I joined the AusDoCC in June 2018 and my first Conference was in Perth 2019. It is wonderful to connect with people who can understand the challenges we all experience.
I joined the Committee to help adults with ACC and parents who have children with ACC, in South Australia, connect with each other.

In 1995, aged 40, I had a seizure and was rushed to hospital. After having an MRI, the complete ACC was discovered. I was also diagnosed with epilepsy. After reading extensively, I realized that the complete ACC was the reason for many experiences in my growing years;

I was born and grew up in Broken Hill, NSW. I found Primary School education not too difficult. High School was more challenging. I was more comfortable with numbers than words. I was learning French, but after 2 years I failed and they switched me to Commerce (bookkeeping etc.) which I found a lot easier.
I went to Technical College to do full-time Secretarial Studies. I could handle typing and bookkeeping but not shorthand, as they required 60 wpm. I was awarded a “Commercial” Certificate, not a “Secretarial” Certificate.

In 1972, my first job was with the Commonwealth Bank. They put you on for a probationary period without an interview. If you don’t meet their standards, they let you go, which is what happened to me.

In 1973, I got a job as a ‘Girl Friday’ in a small business, which was an agency for travel, real estate, property management and insurance. My duties included answering the phone, typing letters, receiving money over the counter for various companies that the business represented, as well as reconciling the day’s takings with the receipt book and banking.

I met my husband Chris in 1974 and we were married in 1977. We decided to move to Adelaide straight after the wedding.

I gave up work before my first child was born, and a part-time job fell into my lap when my second child started school. The job was perfect for me, as I worked 2 days a week and didn’t work in the school holidays. It lasted 10 years, until the company went out of business.

From 1984 until 2016 I have done voluntary work. This included school fundraising committees, secretary of a cricket club and association and in more recent years, I have volunteered in aged care and a local hospital.

After finding the CACC, I felt a “huge weight lift off my shoulders”. This is the reason for bumping into door jambs and knocking a glass of water over as I go to pick it up. With my left hand my fine motor skills are non-existent. I will often drop items as I’m not holding securely. I wish I could concentrate on more than 2 jobs at a time. I also feel more comfortable seeing information and lists in alphabetical, date or number order.

Over the years, I have put myself into situations, where I have to read in public, to make myself more confident.

Meet my new fur baby, 7 month old Ruby.