A Life Well Lived

It is a wonderful thing when a person writes about his or her life.  Michael Oswald who has Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder writes us about his life.

My Name is Micheal Oswald. I’m 29 years old I live at home with my long time foster mother and father. I am involved in many activities, have many friends and live a very productive life. In so many ways, I am just like you. One thing though… I was born with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, or FASD. I have also been diagnosed with Tourettes Syndrome, Aspergers Syndrome, Obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) and Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

In my early years, it was difficult for many to understand why I was the way I was. For me however, it was and is far more difficult. In my childhood, I encountered numerous challenges. Many I have overcome, but some remain.

Balance was a huge issue. When I was 7 and 8, I was still unable to climb the stairs one at a time, for fear of slipping and falling. For a long time, walking meant never lifting my feet, only shuffling them on the ground. Sensations were something else all together. Once, while walking on rocks on the beach with bare feet, I remember being in pain, the unfamiliar feeling of the rocks under my feet. After that I was sure to wear beach shoes.