Hello, I'm Amber

[ozzma]

I was diagnosed with ADD 10 yrs ago, at the same time 2 of my 6 kids were diagnosed as ADHD among other things. My youngest son has Asperger's Syndrome. I have made great strides with everything in my life EXCEPT my house. We pretty much live with the mess. I am 43, with 4 daughters, 2 sons, a granddaughter, and too many pets. My hubby is Asperger's and probably ADD also. We actually flow real well. Oh yeah, I'm going back to College NOW to finish my degree. I work for an Internet Company as a traffic rep. I love coding!www.geocities.com/ozzmaga/index.html is my website. Nothing about ADD, just about personal growth. I had just joined the group when Patti posted the link to this new board. I'm looking forward to geeting to know everyone. I really would like to pick up some good ways to handle the little ADD issues that come up...
Thanks for letting me be here.
~Amber

[phnxgrl]

Hi Amber,
Nice to meet you. I am now 46 single. no children. I was diagnosed with ADHD/ADD when I was 7 years old. I was placed on Ritalin at that time but I really did not like the way I felt. I felt like I was a zombie totally drugged out. So as I aged I was told that you will out grow this. HA, I guess the experts were not correct on that diagnoses. I have always had problems with social interactions. The foot in mouth syndrome comes to mind.
Now that I am older I tend to become now more forgetful. Living with ADD/ADHD has been a major challenge. I did complete College and got a degree in Computer Science. I then completed 8 years in the Military. I spent 25 years in the Computer/ Electronic field only to have my job outsourced to India. So now I have changed Careers to become a Truck Driver. At least this job can not be sent to India well not yet anyway.

Theresa

[HiddenBarb]

Hello, I'm Barbara. I hope this message board takes off and we all get some advice and understanding from other ADDmirable Women. The format is great. I'm presently working hard at organizing my home and I am comforted to know that it a challenge to other women as well.
Glad to make new friends.

[Ann]

Hi, I'm Ann, and it would be nice if this message board were very active and we could all help each other out with our lives!!

I am 38, have 3 girls......one of which has been diagnosed with ADHD, and my youngest hasn't been diagnosed, but my opinion is that she has ADHD and Oppositional Defiance Disorder.........all of which make for a chaotic household!! My hubby is sooooooo different from me -- he is a perfectionist, very structured, and likes to "plan" everything, or it throws him of kilter. My impulsivness drives him crazy, and all I can say is I guess opposites attract.......I feel he gives me a sense of direction, because mine is totally shot!

My life is hectic and frazzled, and I feel so guilt ridden because I KNOW I bring it on myself with my poor time management, lack of prioritizing my day, etc. etc. and on and on. I get so MENTALLY tired during the day, I just feel like I could lay down and sleep forever - if only I had gotten anything done and no one would know. I feel very guilty if I sit down and look at a decorating magazine (I love to decorate and create) or if I paint something for my home (I am an artist, tried to have my own store for a while, but, that calls for organization - I do better working out of my home). If I am doing anything that is remotely enjoyable/relaxing, I feel guilty and lazy, because I have so many things all around me that I haven't gotten to yet. So I am constantly on the move, doing a little of everything, and nothing is finished when the kids get home. So of course, I'm stressed out and ..................I'm rambling. Sorry. I tend to go off like that, my thoughts just never end.

Anyway, I came upon this sight because I wish so badly that I were more organized. I know my family, my husband in particular, would be happier and things would be calmer and how I see them in my mind. I just never quite get there. And feel so incompetent because of that. I WANT TO DO SO MUCH!!!!!! Ideas about my home, things to do with the kids, so many ideas. And I just never quite get there................I have no close friends that I can really talk to about all this, (which is why YOU are getting all this jibberish!!)I have people that I like, but I don't seem to get close to them, just "surface" type relationships. Which is disappointing. And I've never understood why, because I feel I am very warm and personable. I just don't seem to attract friends easily, but then, I don't want them over at my home all the time, either. Just people that I can help or that I can depend on, too, when we have the time for each other.

I just never, ever, ever, seem to have any "free" time. Its swallowed up with frantic moments through out the whole day.

