Syncope
I first experienced syncope when I was 16 after standing for 15 minutes. I continued to faint after standing for periods of time about once a month. Syncope from positional changes developed, but I kept pushing through as I was told to do. I rode horses everyday, swam on the swim team, started learning how to dive all while hiding my disability. Sometimes people would see me losing consciousness, but they just wrote it off. In 2017, after years of mild symptoms, my symptoms increased and I started fainting more frequently. In addition to those symptoms, I started experiencing chronic fatigue, stomach problems, neurological problems, and body aches to name a few. I started using a wheelchair on bad days and trained a service dog to alert, pick up and retrieve, guide, and many other things. I continued to experience these new symptoms, but was diagnosed with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, which explained the syncope and dizziness. In 2019 I started experiencing syncope on a daily basis and started using a wheelchair full time. I recently was diagnosed with myalgic encephalomyelitis, which explains the other symptoms. My conditions are best managed with help from a service dog and wheelchair. I'm 26 and am still getting diagnosed.
Childhood signs of autism
I had dealt with depression since I was little, and not getting along with other kids didn't help. I was the last one picked for teams, I had one friend and was constantly bullied. Parents, teachers and other adults were all oblivious to my struggles, often hiding them to simplify their own life and make themselves look good. I was in detention all the time for things like not wearing a dress on Friday or having to go to the bathroom. I'm currently seeking a diagnosis as I've realized I am autistic and found that my elementary school erased all traces of me struggling to get along. This doesn't help me, it hurts me. But it makes them look good, right? Now I deal with mental health problems and doctors have said it's from trauma.
Now
Now I stimmed freely, use a binkey for sensory reasons, avoid eye contact with strangers and wear sensory friendly clothes. I have noticed that I've displayed autistic traits my whole life. I also collect tiny things and love Disney. I am a model and Gamut is my management company. I am currently working on finishing my bachelor's degree in biology. My goal is to train service dogs for other people using my degree.
