Things have not been as smooth as we had hoped with Daniel’s employment and training.  He struggled to adapt, but he is doing so.  His job coach from Launchability has helped him work thru some difficulties at work.  He is training for another position as he was not speedy enough for the first.  NMD is working hard to keep him employed and we are grateful.  Daniel completed his evaluation period at non-Pariel and was accepted.  Typical Daniel, he is still challenging anything he doesn’t understand.  He has made a good friend and is starting to open the door to others.

As if Daniel didn’t have enough on his plate, he volunteered to be part of a study on Asperger’s Syndrome.  He completed his service by undergoing an hour long MRI on Friday.  I’m not sure I could have handled an hour in an MRI machine.  I hope his efforts and the efforts of other volunteers will be part of something that helps with more awareness of Aspies and their unique minds.

Adjusting to running our business without Daniel has been quite challenging.  His ability to remember almost everything and keep the route running efficiently has been impossible for my husband and I to match, but we have hired an experienced helper – so it should get better.

I decided to give up my leadership role in the Parents of Adults with Asperger Syndrome. I started off holding weekly meetings in the four quadrants of DFW, but after the first month, I never knew for sure if anyone was going to come.  People often signed up and then didn’t show up, and time is too great a commodity at this stage in my life, so I have offered to stay in touch and help where I can by email, text or phone.

For Thanksgiving, we are hosting two or more of the non-Pariel “kids” that don’t have family in town.   Creating a menu for a group of Aspies is challenging…suffice it to say that it won’t be a traditional Turkey dinnner.