I have a tendency to be slow. A simple thing like writing a letter that should take 5 minutes takes me 10 minutes or more. Some problems might take me 6 times longer than they should. Does anyone share this problem?
Peter
Hi Peter:-)
You are definitely not alone with this problem.
Ataxia forces us to slow down, both mentally and physically, and this can be a difficult thing to adjust to. But that doesn’t mean we can’t help ourselves to still be the best we can by exercising within our caperbilities, and do whatever helps to maintain mental focus.
Occasionally my writing can be virtually illegible, I miss out letters and use upper and lower case in a single word! Hitting the right key on my IPad can be touch and go too 
It takes me much longer to actually think something through these days, I have to admit to finding collating statements and receipts etc is sometimes impossible, my brain just won’t compute.
But, thankfully, for the most part the scales are balanced xB
Hello,
Beryl just about hit it on 't head!
As part of my work experience, at college and in my working life I 'trained' in IT / Computing and some administration. I picked up a fine typing speed that I retained for quite a while. Now, things are different! I just typed an email to my sister that previously would have taken five to ten minutes - allowing for thought and type rate and any corrections. It took me just shy of forty minutes. Other similar lenght emails or letters can take much longer now.
As for writng, I PRINT. This has led to a few minor problems where I have had to sign for something - particularly if my previously well scripted moniker was 'on record'.
It can be annoying when someone mistakes a physical slowing - such as having to write slowly or carefully put in your bank card pin at a checkout - for mental deficiency too! Luckily this rarely happens and is more an indication of the other persons negative attitude than our physical problems.
The scales do balance and we 'plod along'.
Kind Regards,
M.
Thank you for your replies. I was just wondering as I have never found it easy to hold down a job and the basic reason is that I'm too slow. As Michael says, it is often mistaken for mental defficiency or laziness. Even my local doctor (GP) cannot accept that many of my problems are ataxia. I am now unemployed and I wonder if I will ever get another job. If I don't, I may just waste away in the gutter.
I don't know if they have anything in the UK, but in the US we have a division of the state employment agency that helps people with disabilities find jobs. They look at what you can do and talk to employers to see if you would be a good match and they also follow up with you once you get a job to make sure that you can do it or if you need help doing that job.
It also helps when you go for an interview for a job to mention the disability. This way if they hire you they are already aware that you have a disability.
I was doing medical billing and can't type fast anymore, I figured out what I can do and the job I'm doing isn't my dream job but it gets me out of the house I feel like I'm contributing and not sitting in a corner rotting. I told them about my disability when I interviewed. They hired me. I also make sure that my supervisors and coworkers are aware. This makes them more understanding if you can't do something and I answer any questions they have so they can understand the disability more.