I was a happy child growing up and for the most part just the happy go lucky time in my early years. Mom was always amazed when we flew to see her sister at Christmas time that I was first out of my set as soon as the set belt sign was off. Up and about chatting with whom ever I cam across as I wondered the isles of the air plane.
I did well in my early years of school but as time went by life was ready to through me my first challenge Once I had reached 6th grade my schooling took a huge change. My grades dropped to almost failing and no matter how had I tried or how much I studied I could make no progress no advance meant I was continually teased by the other kids in my class each time the grades came out as we all had to go to the front of the room to get our report cards. I remember being frustrated and not understanding. Every one thought that I was stupid and that I would come to nothing except of course for my mom. She new that I was an intelligent child but could not understand why I was not able to learn.
Mom watched me study and try my hardest to succeed. She got me a tutor but no matter what the two of us tried I was not able to make any progress. It was like there was a switch in my mind that had been shut off. Mom finally got the answer from my doc one day as they where walking the halls of the hospital that her office was at. He doctor Tucker asked mom if I had been tested for dyslexia. Mom had no idea of what dyslexia is. She told doctor Tucker that she didn't and had not had me tested. As it happened doctor Tuckers son Jim was a teacher with his wife Janis and knew all about dyslexia and would be able to test me.
Well as you can guess the test came back with the answer to my problem in learning. I am severely dyslexic. Not just the simple reversing of a word or couple of letters but much more.
I was reading to my mom one day. I had just finished three paragraphs on the page but before I could turn the page my mom with this confused look on her face asked me what I had just read. I told her the story in chronological order. Mom just shook her head and looked at me and asked me if I knew what I had done. I told here I didn't. She let me know that the order I had read the paragraphs was first, last and then middle paragraphs. The funny part is that I had not a clue that this is what I had done.
The summer before I started my junior high school Janis started tutoring me and teaching me how to deal with my dyslexia. She taught me a new approach to learning and way in which I could progress along with every one else. Learn to read and not struggle with it. Well at the end of my 6th grade I was getting D's on most of every thing that I attempted but after Janis summer of tutoring me I finished the first quarter of my junior year with mostly Bs and C's. I was able with continued help able to go from a 1 point grade average to 3.14 . This was followed by two wonderful years in boarding school. It can be just amazing what can happen and what you can do when you have the help and guidance one needs.
I will always be dyslexic and will always be fighting to get things in the correct order. As I sit here typing I am constantly correcting my self as my hands get confused and place things backwards. I have learned to cope and have come to love to read instead of dread it as I did during those early years.
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