Jennifer,
Austin’s going to college for a Associate in Science Degree, (this takes 2 years) he then wants to go into neuro-diagognostic technology ...an EEG Tech (this takes 2 years) then he wants to Transfer to a 4 year college and if he can he wants to become a Neurologist specializing in Seizures and Hydro. Austin is going to a junior college in Orange County California How long has Austin had his Hydrocephalus? Since he was 6 weeks old ( he had E-coli meningitis at 2 days old ) he had one shunt then at 14 they had to place a Second shunt into a cyst or entrapped ventricle, so Austin has had Hydro all his life and now has 2 shunts, one is programmable Austin has many other conditions, he has a seizure disorder, DRD dystonia, he is Ataxic, has tremors, he is deaf in his right ear, he had a colloid cyst that was removed and he got really bad short term memory loss with that operation, he has some writing and thought processing problems, Austin has many conditions, and many revisions, but he really doesn’t think of himself as disabled just thinks he has to work hard to get anything Austin rides the bus, he cant drive a car, he cant ride a bike he has balance and multi-task issues, but he can do so many things he won 5000 in scholarships for college, he is living with a family on his own, he came up on the bus this weekend he can do everything, but, Does he get the help he needs?..... boy... no, he could use much more help, but being an adult the colleges only do so much, I think it could be better, yet his college counselor seems very good and they are helping quite a bit, with extra time on test, note takers and a quite place to take test, but with Austin's short term memory loss it can be hard for him to memorize everything. but every college is different, there is a college in Palm Springs California who specializes in people with conditions of the brain, seizures, Hydro, a many conditions it is called the college of the desert Austin’s Neuro talked to us about it, and I am sure there are many other schools who have programs of all sorts, College is never out of your grasp, you can start slow one or two classes and work up to more and remember to check on vocational services. Austin is up this weekend and I will ask him to read your post he E-mails a group of young adults he meet at the Hydro Conference from last spring in Baltimore and 2 years ago in San Francisco, maybe he could private message you and the two of you could talk over the inter-net, or he could just post to this forum, what ever you like it may take him a few days he is up to visit some old friends this weekend, but I will talk with him
My son is a wonderful person, and a great friend I am a better person just knowing my kid, he is great, sorry this was so long but I guess I wanted to talk Too
Hugs,
Deborah