Summary

The article details the quarantine routine of Diego, a 26-year-old autistic man with an intellectual disability, as conveyed through his text messages to his mother, illustrating his adaptability and the integral role he plays in shaping his family's daily activities.

Abstract

Diego, a young man with autism and an intellectual disability, has developed a structured quarantine routine which includes daily exercises, medication management, and family activities. His mother shares how Diego, who communicates through phonetic text messages aided by word prediction, has adapted to the lockdown with resilience and positivity. Despite the disruptions caused by the pandemic, Diego has not only maintained his daily rituals but also taken on new responsibilities such as setting the table and helping with household chores. The article emphasizes Diego's ability to embrace change and create a sense of normalcy through his routines, while also highlighting the importance of family involvement in his life. Diego's routine includes regular phone calls with his grandmother, themed movie nights, and baking sessions, showcasing his ability to find joy and purpose during challenging times.

Opinions

The author expresses admiration for Diego's ability to handle change and develop routines quickly, which has been crucial during the quarantine period.
Diego's proactive approach to his routine and his insistence on family participation reflect his desire for shared experiences and inclusivity.
The author acknowledges the challenges of accommodating Diego's high-maintenance needs but also conveys the joy and love he brings to their lives.
There is a sense of pride in Diego's independence and his willingness to contribute to household tasks.
The article suggests that Diego's focus on future aspirations, such as finding a girlfriend and getting married, remains undeterred by the pandemic, indicating his optimistic outlook.
The author appreciates the absence of complaints from Diego about the epidemic and quarantine, which is seen as a testament to his resilience and acceptance of the situation.

An Autistic Man’s Quarantine Routine in Text Messages

The man is my son and he’s handled the whole thing better than most

Put Diego in a new situation, and he’ll develop a routine in no time.

Diego’s 26 and has autism and an intellectual disability. When he was a child, changes in routine triggered epic tantrums. This began to change when his amazing special education teacher wrote a social story to help him understand change.

She titled it Today Is Different. For a long time, we knew to introduce any change with these three words: Today is different.

Over the years, Diego discovered that change is often a good thing. When it isn’t, he has learned to accept and work around it in his own special way. Specifically, his way involves creating lists and routines.

From the very beginning of the Coronavirus lockdown, it was clear to Diego that the change would last a while. Hence, he began to shape his quarantine routine from day one.

The catch though, is that my husband and I (me especially) play a role in his routine. We’re an intrinsic part of it not only because there’s a lot that Diego needs help with, but also because he wants us to share in the activities.

As it turns out, Diego’s text messages are the best record of his quarantine experience and routine. During “normal” times, Diego texts me a lot. But seeing that we’re now under the same roof 24/7, his daily texts have been both unexpected and entertaining.

Here, then, is a sample of the dozens of daily texts I’ve gotten from Diego over the past eight weeks. Diego writes phonetically and with help from word prediction technology. Though I’m unsuccessful at times, I thoroughly enjoy deciphering the spelling. For those not used to reading special English, I’m translating the texts into typical English

Wake up

Ready to run

Will sort meds

It’s time for basketball

Call Abuela

Sort meds tomorrow

Watch Sky High next Sunday

Yes

Abuela called

Make an iced tea

Good morning

Wake up

Let’s do paella today

Let’s watch Sunday Morning.

Batman 1989

Wake up

Run at 2:30

Richard’s way

Will ?? ?? at 12 ??

Print Peter Pan Picture

?? at 3:00 PM

I played game /Disney

Print Alice in Wonderland tomorrow

Print Jungle book on Friday

Wake up

Bake at 10 pm

Wake up/ Call abuela

Good morning

My life is governed in large part by Diego. He’s pure and loving, but he sure is high-maintenance.

On Sundays, we must sort his meds, watch CBS Sunday Morning and drink iced tea. I must call my mom (abuela) frequently or he’s not happy. Diego knows daughters and sons must call their moms.

On weekdays, I must print coloring pictures for him. Two to three times a week, we run. We have names for the routes we take. Sometimes we go Richard’s way, because we run past Richard’s house.

We now bake once or twice a week too, and menu planning is important. Weeks ago, it was settled that today we’d have tacos because it’s Cinco de Mayo.

My internal clock has shifted in quarantine, and a change Diego has definitely not accepted is my waking up around 10:00 AM, as evidenced by his Wake up messages. This, by the way, is due to the fact that I must get my stuff done late at night.

There’s a lot, of course, that’s not in these texts. They don’t mention that Diego has taken on setting the table for lunch and dinner every day, taking out the trash, and filling up and emptying the dishwasher. He has also taken to singing Disney songs and to watching the news on the Spanish language network.

I give Diego immense credit. He still talks all the time about having a girlfriend, getting “twitterpated” (if you’ve watched Bambi, you may know this term means to fall in love) and getting married — his all-consuming dream. I know he misses his job at the soup kitchen, being with family and friends, going to the Y, participating in all his special activities.

But not once has he complained about the epidemic and quarantine.

Diego about to take out the trash, wearing my jacket and his dad’s shoes. Image by Author

*Note: Diego has given me permission to share his texts, pictures and what he has been up to.