Hello everyone, welcome to SPD International
!!!
I figured I ought to write an introduction of my own, especially since not all of you may be familiar with who I am. My name is Daniel Travis, or as you'll see me on here, D1G1T. I am an adult with SPD, diagnosed initially when I was 18 months old, but was hardly even aware of it until shortly after turning 20 years old. I am now 22, and over the past couple of years, I have gotten to know many wonderful people in the SPD world!
My Life and History with SPD
When I first discovered SPD, my life was in a pretty tough place. I was incredibly depressed, worn down by years of living with this disorder without knowing the first thing about it. I had, for all intents and purposes, no friends. I spent all my time doing... well... nothing. All of my interests had faded. I could do nothing more than sit in my bed, staring off into space and recalling all the years that had gotten me to that point. I would just think, and reminisce, until 4 or 5 in the morning, before finally falling asleep and pleading with God to point me in the right direction, to give me an answer.
During that time, I remembered my 'Sensory Integration (SI)' diagnosis from my childhood, but I didn't know anything about it. I couldn't tell you what it was, or what it meant, or anything else. I was clueless. I decided to go on a quest for knowledge, and I found my answers where most everybody else finds them nowadays... Google
.
Within minutes, I found a site, or two, or several, about SPD. I didn't even know that it was called SPD now. Among other sites, I found sensory-processing-disorder.com, the SPD Foundation, and SPD Parent SHARE. On these sites I found the answers I had been looking for, without knowing it, for years. I was amazed, it all explained things about myself that had baffled me for years. It was a revelation like no other, and just the one I needed at that time.
Shortly after, I joined a few of the SPD Yahoo groups, and began posting, sharing my experiences and offering support to others who were also going through a very rough time. I met people like Erin, Bev, and Michelle, and got to know them all very well. For the first time, I felt appreciated, respected, and loved for who I am outside of my own home. I found where I belonged, and the friendships I was forming were so very new to me.
I didn't stop writing though. Writing is how I express myself; it's how I get those nasty little demons out of my head. During that summer, I wrote an article, and sent it to Michelle Morris, founder of SPD Parent SHARE. She helped me get it submitted to Kathleen Morris (no relation), founder of SI Focus Magazine. Within a few months, I was made a published author, a lifelong dream come true!
That fall, while I was waiting for my article to come out, I was busy as ever. Michelle invited me into SPD Parent SHARE, not just as a host, but as the International Host Manager. I couldn't turn that down
. As the newest member of SPD Parent SHARE management, I became a moderator on many of the biggest SHARE Yahoo groups, including SPD Adult SHARE, SID-DSI AllAboutKids, and SPD Parent SHARE. In December of 2008, I launched
SPD Life, the first website for adults with SPD. It was a dream come true, to finally have my very own website!
The last year and a half, I have been honing my skills online. I haven't been as active on the Yahoo groups as I used to be, but it wasn't because I didn't want to be. It was because I was done dwelling on my past hardships. My life is improving, significantly. I have visited other forums and gotten to know other people, and have more friends now than I have ever had in my life.
I'm ready to move on, and while I still want to be incredibly helpful and supportive of people with SPD (it is still my direction), I have gotten to a point where it is no longer all I can think about in my life. I want to move beyond it, to celebrate life, to focus on greater things. I wanted a place where we could feel free to be ourselves, and get to know each other. A place where we can all feel loved, embraced, and supported.
That is why I launched this site.
Now, for the other stuff...
I am a huge hockey fan!!! There used to never be a game I would miss. While I'm not as obsessed with it as I once was, I still love to talk hockey and watch the games. It's a big part of who I am, and I wouldn't trade it
.
I am also a big Simpsons follower. I know, not the most 'wholesome' or 'educational' program on the air, but when I watch it and pay close enough attention to it, I realize that a lot of it is actually quite brilliant, and not to mention, hilarious! I'm always available to swap Simpsons quotes, trust me on that
.
Where you'll find me!
I'll be everywhere! I'll be on the chat room, on the forums, in the blogs. I will be on your computer! (**Pause for people to cover their screen and hide away from my cyber-hacking
**)
If you know me, you can look forward to getting to know me better.
If you don't know me, then you'll get to know me.
If I know you, then welcome aboard, glad to see you made it over.
If I don't know you, then I look forward to getting to know you.
Take care everyone! [[[HUGS!!!]]]
Good luck and best wishes to everyone on SPD International!!!
-Dan Travis, Administrator, SPD International
