How did I transition when the only thing I knew about was in the newspapers? It was a constant obsession. I would read everything I could get my hands on. When I went to Arizona State University, I went through 5 stories of books to come up with about half a dozen useful books that I read cover to cover several times. I looked for doctors and followed up on any clue I could find in the real world.
Emily dismisses most every suggestion we come up with as she can't do it, it's to hard or it takes to long. There is no fast, easy way to transition. See needs to find out what she is good at by doing it. If you give up, you will stall out and not get anywhere. We have many people on the spectrum that have found work without a diagnosis. If you use a condition as an excuse for not being able to accomplish something, you won't accomplish anything. I didn't let the fact I was transsexual stop me. I lived for 16 years with constant depression but I didn't take help when it was offered. Every cent that paid for my transition, I earned. I would work with depression, my time off I would deal with depression and my only escape was sleep at night.
I am sure if Emily makes up her mind not to let this stop her and she keeps trying, she will find something she can do. Perhaps it will be her photographic ability. Yes it take time but every millionaire made that million a dollar at a time. A few dollars here, a few dollars there, they all add up over time. You need to get Emily to stop feeling sorry for her self and try as many things as possible.
I have seen pictures of handicapped people born without arms but it didn't stop them. Anything you can do with your hands, they could do with their feet. The could eat, dress themselves, wash themselves, operate a keyboard or write with their feet. There are many other handicaps but the important thing is those people decided they weren't going to let it stop them so they succeeded. Emily has to learn this lesson and until she does, she will fail.
One final though, you might have a movie night with Emily and pick
Just a Little Inconvenience as the movie. The man who lost his leg in the movie lost his leg as the result of a motor cycle accident. While the movie may be fictional, many people have been taught to ski with only one or no legs and the adjustment process mirrors what many returning war veterans faced in real life.
