anyone with life experience with an ASD.  I was just diagnosed about a month ago after months of questioning....I really want/need to interact with any woman who has any of these diagnoses who is willing to share, listen, verbalize, .... 

When I looked at the forums I didn't see a distinct place for this type conversation so that's why I plopped down here.....

Thanks, cindy

This is my first time to visit AWN --- I have been dying to find such a site.... I have 2 sons with Asperger Syndrome (23 & 17) and was just recently diagnosed with PDD-NOS myself.

Having children with an autistic syndrome, you would have thought that I would have been prepared for my diagnosis, but I wasn't.  I have been reading and researching for years about such things, but is very different from the inside out...but that is not to say that I haven't had a great sense of relief knowing I wasn't just crazy (I have a couple psych diagnoses as well).  I kid around and say that I have my papers (as with pedigreed dog LOL) so people can go ahead and think I am crazy! 

I am 48, married, 3 kids, 2 dogs, 2 cats, fish....we live in Western NY.  Before I quit working almost 2 yrs ago I worked as a nurse (RN).  Had been in that field over 25 years, but it just got to be too much and I wigged out.  Now some days I just take an hour at a time...if I try to bite off too much, I often choke on it.

Listen now to the taped interview of 8 year old Gina Marie Incandella and her mother Michelle.

A Story of Hope

AWN Interview ~ Gina Marie Incandela