Well, I'll just shut up, or i'll type all night. Hope to get to know you all.

[nasusga]

Hi amber, I'm susan and sounds like I have a twin. I was finally brave enough to see a psychiatrist over a year ago with report cards my mother had kept and just happened to send at the same time. unfortunatly I didn't think about seeing someone untill after living in a commonlaw relationship and having a beautiful little girl. The lonlieness is devistating...I just got this computer a couple of weeks ago and just found this site today I don't know if you are still here or how functional this site is as this is the first time I've sent anything. because of the inner pain I have harboured and the deep sense of natural order in this world do to things falling apart and still being afloat, I happened to fall into a womens church group. I don't have any personal relationships with any of the women their but the break from lifes stress gives me a few hours of peace (listening to others speak about life at least, and getting out of the house) To satisfy my spiritual part of life I'm getting babtised tomorrow. all the best. susan.

[Ginny]

Hello to everyone. My name is Ginny and I just received my diagnosis and went seeking others like me. It is sooooo great to know that I'm not alone. I'm a mother of three, creative (and left handed), not able to finish a project, and can't remember where I left off on to do lists or conversations. I'm finding that a good sense of humor goes a long way with this, how about you??

I have yet to turn to medication and some of it is due to fear of the unknown. Since I'm almost 38 and have lived this long without it, how much of a change will I see in myself? I have questioned myself about many of the things that you all have and wish that I knew the answers. Why are we so hard to get to know? I can truly walk up to anyone and talk, but do I give enough of myself to people or just skim the surface of friendship? How do we mess up something that seems so easy??

I hope to get to know each of you. Thanks for letting me ramble. ~Ginny

[Cat]

Hello,

I'm Cat. Newly diagnosed at the age of 42. Reading the things you ladies have written has struck a chord with me. The messy house, the frantic over-planning, taking on way too much, dealing with a son who has just been tested for ADHD and tends to bounce off the furniture every day is all a part of my world. You don't want anyone to come to the house because they will see what it looks like. Terrified all the time that someone will figure how behind you are in everything. It's scary, it's lonely and it's isolating.

I've been divorced for a long while now. Can't even think about starting a new relationship because he couldn't come in my house.

I've just started medication and can see a difference but realize it's going to be a long haul and not the miracle I was hoping for.

It's wonderful having a forum like this so other women who are dealing with this can see that it's a shared experience. We are not alone. We are simply as we are.

[Ginny]

How worried are you guys that a truck with the camera crew of "LIFE LAUNDRY" will pull up and show everyone your mess?? I can't figure out if the show is to make us feel good that maybe someone is worse than we are, or to make us threaten those that love us NOT to submit our name! I myself am very proud of myself that today I actually cleaned my bathroom and nothing else until I was done. (It truly is a first for me and of course I selected the smallest room in the house). All I did was repeat "focus, focus, focus." It is funny, that one word is truly what got me on my road to diagnosis. I can't tell you all how often my boyfriend would say that word to me when we were on a errand or doing something around the house. I have learned to laugh at myself (about some things) yet still get so aggrivated at what truly are small insignificant items. Hopefully this site will pick up and we will get more conversations. Don't we all need it?

Ginny

[Luciana]

Cmon girls , I find that we are all artists =)

only thing we needed was to be filthy rich and let some maids (NOT ADD FOR GODS SAKE) do the cleaning and the repetitive chores =) aahauhauhauhauah

We should only concern about travelling the world and going to nice places and maybe make some consulting to make a good use of our creative habilities what do you think huh?

ahuahua im a big joker, but seriously I think we are like dragsters if the run is short we go reeeeally fast.. but cmon even they dont have such big tank do they?

As everyone here my house is a mess, yes a complete mess, I try to keep it at least not stinking but (shame on me) I couldnt help it sometimes

I work for the government and jumping from place to place with a big label on my head saying, anti social, too straightfoward, not prone to ass kissing, hard time with formalities and protocol ... I guess the only protocol Im ease with is the Internet Protocol... =(

but there is two ways... one is to bend the other is to live... guess wich I choose?