Alternative Reality – unknowingly living with Autism

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In 2010 I was approached by a mining company in South Africa to work as a Crisis Manager in the Industry. I worked on 23 Shafts managing operations of their Cap-lamp Rooms where they kit underground Miners. I developed a supply chain strategy for them which they still use today. I also worked on their RFID tagging system of miners and equipment to identify when miners lose their equipment underground or do not exit the shaft at the end of a shift.
In 2012 we ended our mining contracts at Marikana when all the miners were shot by South African Police, it made global headlines.

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In 2013 I went back into the Construction Industry and started my own Project Management company. I developed a system to get building plans approved faster than the traditional method by walking them through at the local town councils.
I ended up helping a Lady to get her Building Plan approved. She was the private secretary of our former State President Mr. Nelson Mandela. I did not know it was her when meeting her and she pointed out how nice it was that I treated her as a normal person. I did however apologize when she revealed who she was!
In 2014 I had an opportunity to move down to the coast and live in the Western Cape province.
In 2015 I started working in Insurance in the Financial Services industry by being appointed as a Project Manager with an International Group of Companies.

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I was appointed to settle the Agile Project Management office in our local Software house. I facilitated and managed over 1000 releases to Production in 12 months. I developed a Change Control Release schedule which they still use today.
In 2016 I received the Personality of the Year Award as voted for by the Group Directors.
In 2015 I completed a Project Management course at the Nelson Mandela University Business School. This was my first qualification after finishing school 2 decades ago.
In 2017 I was promoted to Senior Project Manager and started working on Insurance Telematics. I reported directly to a Group Director.
I developed a Crash Detection prediction model with our tracking service provider.
I developed an online User Portal.

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I developed a Crash Recreation Tool for our Investigations department.
I developed our Driver Rewards Program.
I analyzed our big data with our Actuaries to improve our Risk Management strategies.
I studied human behavior to predict future behavior and probabilities.
In 2020 I woke up on a Saturday and spent the day with my teenage daughter. During the afternoon I felt depleted mentally, emotionally, and physically.
I said goodbye to my daughter, got in my car, drove out into the mountains, and tried to commit suicide.
I failed. I survived…

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I woke up the next morning and with all the blood loss managed to drive to the Emergency Room at the local Hospital where they stitched me up and booked me into the Psychiatric Ward.
I was as surprised as they were about what had happened! I was an eternal optimist and loved life! It was one big adventure!
When the Psychiatrist entered the consultation room and asked me what happened, I started telling him what I can remember.
After 5 minutes he asked: ‘Has anyone ever spoken to you about Autism?”.
This question changed my entire life…The Psychiatrist said that this is classic Autistic Burnout behavior, I am in good hands now and they will take care of me.
This man saved my Life. It was as if 4 decades of confusion and darkness and the unknown came into focus and fell into place. ALL of my questions were answered.

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