In Praise of Dr Judith Gould of the Lorna Wing Centre

http://www.autism.org.uk/our-services/diagnosing-complex-needs/about-the-lorna-wing-centre/our-staff/dr-judith-gould.aspx

I have put this link in, so you can read about Dr. Gould. I feel so honoured to have had her diagnose me, especially as she is now mostly retired.

Getting back to March, when I stopped writing my blog, I was fixating on the idea that I was not really as Aspie, just an imposter, and a really horrible person too. I think most autistic people get these episodes where you just go into a fog of horribleness. It is hard to describe just what you are feeling. I like to describe it as being in a room with no doors or windows and feeling such bleakness that nothing can get in and nothing can get out.

Anyway, it was during this bleak time, that I picked up the phone and rang the Lorna Wing Centre.

I explained to the lovely lady on the phone (Jo Parker) just why I was ringing, how I felt that no-one seemed to believe that I could have Asperger's as I seemed so "normal" (Ha!). Just try being with me for more than a couple of hours!!!!

It took a little while to sort out, but eventually I had my date set and it was just a case of waiting for it to arrive.

Arrive, it did, last week. Me and my son made the journey to Bromley South to go to the clinic.

We had lunch in a darling café. Greasy spoon type, but quite honestly, one of the finest meals I have had in a while.

Then it was time to head back to my appointment with Dr. Gould. I was very nervous but she put me so much at ease that I was soon able to relate to her my experiences growing up, my memories, my disastrous work experiences and my even more disastrous romantic experiences! In short, I was totally honest. The truth. How things had panned out for me.

At the end of it all, she sat back and told me the result. She had no doubt that I completely fit the pattern and profile of an adult woman with Asperger's syndrome.

She told me that it was not my upbringing that had caused it. It had been there when I was born and that my experiences I described to her (in particular the Roman Catholic stuff) would have been the very worst kind of incidents for a child with Asperger's to go through.

The relief was enormous. This lady has been diagnosing people for 35-40 years so she must really know her stuff.

I am so pleased that I got to see her. She was so warm and understanding.

So that's it really.  I am officially the Old Aspergian!