Introductions

April 9, 2006

Dear friends and fellow group members,

My name is beth Squires and I'm new to this group. Thanks for

having me! I am the author of the forthcoming book, bOObs: A Guide to

Your Girls. In support of the book, and to help women better network

and support each another, I've also created a website at

www.booksonboobs.com.

So why a book on breasts? Because women's breasts have been viewed

from every angle but one: the owner's. I'm amazed at how little

information is out there for women with simple questions about their

breasts. Take the bra fitting experience, for example. You might

have seen the recent episode of Oprah where she devoted an entire show

to how to dress your " girls. " In the end, over 95% of the studio

audience was actually wearing the wrong size bra! This just

illustrates the lack of knowledge and information that exists on such

a simple subject.

I'm hoping my work can help fill this void and further the discussion

and understanding of women's breasts. I intend to separate fact from

fiction and give women what we need: a little " tech support " for our

breasts! I'm proud of my work so far and I'm excited to share it with

you.

One section of the website, called " Mammoirs, " features women's own

entertaining and inspirational stories about living with their

breasts. In " bOOb Talk, " users can ask questions, share anecdotes and

even get the male perspective on a variety of breast-related issues.

The " Questionnaire " allows you to submit your own view of your

breasts. The " Resources " section provides helpful, up-to-date news

and information from experts on breast health and concerns, with links

to other sites of interest. I hope you'll want to pay the site a

visit and that maybe you'll even learn something along the way. Most

of all, I want you to participate, meet new people and have fun.

I think that with this group I've found some open- and like-minded

women who can share in my cause. I'm looking forward to participating

more on down the line and talking with you all further!

November 9, 2006

Hi, I'm , pretty much a lurker. My AS son is R.J. and he's a month shy

of 8 years old. My dd Miranda (13) is NT; ds ny (11) is NT; and dd Beth

(6) is ADHD. We live in NE Minnesota (near Duluth). R.J. got his ADHD

diagnosis at 22 months old and at about 2 and a half they labeled him EBD. He

was accepted into a special preschool program but due to not being speech

delayed, our school district wouldn't bus him and there was no way we could

drive

50 miles to this school everyday. GRRRRRR. Finally, this summer we got the

diagnosis of Asperger's and generalized anxiety. Currently we're getting the

run around with our school (again!) because academically R.J. does very well

with the material presented (math, science, memorizing poems). The special

ed director says she can't meet with him because he's not in special

ed....ummmm, I thought to myself, well how can you evaluate him if you haven't

even

met the boy? LOL Oh well, crossing my fingers for our upcoming meeting with

the school psychologist this coming Tuesday! )

Miranda (13)

ny (11)

R.J. (7)

Beth (6)

Trying to control children by yelling is as utterly futile

as attempting to steer a car by honking the horn.

(http://www.winzy.com/f/erikac) (http://www.thefreelot.com/?a=becalhoun98)

November 10, 2006

Hi, my name is Shirley and I'm 49, married. My dd and her family is

living with us and my grandson age 10 was diag. aspergers 2

weeks ago. He was diag with ADHD at age 5 but none of the medicine

has worked. One of his teachers this year suggested we have him

tested for aspergers and I'm glad that we did. He has started on

Fluvoxamine 25mg twice a day and yesterday he started risperdal

0.5mg twice a day. He's a very loving child and is very smart but

he likes to sing LOUDLY in class and sometimes he will crawl around

on the floor looking for ants etc. (while singing) durning class.

He goes to a year around school and has been out for 3 weeks now.

I'm hoping that when he returns to school on Monday his teachers

will be able to notice a difference in his behavior. My dd is going

to meet with his teachers and the special ed teacher Monday to let

them know his new diag. and to change his IEP. One of his teachers

gave his a C because he wouldn't particapate in class even though he

made an A on his tests and homework.

> > Hey everybody,

> > Since I am new here and I am seeing a lot of other

> > new people pop up,

> > I thought it would be a good idea if we all posted

> > an intro here. The

> > regulars as well as the newbies.

> >

> > That way as new people come along we can refer them

> > to this post and

> > they can learn about us and we can learn about them.

> >

> > I will go first.

> > My name is , but I have seen another on

> > here, and in an

> > effort to avoid confusion, I will try to remember to

> > post as B.

> >

> > I am married with 3 kids. My kids are Aimee, Tyler,

> > and Jenna. Jenna

> > is my Asperger's kid. She will be 4 in January. I am

> > almost 29 so I am

> > sure that makes me the " baby " of the group here.

