Let’s Make the New Year Awesome!

Story of My Life Pt. 7 by Jake McClintick 1/2/19

I am excited about the new year. So like my new desk and work area. Lots of anger leaving, awesome to not feel so trapped. Maybe I am good at something after all!  Mom says that I might help others.

Good anger is leaving. So not like to feel so mad about having autism.  Maybe autism is the “appreciate so much more everything” life. Friends like me really like so much to have great life, gigantic hurdles to get there.

Not my reality life most people have, can’t stop my thoughts. Makes my mind hard to live with, really hard to have peaceful (not mad) thoughts.

My most important goal is to be kind to others. Might need more life acceptance to not have this anger that always stays in my mind. Not my autism, dealing with my anger about autism like to get better at.

Got to leave my anger really another life in the past.

Jake McClintick is now 23 years old and has been learning to communicate using a letterboard since age 18. Learning the process of using a letterboard through the Rapid Prompting Method (RPM) was a gradual process that took several years. We are still working on expanding RPM and Jake’s confidence/skills beyond our “work sessions.”  Regardless, this low-tech alternative communication system has been an answered prayer for us both.

At the age of 22 Jake began expressing his very personal thoughts and feelings more fluently with me (his mom), and it was his idea to begin writing “The Story of My Life” one day.  This was his seventh entry to that story. He is diagnosed with severe autism as well as intermittent explosive disorder. He has given me permission to share his story and our conversations. He continually expresses his desire to “find purpose” to his life…I hope his willingness to share will help others learn about this misunderstood condition known as “autism” that has so much to teach us all.