My name is Kerry, and I have Pervasive Developmental Disorder – Not Otherwise Specified (PPD-NOS).
This means I have autism.
This does not mean I am autism.
This means I see the world sometimes in a different light.
This does not mean I’m in the dark.
This means from time to time I may have a difficulty expressing my emotions.
This does not mean I don’t feel.
This means when I communicate, I do it with a style that is my own.
This does not mean I don’t have a voice.
This means I may have sensitivity when it comes to a certain feel or touch.
This means sounds can sometimes make me feel uneasy.
This does not mean I’m deaf or hard of hearing.
This means I can often focus on certain interests for a long period of time.
This does not mean those are my only interests.
This means I’m the only person in my family to have this.
This does not mean I’m alone.
This means I may have 500 other symptoms/capabilities that are different than yours.
This does not mean I’m any less of a person than you are.
My name is Kerry, and regardless of what PPD-NOS means or doesn’t mean, autism can’t define me; I define autism. I can only hope those individuals, regardless of being autistic or not, can define their lives and their journeys in the way they see it.