> >

> > Anyway, I am a professional photographer with my own

> > studio and I

> > really enjoy what I do. One day I think I would like

> > to make a

> > photojournalistic-style book filled with kids with

> > ASD's, capturing

> > all of the beautiful special things about them, and

> > perhaps including

> > some journal entries from my own experiences, and

> > possibly other

> > parent's experiences with their special kids. Now,

> > when I will ever

> > have time to complete this project is beyond me, but

> > I just thought of

> > it the other day and I think I really want to do

> > this.

> >

> > I love music and I sing and write some of my own

> > songs. If I had more

> > alleged " spare time " this is what I would spend my

> > time doing, besides

> > taking pictures.

> >

> > My daughter was just diagnosed in September and

> > though I had suspected

> > an ASD for a while (My sister's little boy is

> > autistic) the whole

> > thing is still a bit new to me. I greatly appreciate

> > any advice that

> > anyone has to give me and I just want all of you to

> > know that I know

> > you have a really hard job, and I think of you and

> > send you well

> > wishes every day. Sometimes even in my daughter's

> > worst moments, I

> > stop and just say a little prayer and send good

> > vibes to all of you

> > other parents out there who I know are possibly

> > having a hard moment too.

> >

> > Anyway, enough about me. Let's hear about all of

> > you. I am looking

> > forward to getting to know you all better.

> >

> > Have a great day!

> > - B.

> >

> > [Non-text portions of this message have been

> > removed]

> >

>

> __________________________________________________________

> Want to start your own business?

> Learn how on Small Business.

> http://smallbusiness./r-index

>

> ---------------------------------

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>

November 10, 2006

Hi I am new here too.

My name is Robyn and I am 38 years old and we are stationed in Virginia now.

I am active duty Air Force (15 yrs) and I am remarried (2005) to the most

wonderful and caring man. He is also full time active duty Air Force (18 1/2

yrs--18 months left to retire at age 38).

My daughter Krystal (13) is typical and my son (11) is AS (diagnosed

2006).

We have been trying to change the ED (Emotional Disturbed) label since 2004

and finally succeeded this past week. Now my son will be mainstreamed to a

typical class with 1:1 assistance at the end of Nov.

We are happy to have received some assistance from the state (mentoring and

respite) as our insurance is lacking in these and other areas.

We look forward to sharing with other families and learning as well.

I want to be part of the solution so in between college, Citizen Police

Academy, working full time, soccer, piano, voice lessons, band and church I have

a Special Families Information Group meeting once a month and share information

of local resources to other military families who are new to the

area----especially since most o us have no family in the area we are located.

Thanks for letting me share.

Robyn

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November 10, 2006

but have lived for a while in the US.Hi! I'm . I post frequently and

sometimes controversial messages. I'm the father of a 7 yo boy with AS (only

child). My wife is an ObGyn, and I'm a physician and researcher. We live in

Houston, Texas, USA, and at the end of the spring 07 will move to a beautiful

semi-rural area near Austin, the state capital (away from the hurricanes!!!). We

are originally from Colombia (South America). We have a very clear pattern of AS

on both sides of the family for at least the 4 generations we can still see,

some of them with admirable outcomes, some not. Our son is the first one to

receive a clear diagnosis. Others were in the past (not too long ago, though)

diagnosed with atypical schizophrenia or psychotic depression.

Our son is mainstreamed at a public school program for gifted and talented

children, is under title 504 (Americans with Disabilities Act, not Special Ed),

and the counselor, speech pathologist, and teacher help him following the plan

agreed by the whole team and us. He also goes to weekly 30-minute speech therapy

sessions.

Have a great day. F

---------------------------------

Everyone is raving about the all-new beta.

November 10, 2006

Good Morning Everyone,

I am a certified lurker. I am Debra Balke and I am a pediatric neurologist in

California. I have been married 17 years to my husband . Went into the

field of pediatric neurology as our family is full of neurologic disorders from

multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, ADHD, OCD, mental illness, etc. Was expecting

kids with ADHD and did extra training on this before I had them. I have two

children a son age 10 and a daughter age 7. My son has Aspergers and is

obsessed with computer programming. Taught himself to read from the error

messages on the computer at age 3. He has a 1 on 1 aide in school, is gifted,

but can be physically and verbally aggressive under stress and impressively

inattentive and hyperactive. We are working very hard to keep him out of an

emotionally disturbed classroom placement and in the regular school setting.

The school has been very supportive this year and all supports imaginable are in

place. My daughter is mildly autistic with an obsession with cats but it comes

out at school as extreme compliance, desire to please, cooperative. At home she

can be melting down if over stimulated but she is a piece of cake compared to my

son. My husband is classic Aspergers, PhD in computer science, currently

obsessed with piano, previously it was golf, before that it was basketball.

