Learning Disablity Musing

A friend of Fly Guy asked Fly Guy some questions about learning disablities because this friend is worried about some stuff his son is doing. So Fly Guy tossed it over to me so I could try to help this friend figure out the best way to figure out what is going on with this friend's son.

No problem I pull up websites about Dyslexia and Dysgraphia. First of all I learned something new. I never realized the pain in my arm and body when I write wasn't normal. I always figured everyone felt that. So it is nice to know after all these years I learn more about my learning differences.

This pain that I feel is the main reason I have never been able to write a diary or any long handwritten papers. The paperwork I need to do for the girls at the begining of every school year is torture for me. I normally write a bit and then get up and walk around shaking my arm and then write some more and then shake my arm more. It takes me forever to finish the paperwork. I never quite figured out when I was in school why nobody else was shaking their arm. I always figured I was just weaker then they were or something like that.

Reading the other symptoms of Dysgraphia caused my heart to race and remember awful teachers. One of the symptoms is "talks to self while writing." Yes that is very much the case for me. I did that in a college class and the instructor (he not a professor yet, but he wanted to be) yelled at me in front of all the class telling me I was distracting my neighbors. I cried my way through that class and as soon as class was over I went to the Office of Students with Disablities. The director of that office called over to the Poli Sci office and talked to the head of the department (who happen to have Tourette's syndrome). The director told the head of the department what happened. The instructor called me at home later that evening and aplogized, but he never aplogized to me in front of the class. It is taking all my willpower not to state the guy's name here and state how much that hurt me and have him find it while ego surfing, but I am a better person then that. At least I try to be, but I don't always make it. This instructor ended up never being offered a professor position and now worked in the insurance industry. I don't feel sorry about it at all he shouldn't be allowed to teach anyone anything.

Anyhow back to what I was saying. It sometimes suprises me how much pain I remember from events that happened because of the different symptoms. It isn't like I haven't gone on with my life. It isn't like I don't have a good life. These memories just haunt me sometimes.

Thinking about the pain while writing. I have been planning on doing some research lately, but some of the documents I would be using for my research would mean transcribing and the thought of sitting there and writing with the pain, just has been something I have been having trouble getting over.

I have to say I have been fairly good at figuring out what helps the pain. For example a ballpoint pen is just the worst. A Cross fountian pen with a fine nib works well. I don't know if it is because of the different barrel size or the flexiblity of the nib. Also a Shaffer fountian pen works well also....my Shaffer fountian pen I have had since I was in 6th grade it got me through high school. My Cross fountian pen got me through College. Just so you don't think it is fountian pens that help me...I also have a Mount Blanc fountian pen....it is a nice pen, but it doesn't dull the pain like the other two pens. I have no idea what the differance is, there is just a differance.

Blah....it seems that blogger's spell checker is having problems tonight so you got my horrible spelling in all its glory. :-)