i think your right. i dont think of sleep overs and long night talks and boy talks when thinking of a friend. i dont like those things either. more and more words are harder to gather up in my head then to place it out with a sometimes refusal mouth speaking is another struggle. so speaking and being out around shopping or the like, and chatting it up verbally, is actually the farthest thing from a friend in my eyes.

yeah she certainly communicates that shes still in there somewhere. i just wish i could get those who work with her to see that too.
i felt special the other day because out of everyone in the waiting room, she chose me, to come over and grab my wrist then lead me over to the door and pull my hand down on the bar and adding some pressing force on my wrist to my hand(that was her "lets get out of her" meaning).

sometimes i wonder if she would want a way to communicate to staff that they would listen to. because im able to usually pick up what shes trying to communicate(sometimes not directed to anybody) but when i tell them "i think shes thirsty" , or "i think she wants to go outside an lay down in the sun". i get the response "she doesnt want anything. she eats, she poops, she sleeps. thats it. now mind your own business!"

im afraid that if she has the option and they want her to tell them something, then it could get stressful but if she were to express something by it whenever she wanted to, then she might work and use it when she wants or needs to. but not by command of them. which is what im afraid they may start doing if they see that she actually is trying it.
im not going to be forced, actually want it badly, could help so much when i want to communicate something to them but cant.

they force her to do things all the time. sometimes its things she likes, and other times she doesnt. but some of the things are kinda needed (like changing pullups, and showers.) but some things arent (example- where she will sit in the livingroom and deciding that she has to sit in that chair other than the floor to watch tv).

thanks!