2006-05-05T09:20:00.000-07:00

“What is it like…….to be dyslexic, I mean.” a friend of mine randomly leaned over and asked me one day during school. I did not really know what to say, even though this was not the first time I’ve been asked this question. Have you ever aimed for a goal you know you could never achieve, but for some reason you try anyway just hoping you can get closer to achieving it. My whole life I have been climbing a mountain I may never see the top of. When I was 7 my parents took me to Mayo Clinic to be tested. It was there that I was officially labeled dyslexic. The guy said that I was seriously dyslexic and that I would always be several grades behind in reading. I was homeschooled most of my school life so I have been able to work at my own pace. When I was 8 I was finally able to read a Bob book ( a beginning level book that most kids in kindergarten learn to read). After all that hard work I was able to read a book, I was proud of myself. I would read that book over and over again, I read it to my parents, I read it to my pets, and I read it before I went to bed. It was around this time when my mom asked me what I thought I was good at and I said “well, I can read well”. it was not till I was about 9 or 10 when I started to realize that I was seriously behind in reading; that everyone could read but I could not. I would cry myself to sleep night after night wondering why did it have to be me, why me, why did I have to be stuck with the dyslexia and 2 brothers (now 3).

It is hard being dyslexic, well and having brothers too. Working so hard in school year after year but never really being able to see an improvement. Trying to write but in every sentence there is a miss-spelled word. Trying so hard to try to correct the miss spelled word, but no mater how many changes to the word you make you can never seem to get it right, the spell checker can’t even figure it out. Sitting around with friends talking about famous people, movies, or places but not really knowing what every one is talking about. Wanting to read something but no matter how hard you try you can’t seem to sound out the words on the page. Having to use up all your energy in reading a page, only in the end to find out you have a horrible head ache and you have no idea what it is talking about. Trying to say something or make a point but the word you are searching for is not there. Seeing an image in your mind, being able to taste it, the image is so clear, but not being able to come up with the name of the item, that word you are searching for. It is like constantly being in a game of Catch Phrase. There are so many things that come with being dyslexic.

A dyslexic person
>tires more quickly than a 'normal' person; far greater concentration is required
>may read a passage correctly yet not get the sense of it
>may have great difficulty with figures (e.g. learning tables), reading music or anything which entails interpreting symbols
>may have difficulty remembering names
>usually has difficulty learning foreign languages
is inconsistent in performance
>may omit a word or words, or write a word twice
>suffers from constant nagging uncertainty
>cannot take good notes because s/he cannot listen and write at the same time
>may have great difficulty in finding her/his place again when s/he looks away from a book s/he is reading or a blackboard s/he is copying from
>reads slowly because of her/his difficulties, so is always under pressure of time
>will probably be personally disorganized -s/ he may also be clumsy and forgetful, no matter how hard s/he tries
>is likely to have difficulty following a string of instructions.

I have been blessed to have such loving, caring and considerate parents who are willing to stand by my side and help me. I don’t know what I would do without them. My mom has put a lot of time into my school, and I think she has done a really good job. I have also been blessed with nice understanding friends, friends that did not tease me or put me down for being dyslexic, but instead I felt like I could come to them when I needed help. I would not have made it this far if it was not for these people. But even though God put such loving people in my life I still was embarrassed. I remember many Sundays I would sit in Sunday school and the teacher would say “ lets all go around and read.” I hated that; I still do. I sit there my heart racing, my stomach in knots, I try to think of all the ways I could escape, a head ache comes. I was afraid every one would laugh at me. When I was about 13 or 14 I went to this BGC retreat thing and I talked to this lady. She asked me what I was afraid would happen if I told others I was dyslexic? She told me I needed to come to terms with my dyslexia, “it is not something to be ashamed of,” she said. At first I did not understand want she was talking about. But during the next year I started to think about it more, and I decided that she was right, it is not something to be ashamed of because God gave me it. He wanted me to have it because he has a plan for my life. Because of this I am proud to say I am dyslexic. I would have also not made it this far if it was not for God. He has stuck by my side throughout all the hard times. He gives me strength when I am weak, picks me up when I fall down, Lord to give up I’d be a fool. Yes it is hard, with very slow progress. But I did not give up and I am not about to now. One of the verses I find most encouraging is found in 2 Corinthians 12:8-10. I like the NLT version the best, probably because I can read it the best.

Three different times I begged the lord to take it away. Each time he said, “My gracious favor is all you need. My power works best in your weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may work through me. Since I know it is all for Christ’s good, I am quite content with my weaknesses and with insults, hardships, persecution, and calamities. For when I am week, then I am strong.
2 Corinthians 12:8-10

“The mental function that causes dyslexia is a gift in the truest sense of the word: a natural ability, a talent. It is something special that enhances the individual.
Dyslexics don't all develop the same gifts, but they do have certain mental functions in common. Here are the basic abilities all dyslexics share:
They can utilize the brain's ability to alter and create perceptions (the primary ability).
They are highly aware of the environment.
They are more curious than average.
They think mainly in pictures instead of words.
They are highly intuitive and insightful.
They think and perceive multi-dimensionally (using all the senses).
They can experience thought as reality.
They have vivid imaginations.
These eight basic abilities, if not suppressed, invalidated or destroyed by parents or the educational process, will result in two characteristics: higher than normal intelligence, and extraordinary creative abilities. From these the true gift of dyslexia can emerge -- the gift of mastery.
The gift of mastery develops in many ways and in many areas. For Albert Einstein it was physics; for Walt Disney, it was art; for Greg Louganis, it was athletic prowess.”

My Dyslexia