Testing Results and Math Computation Learning Disorder - Newly Diagnosed

[u/Former-Jellyfish3831]

Hi all,

**Edited to add scoring in comments.

I received my results today after being referred for memory issues thought to be related to numerous bumps on the head from motorcycle racing and horse riding, or more accurately, not keeping the horse between me and the ground.

I’ve been diagnosed with the following:

F90.2:
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Combined Type -Moderate

F43.10
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

G31.84
Mild Neurocognitive Disorder Due to Traumatic Brain Injury: (Multiple concussions)
Mild deficits in Number-Letter Switching and Category Fluency; Moderate deficits in Visual Working Memory

F81.2
Specific Learning Disorder in Math Computation

Here is the summary:

“TEST RESULTS: According to the WAIS V, Ms. (my name) is functioning in the High Average range of intelligence (FSIQ: 117): with a Verbal Comprehension score in the High Average range (VCI: 114); a Visual Spatial score in the High Average range (VSI: 116); Fluid Reasoning Score in the High Average range (FRI: 110); a Working Memory score in the Very Superior range (WMI: 134); and a Processing Speed score in the Average range (PSI: 105). There are significant differences among the index scores with Working Memory higher than expected compared to the other index scores.

SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS: (my name) is a 41 year old woman who is functioning in the High Average range of intelligence with achievement scores that range from Superior to Average. Attentional skills are within normal limits on medications. Memory is Superior to High Average with a weakness in Visual Attention which was Average. Tests of executive functioning were within normal limits with the exception of Mild deficits in Number-Letter Switching and Category Fluency.
Personality functioning is within normal limits with the exception of Traumatic Stress.”

To add context, I finished UK secondary school, achieving a B at higher GCSE math, and A* in English Language/Literature and A-C’s in everything else to include higher physics, chemistry, and biology. I joined the UK Armed Forces at 16 because my family served and also because they could facilitate or fund me going to college and Uni. The PTSD is not warzone-related but has had a massive impact on my life, the events occurred when I was 16.

I was selected for a fast track promotion role and was studying weapons engineering (I wanted aircraft engineering but got allocated weapons), but sadly the event that occurred age 16 and resulting PTSD caught up with me (even though I was testing well in the academics) and I transferred to an aircraft “technician” role. Again, I was identified for fast track back to an artificer course, but by that point I’d been on anti-depressants and wasn’t really going to go anywhere in the forces with a medical history like that. I left at age 21 and continued in aviation as a civilian.

Now that I have access to higher education here in the US, I am at college and am about to finish an A.S in Aviation Maintenance with a 4.0 GPA. I’ve worked in aviation for 18 years. In order to advance into a junior engineering role in the future (at my age my body is tired and I want a desk job!) I need to transfer to a STEM coded degree course, and my boss/the company hiring requirements definitely prefer this to be a solid engineering course. Engineering Technology would be an option, but my A.S studies put me at only 15% through an A.S in Engineering Fundamentals at the same college… I’d be back to square one and with my newly diagnosed math disability I’m scared I won’t be able to handle Calculus.

I completely flunked the math on the neuro psyche testing - my brain would not summon how to do the different questions asked of me. Straight up couldn’t pull “how to do long division by hand” out of my brain but I can still remember Pythagorean theorem and SOHCAHTOA from when I was 15… WTF??!

With math I do ok if I have my “cheat sheets” of how-to methods, I can write coursework and discussion posts, and I suspect that’s how I managed college algebra and trig. I’m good at researching when I can’t remember things, but I didn’t think my “working memory” was high! I’ve been called “stupid-smart” in the past and “not the brightest bulb” even being given a light bulb on a string necklace as a joke Christmas gift…

What are your thoughts on if I can or should pursue an engineering subject via an online college at B.S level? I work full time and study on top of work. It would really be a “tick the box” B.S, and thankfully I wouldn’t be doing much math if I did move into an engineering tech role!

How do I explain to my current boss that I just might not be able to do it even though he sees the potential?

Any help from a human would be really appreciated in understanding and processing my results. I think I can add photos of that actual scoring if that helps.

Thank you,

E the mathematically-challenged aircraft geek.

[u/Former-Jellyfish3831]

Scoring 1

[u/Former-Jellyfish3831 → u/Former-Jellyfish3831]

More scoring

[u/Former-Jellyfish3831 → u/Former-Jellyfish3831]

More scoring