Oh yeah, the other learning disability I forgot to mention since it's been alleviated by the advent of computers was finger agnosia. I always had a small, cramped writing style and purposely tortured my teachers as a form of revenge for spelling tests since I knew the words and spelling. I just knew that I could write as small as possible (and it's a stretch to write "normal size" Christmas cards), and my fingers would cramp or stop working.

Back when I was tested everything was still written, and even through college we had the blue book exams which required a full day of preparing, just not by writing since I had to rest my fingers so that I could do a full 2 hours of writing. One of the best things my parents did though, was let me play the viola through high school. I was good (second viola) although I knew that I would never be great enough to play in college or professional orchestras, but it allowed me to develop more extended writing sessions, along with bringing a unique sense of joy that I had competence even though it wasn't perfection.

Even though I had short fingers and fourth position was a nightmare for me especially if I had to move up the scale, it taught me to push beyond those boundaries over time.

It seems like that's been my life. I have a lot of handicaps, and some have been more obvious than others (lazy eye and lack of depth perception I've had many people comment on), but I joke about it, explain in depth to those who are downright rude about it, and keep pushing forward. After all, what is the alternative? Everyone has difficulties, and we all find our own coping mechanisms, it's just the sheer volume that I've dealt with has been challenging, particularly with the lack of transparency in my family even when they found out what was causing issues with me.

 The final piece, and most challenging, has been the attention distribution disorder. For that exact reason I am the top producer in my department. Because I can't focus on one thing I take on multiple requests until I shut down, reboot, and start again, but in the meantime I do the work of three people. The mental toll it takes on me is something I've never found an answer for, though, since the shut down process is painful and doesn't lend itself to working 11 hours straight. I need to figure out a better answer on that front, and I will, because it's what I do. Find work-arounds, shortcuts, accommodations, since the world will not accommodate me.