This is certainly not the life I expected to have but I too have learned so

much, have many joyful moments, and am a much stronger person with much more

knowledge of humanity. I can't imagine not having had the experiences I have

had, how much more full my life is now than before. It isn't the path I

expected, but it has been a challenge and we make the best of it and try to

enjoy what we can along the way.

I have learned so much from everyone here. Roxanna is my hero, I listen to

every word she has to say since she has so much experience and is generally

right on the mark about most everything. I really liked the psychology

therapist guy, whose name escapes me, despite his long winded answers. He too

is right on the money and a tremendous asset to this group, despite him not

being a parent of an AS kid. I strongly would agree to " not vote him off the

island " as his advice is so excellent. But, I haven't seen him post in a while

so hopefully he didn't get scared away.

Thanks to everyone here. This group is my daily support group. It is so nice

to read about everyone else having the same experiences. I just want my kids to

be able to be educated, lead productive lives, and keep them safe from the

neurotypical world that doesn't understand their intentions or meltdowns. I am

so fearful for the future and their safety, etc. etc. but try not to think more

than a little bit into the future because it is so scary.

Happy Friday.......

Debbie Balke

( ) Introductions

Hey everybody,

Since I am new here and I am seeing a lot of other new people pop up,

I thought it would be a good idea if we all posted an intro here. The

regulars as well as the newbies.

That way as new people come along we can refer them to this post and

they can learn about us and we can learn about them.

I will go first.

My name is , but I have seen another on here, and in an

effort to avoid confusion, I will try to remember to post as B.

I am married with 3 kids. My kids are Aimee, Tyler, and Jenna. Jenna

is my Asperger's kid. She will be 4 in January. I am almost 29 so I am

sure that makes me the " baby " of the group here.

Anyway, I am a professional photographer with my own studio and I

really enjoy what I do. One day I think I would like to make a

photojournalistic-style book filled with kids with ASD's, capturing

all of the beautiful special things about them, and perhaps including

some journal entries from my own experiences, and possibly other

parent's experiences with their special kids. Now, when I will ever

have time to complete this project is beyond me, but I just thought of

it the other day and I think I really want to do this.

I love music and I sing and write some of my own songs. If I had more

alleged " spare time " this is what I would spend my time doing, besides

taking pictures.

My daughter was just diagnosed in September and though I had suspected

an ASD for a while (My sister's little boy is autistic) the whole

thing is still a bit new to me. I greatly appreciate any advice that

anyone has to give me and I just want all of you to know that I know

you have a really hard job, and I think of you and send you well

wishes every day. Sometimes even in my daughter's worst moments, I

stop and just say a little prayer and send good vibes to all of you

other parents out there who I know are possibly having a hard moment too.

Anyway, enough about me. Let's hear about all of you. I am looking

forward to getting to know you all better.

Have a great day!

- B.

November 10, 2006

Hello , welcome. Yes most of us have been there. So there are alot of kind

people on here that can give you suggestions. My is 14yrs with

Asperger/Bipolar.

Take care,Betty

aka_andreaa27 <andreaa27@...> wrote:

I am a newbie here and with autism. I am a single mother of a possible

asperger's adhd 8 yr old son . He is classified EI by the school

district and in a ai/ei classroom. He has a lot of aggression,

stubborn, and violent behavior in the classroom and I am worried about

what the future may hold for him. He is a loving and sweet child at

home but cannot cope with classroom set-up. I am fighting with the

school quite a bit now and have been looking for a lawyer. I found

this group and it is reassuring that others are experiencing similar

issues.

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November 15, 2006

What a great idea B.

My name is Beck and I think there are a few other Becks on here too. I am Beck

J. I live in Australia with my husband and 2 kids.

Isaac has HFA and is just over six and due to start school next year with a full

time aide. He also has possible Tourette's still investigating.

Our daughter Charli is three and has no signs of ASD. She seems to just cruise

through life soaking things up like a sponge, quite social and very very

imaginative.

I work on a casual basis as a primary teacher, which is equiv to elementary over

there I think. My husband works shift work 7 days a fortnight and I work when

he is home with the kids.

I like the idea of a book full of photographs of kids with ASD. I think part of

the problem with people understanding ASD is that they don't expect to see just

every day normal looking kids who have a disability.

I've often though I'd like to publish a magazine for mums of kids with special

needs as the baby magazines that are popular just totally miss the mark for most

of us.

Beck J