[expatpat]

Perhaps I shouldn't have made fun, but the statement was too much for me to resist. You seem like you have the curiousity and analytical to have been a good scientist if you'd gone that route. I'm sorry about the problem with your son, (those with fully healthy children don't know how lucky they are) and admire the way you've made autism a mission. My training is useful in that it has allowed me to think properly, but has little direct subject-matter relevance.

BTW, my second wife was given Pitocin during the birth of our second child and nearly had a fatal heart attack. The resulting daughter turned out well enough.

[Orgiveme]

You seem like you have the curiousity and analytical to have been a good scientist if you'd gone that route. I'm sorry about the problem with your son, (those with fully healthy children don't know how lucky they are) and admire the way you've made autism a mission. My training is useful in that it has allowed me to think properly, but has little direct subject-matter relevance.

I had a doctor friend tell me once I could have been a doctor -- I replied, "Or a lawyer" -- "Or both," was his next statement. I have always treasured that. I had another friend tell me that he knew a Bechtel engineer that was at about my level and the smartest person he knew. I am "only" a wife and a mother (of four sons) but I consider that to be a very high calling. As it turns out my mother was the computer programmer at USNSCC/Oakland back when the computer took up the whole room -- and she was UNTRAINED and "uneducated." She had also worked on ballistics stuff during WWII. My adoptive dad, interestingly enough, was the implementor of the hermetically-sealed building to house that same computer. This was unbeknownst to both of them, apparently. He was also "unqualified," but went on to become the first paid National VP for the biggest civil service union in the country and single-handedly ended RIF (reduction in force) practices in the civil service that kept people from advancing in seniority and accruing a pension. That was before he knew there was a union to join.

I continue to do informal research on a lot of health issues for my elderly dad and myself and my husband and our autistic son, and I keep the rest of my friends and family abreast on what I'm learning. There appears to be some real hope for autistics in hyperbaric oxygen combined with vasodilation medications/supplements, as well as glyconutrient therapy (see www.gordonresearch.com) and we will be exploring those things for our son. I always share everything I'm learning about any topic with anyone who will listen; I think that's just in my nature.

I think a recent challenging poster (see just above) needs to consider the last thing in your quote up above, though I don't really believe he/she exhibits the training in thinking you demonstrate. It DOES make a difference if you have a vested interest in a topic; it always worked for me in English Composition! I can't claim having been trained in Logic -- my husband and kids do twit me about that sometimes -- but I have a little exposure to it and I think I would like the discipline. My hat's off to you for your training! I hope you will find something that is very worthy to apply it to! You've certainly given me a nice compliment that I will treasure.

Congrats on your healthy daughter and I hope your wife is okay now!