Dyslexia & Me

If you ever come across wording that doesn't make sense, a word spelled wrong, or the wrong word in place of another; it is because the spellchecker didn't catch and my dyslexic mind didn't either. Yes, I am dyslexic. So dyslexia and me are kinda one and the same, especially when it comes to written words and spoken language. 

As a child, I can remember being called out of the classroom to do some special testing on my reading. I was reading fine and loved to read, but when I read out loud I would leave out words like "the" and "a". I also had a bad habit of use a "d" for a "b" in a word and vice versa, when it came to writing the letters or words. Nothing came out of the testing or changed my classroom experience. However, spelling became harder and harder for me. 

For a while spelling became the bane of my existence. I was for ever switching letters around. The two words that stumped me the most were "work" and "friend". I spelled them "wrok" and "freind". They looked right when I wrote them, but they were always wrong. In order to start doing better on spelling test, I wrote the words several times and spent a LOT of time memorizing my spelling words. It was hard. It was a pain. It was difficult, but I managed. When 9th grade rolled around, I was so happy because I wouldn't have the subject anymore. 

The rest of high school and throughout college, I didn't notice my little quirks all that much. I still couldn't spell and used the wrong word in place of others, but it wasn't a big deal. I thought spelling just wasn't my thing. I took to keeping a dictionary within arms reach to use when I wasn't sure how to spell something. (I still do.) Life went on and wasn't until I began my education courses that I thought I could be dyslexic.

As the years went by and I became more involved in education, I became more curious about dyslexia. I was noticing more and more that relatively simple words like "enough" would throw me for a loop if I had to spell it on the spot.. I began realizing that I would turn phrases around i.e. "thoughts for your penny" instead of "penny for your thoughts".  I noticed that when I was tried my spelling got worse and phrases more tangled. 

Curious about the thought I may dyslexic began doing more research on dyslexia. The more I learned the more things started making sense in my mind. It explained why growing up I was forever telling someone to "itch" my "scratch". It explained why I used the wrong word in place of another on a term paper in college and didn't realize it. It explained why when it came time to teach our daughter to read, I couldn't tell the difference between a long vowel and a short vowel. It explained why my spelling became worse when I was tired and simple words stumped me. It also explains why when someone spells a word for me they have to do it letter by letter, because my brain won't process it any faster.

I mentioned the fact that I thought I was dyslexia to my mom one day. She said she knew that and that I had been tested for it. However, they thought I would outgrow it. I was perplexed as to why she never told me and told her I definitely hadn't outgrown it. That I thought the older I am getting the more present it is. 

Dyslexia doesn't define who I am. It didn't hurt my desire to learn. It definitely didn't hurt my desire to read, because I love to read a good book. Dyslexia has become part of who I am. It has also provided hours of laughter for me and my family. Some of the phrases I get tangled are hilarious. Just the other week at my in-laws I said "eyedrums and earballs" when I meant "eyeballs" and "eardrums". (We all had a good laugh over that.) Sometimes I know as soon as they come out of my mouth that I have tangled them and sometimes it takes my DH's confused stare for me to realize.  

So if you ever come across some strange phrasing, misused words, or misspelled words; just leave me a comment and let me know. Chances are I didn't catch it, because the thing with dyslexia is that it tricks your brain into thinking something looks right or sounds right but it isn't. 

Dyslexia and me are close friends. We have had our ups and our downs. We have learned to get along. Dyslexia has just become part of the simple life I live! 

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If someone you know has dyslexia or think they may have dyslexia, you can find valuable information at the "International Dyslexia Association."