Max, the hardest race: when the challenge is waiting to skate again

ODYTA Summary

Maximiliano Ceballos, known as Max, is a speed skater with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) from Carabobo, Venezuela, and part of the newly recognized Roller Inclusivo category in Venezuelan skating. On August 23, he underwent surgery for appendicitis, an unexpected emergency that required hospital care. His mother, Laura, described the challenge of preparing him for the hospital environment, which included unpredictable noises, machines, and procedures. The medical team was informed of his autism and explained each procedure to him beforehand, without deception or hiding information. During a difficult night around 2 a.m., with hospital machine sounds and another patient in pain, Max became overwhelmed. Laura used noise-canceling headphones, a Spotify playlist, and a familiar-textured sheet to help him regulate. Max asked doctors to explain the risks of the operation, including possible intubation, and said he could handle it. He also told each doctor he had "autism type one," even after they clarified it was not a disease, because he wanted them to know how to support him. His family—Laura, father Jorge, and sister Lucía Elizabeth—provided constant support. The surgery went well, and his recovery progressed favorably, aided by his athletic condition. However, he was told he would need three months of rest, possibly not skating until November, December, or January. His mother said, "It's not that Max likes skating. It's that Max loves skating." For Max, skating is a way to release tension, express himself, imagine, and feel good. He has accompanied his sister to the rink and watched others skate while he waits. Laura shared the experience to help other families facing similar situations. She emphasized explaining what will happen, avoiding surprises, using clear language, listening to the person's needs, bringing familiar items, and understanding that each autistic person is different. The article concludes that inclusion also means understanding, adapting, listening, and accompanying. Max's current challenge is learning to wait and recover, but the day will come when he skates again, and that first sound of wheels will be different for everyone.