I was diagnosed with NVLD when I was either 22 or 24. I am now almost 53 years of age. There was very little explained to me about the diagnosis at that time, I knew that I had challenges but I had no family support and there was no one in the medical community at that time and still to this day that will aid me in comprehensive understanding of how to live with this neurodiverse condition and work with it as well.
Currently, I am unemployed, after trying to work for close to 35 years now. Every employer that I have worked for has discriminated against me in some form or the other. I have been physically hit in an office where I worked, right in front of the supervisor and the institution denied that it happened. I looked for another job after being terminated for complaining. At another company, I was almost crushed or maimed by a top-heavy file cabinet, because none of the other staff told me that the night before the manager had emptied the bottom drawers of the file cabinet. I have been verbally assaulted, ridiculed, harassed, undermined, bullied, belittled, and much more in the workplace. Now I am unemployed, behind in my rent and all other important bills such as health insurance, life insurance, electricity, phone and so much more. My last employer which was a major Hospital refused to allow me the use of the accommodations that I needed to learn the job, sadly enough this behavior started on my first day on the job. At this stage of my life, I have nothing left, and I am completely exhausted from fighting to live in a world that will not allow me to function in the capacity that others function in without support. My hope is that more people learn how to have empathy and consideration for those who do not function in the same way and just allow people to live.
Angela
About myself, I am 53 almost in June. I have two children who are adults and live away from home one has autism and the other has developmental differences similar to myself. I have accomplished a lot in this lifetime despite having NVLD. I have a Bachelor’s Degree and I have a Master’s Degree. I have held a corporate position for a human services agency and I have worked in the medical field as a certified Sterilization Processor. At this time in my life I have absolutely no income and I can not get disability because of how dysfunctional the system is and I truly in this world alone. I live my life alone with a cat that I love, she is about 80 years old and I guess I could say I keep living to make sure she is okay, outside of her I have nothing left to live for in this world. I am sad about the previous statement however I have lived a life of achievement therefore I okay with the possibility of my life ending sometime preferably soon. I am a staunch and avid advocate for myself, but I am so beaten down from my last job where I suffered bullying for 12.50 a day during my shifts, I have nothing left. I tried reaching out for help in so many places but everything has been all for not. Thank you for the opportunity to share my story!
