Here's My Story (PLEASE SHARE IT)

If you're going to judge someone, walk a mile in their shoes first. By that being said, I think it's time for you to walk in my shoes. Let's start this story from the beginning. My name is Adam Michael Snow, and I was born May 30, 1988 in Phoenix, Arizona. When I was born, I was lacked of oxygen; they did not notice till hours later, any longer and I would have died. Because of that, I had a delayed speech; I didn't start talking till I was three. They diagnosed me with ADHD when I was four; at the same time, I started to take Ritalin (it started off with small doses, it got out of control later on.) They even diagnosed me with a speech impairment, that's why I stutter when I talk. Later on in life, into my 20's I found that I had been misdiagnosed. I wasn't ADHD as I was raised to believe, I was in fact had Asperger, a form of Autism.

When I first started school, I had many friends, despite my disabilities. When I was seven, I fell ill to Spinal Meningitis. The doctors said that if I were to've come a day later, I could've died. I spent that whole week in the hospital. Throughout my childhood, they were always upping my dose of Ritalin. By the age of eleven, they had me on adult doses; the results of it caused me to be zombie eyed and it stunned my growth. It wasn't until I was eleven when I stopped taking Ritalin; I was in sixth grade. That day I lost my friends, they only liked me because I was drugged out on Ritalin.

When I was in seventh grade, I met a good friend; his name was Joshua. Even though he was wheelchair bound, he had a heart of gold. By the end of my seventh grade school year, my family and I moved; I started my eighth grade at another school, that's when the bullying started. The bullying would continue all throughout high school and would go on every day. In 2002, I was a freshman in high school; that was also the year I lost my good friend Joshua; he was fifteenth when he died.

Being the youngest, I get picked on all the time. So because of that, I felt like I had no place safe; I was being bullied at school and at home. It was because of that, I thought about hurting myself, there were times I even felt suicidal; I just wanted to die, the pain was that bad. Then poetry entered my life, through my cousin; poetry saved my life. That's why I refuse to quit writing. I wrote my first poem when I was fifteen. The bullying was so bad at school; I came so close to dropping out.

In 2006, I managed to graduate high school; a year later, my parents split up and we lost our house. It was just my mother and I, when we moved in with my aunt and uncle; I didn't felt safe there, it didn't feel like a home. Later that year, my parents got back together and we finally moved out of my aunt's house.

In 2009, I found out my dad had cancer; I lost him three weeks before Christmas. Not soon after, my family and I were illegally evicted and were force to stay in a rugged house. That house was on the market to be sold; we were its temporary house keepers. We were always on edge, afraid; not knowing if and when the house would be sold and we would be stuck on the streets. But God had answered our prayers; in 2011 we moved into the house I am currently living in today.

In 2012, I went into the hospital again; I was in so much severe pain that I couldn't sleep for days. I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis. Now today, it's been ten years and I still haven't worked a day in my life. I am constantly searching for a job every day; I've only had six job interviews in my life. I felt as if no place won’t hire me, because I had no job experience; yet I can't gain job experience if I don't work. It's like I can't gain ahead in life. I wasn't just on Ritalin when I was a kid, I was on several other medications, it’s just too many to name.

I'm not telling you my life story because I want pity; I don't want your pity. I'm telling you my story as a life lesson. What I'm trying to say is, if you're going to judge someone or insults someone, walk a mile in their shoes first. You may not realize it, the person you're judging or insulting may in fact be hurting and it might just take that one push from you for that person to take their own life. Now you know my story and please, don't show pity for me. Just stop with all the insults and judging, it's annoying, rude and also childish. And for the record, I will never give in to suicide. I was just merely using my life, my pain and struggles as an example. Life is a fragile thing, don't ruin it. Don't let your pain and struggles drag you down, let it build you up and make you stronger. Don't lose yourself and don't give in to the world. There’s more to you than what you really know.

http://AMSnow.weebly.com

Update: My 10 year job search has finally came to an end as of January 15, 2015, I have found myself with a job. But my story is still being written and there's still a lot of ups and downs. 

Author's Note

Everything you've read here about my life, is all 100% true.

Reviews

[Shannon]

No review, just a rant, perhaps. Your story makes me angry. Angry that you were not given the tools to succeed. Angry that medication was used to drug you (I am not even against medication, I am against only using medication and using too much), not support you. Angry that no one stepped in to stop the bullies. Angry that no one will give you a shot.

[Katrina Mckeown]

Thank you for sharing your life’s journey with us, I’m sorry your friend died at such a young age and for the loss of your dad, my mum also died from Cancer in 2009. And thank you for the insight and your honesty.

[Amatina]

Adam,
Kudos for having the courage to post your story. It's always a refreshing reminder that people who suffer have not suffered alone, and that from our suffering comes some of the best knowledge of ourselves.

I'm glad you've found writing as an outlet, as it's become my best outlet to date, and it has the power to expand horizons and heal.

Good job, Adam.

[SheDreamsInTheSun]

Thank you for sharing such personal parts of your life, I deeply respect you for being o brave.

[Ankit Mahar]

Thanks for sharing your story. Knowing that there are people out there like you who have suffered so much and yet prevailed in life gives me so much inspiration.
I won't pity you. It will meant disrespecting you. Therefore I won't pity you. In fact I respect you. For all the pains and hurdles that you've been through. Thanks for sharing. You don't have any idea how much you've inspired me.
Thank you.

[Coyote Poetry]

Thank you for sharing the story. You are right. You never know what another person had lived through. I tell people. Lead with love and kindness. Always a better ending. Old Grandma would say. "Sugar can fix problems quicker than anger."
Coyote

["Fanatical Dreamer"]

I myself have been through a lot,my struggles make me stronger, as I learn from them. I overcome my trials by focusing on the things I should be thankful for and ignore those who try to bring me down. "God help those who help themselves,keep trying,keep believing and surely you'll be rewarded. Thanks for sharing your story and the message you delivered " If you're going to judge someone walk a mile in there shoes"

[TL Boehm]

it is my experience and my ache that some of the best talent stems from torment. I can't tell you if its compensation - only that it seems consistent. My own child hood was difficult - and although I did not repeat the pattern of my predecessors - my second child is also tormented - and gifted. We went a different way with him. He was prescribed Ritalin. There was talk of oxygen deprivation at birth. We fought tooth and nail though and he is drug free. But his mind is different. He's an artist, musician but kids were cruel - and he is very introspective, insecure and distrustful of the world. So we still fight FOR him. Perhaps its why we pack up as writers on sites like this. We need advocates. You have one here. Know that.

[Chris]

The review of this "story" isn't of the flaws it contains but of the humanity it expresses. Is good "meeting" the you - Adam. Hope to see you again.