on something that was relatively neutral on an emotional level (thankfully I have a good job, or this wouldn’t have worked). I also slept a lot. I knew I wasn’t going to hurt myself while sle... NTs Are Weird blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=676248 Fri, 08 Jun 2007 12:47:45 +0100 676248 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=654523&cid=t_105441_133_f&fid=35128&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthiswayoflife.org%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D182 In my last post, talking about the need for autistic people to be the primary source about autism, not just another source equal with all other sources, I’ve noticed the continuation of something that I’ve always faced - something that truly frustrates me (I can tell this is going to be a long day; It’s good that I have something to perseverate on today other than this). When I make an argument (in the logical sense), it so often seems that people make assumptions about what I’m saying. Sometimes I’m to blame for a misinterpretation, but other times I truly have no idea how the misinterpretation came about. I am learning where some of these come from, although they still surprise me. I’ll see, for instance, a post about whether or not the Autism Hub is t... NTs Are Weird blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=654523 Sat, 02 Jun 2007 13:50:45 +0100 654523 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=638280&cid=t_105441_133_f&fid=35128&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthiswayoflife.org%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D177 You see, an old (or at least a 30 year old!) autistic can learn new tricks. I’m still learning about my emotions. I feel the subtle emotions, but I don’t always realize that’s what I’m feeling or know how to describe it. A couple years ago, I would have described my current emotional state as “depressed”, although it’s not, as I know it will soon be gone unlike depression which seems to stick around a bit. So I’ll say I’m grumpy and unsettled. I’m probably not a great person to be around today. I’m unsettled for a few reasons. The biggest one is that I’m preparing for a trip, and the trip has a tight schedule without a lot of room for problems to come up. I’ve also had a long day at work, where my work was affect... NTs Are Weird blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=638280 Sat, 26 May 2007 02:13:09 +0100 638280 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=620272&cid=t_105441_133_f&fid=35128&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthiswayoflife.org%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D166 Autistic people face discrimination in many areas of our lives. One of the areas that discrimination is most evident in is employment. We simply don’t interview well. It’s obvious that we’re a bit “odd” at the least, and quite often far more than “a bit”. We stumble over our words, we respond bluntly, we say the wrong things. We tend to not see what interviewer thinks is the important part of the question, answering some other point instead. In other words, it’s hard for us to get work. In reality, for many (most?) jobs, these things aren’t important, and with some really basic understanding (the word “autism” isn’t important in getting this understanding - basic social skills and theory of mind among the neurotypical ... NTs Are Weird blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=620272 Sat, 12 May 2007 01:59:12 +0100 620272 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=531954&cid=t_105441_133_f&fid=35128&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthiswayoflife.org%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D155 In case you’ve missed world events, a group of British soldiers was recently accused by Iran of being in Iranian water while conducting an inspection of a cargo ship. Britain insists that their soldiers were a bit over a mile inside of Iraqi waters, where this boarding was being done with the approval of the Iraqi government. Both the Iraqi government and the merchant vessel captain also insist that the events took place in Iraqi waters. Even so, the British sailors were taken prisoner by Iran. Fortunately they have since been released, but I want to talk a bit about what happened while they were being held by Iran. While being held by Iran, there were several statements made by the captured sailors, or at least claimed to have been made. Letters were delivered to the British from at... NTs Are Weird blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=531954 Tue, 10 Apr 2007 02:34:19 +0100 531954 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=499589&cid=t_105441_133_f&fid=35128&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthiswayoflife.org%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D143 I had to see a doctor in a different state recently, while on vacation. That means I was really sick, really miserable, and somewhat scared. It takes a lot to get past all the things that make seeing a doctor hard, especially when you throw an unfamiliar doctor’s office into the mix, and that it was very good that I managed to get into a doctor. During the appointment, the doctor asked a bunch of diagnostic questions (”Is this keeping you from sleeping?” “How long has it been going on?” Etc.). I could answer most of the questions, although there ware a few that I didn’t know what answer would be the best answer to give. The worst was, “Do you feel sick?” I still have no idea what the doctor was actually asking. Was he asking if, other than th... NTs Are Weird blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=499589 Sun, 25 Mar 2007 02:37:47 +0100 499589 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=488322&cid=t_105441_133_f&fid=35128&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthiswayoflife.org%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D134 It’s been a hard few weeks for me - I’ve been working on an extremely stressful project at work, doing work that is very important and also very high profile. In fact, I earned nearly 100 hours of “comp time” in the last two weeks, due to the 60+ hours of overtime I’ve put in. That’s why I haven’t written much on the blog - I’ve been eating, sleeping, and working. Mostly working. Fortunately my involvement in that project has come to an end, and I get to return to my normal job - a job I love. It’s also a job without the stress of the project I’ve been working on. (I don’t mind challenges - I do mind situations set up to fail; My normal job is very challenging, but it’s also possible to do it well, unlike the project t... NTs Are Weird blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=488322 Sat, 03 Mar 2007 01:27:29 +0100 488322 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=488323&cid=t_105441_133_f&fid=35128&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthiswayoflife.org%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D133 Around a decade ago, prosopagnosia was an extremely rare diagnosis. Less than a few dozen people in the entire world were known to have this condition. It was thought to be very unusual, and extremely rare. What is prosopagnosia? It’s the inability to recognize people by their face. Most people instinctively can recognize others by someone’s face. Someone with prosopagnosia cannot do this, and may not recognize their own children or parents if they encounter them when they aren’t expected to encounter them (most people with prosopagnosia use other means to recognize people, means that don’t work nearly as well, so they have particular problems with out-of-context recognition). Recently, new research has challenged the old estimates of prevalence, putting the rate of... NTs Are Weird blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=488323 Wed, 21 Feb 2007 02:33:53 +0100 488323 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=488325&cid=t_105441_133_f&fid=35128&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthiswayoflife.org%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D131 I went to a meeting of area autistic people today. I always find these meetings very stressful, despite enjoying the time to hang around with my people. The reason I find them stressful is because some autistics aren’t quiet and shy, but rather very loud and “in your face,” including some that were at this meeting. I don’t have any problem with that - I realize that’s how their autism is expressed. This means that there are going to be some loud voices talking over each other, despite the best efforts of the group’s moderators. I don’t think that’s intentional, I think it’s really something that some autistics have trouble controlling (myself included sometimes). So, a reasonable accommodation is to allow a bit of this, which I feel the... NTs Are Weird blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=488325 Sun, 18 Feb 2007 01:32:18 +0100 488325