Notes.

Had a really funny thing happen this week, a couple of days ago. Actually it started Tuesday, when I had some more treatment from the dr for my health issues, which have been weighing more heavily than I had realised. Wednesday I was shouting at one or other of the kids about something and I realised that I was actually angry for a reason, I wasn't being a complete monster for shouting. Shouting is not a good way to deal with children, but I realised I had reason, and wasn't awful or failing as a mother, just reacting to circumstances. I constantly think I'm failing as a mum, so this was a huge realisation for me. I then realised that the answer to that argument was hidden somewhere in my reaction. So I could even stop feeling guilty about being angry! For me this is so big I simply cannot say it enough times, I feel so guilty constantly. I also realised that I would find the answer to the thing just by using the energy of th arising stuff. So if it was angry, I just spoke clearer, if. I was tired and a child was wanting more than I could physically do, I could just sort of relax into it. I'm still shouting too much, but it's coming from a calmer place. I phoned Ian as D had been screaming for half an hour and nothing I could do could get through until I used the anger energy. Ian noticed how calm I sounded which was great! This is also part of it, autistic children learn by observation, so the last thing you're supposed to do as a mum is shout. But the thing is, I have so many asd traits myself and am so similar to D that Im pretty certain I would have been diagnosed as autistic had that been around that much 40 years ago. So I'm already on a wrong foot, I also have her sensory issues, meaning loud noises really put me straight into fight or flight. So when she is screaming I'm battling my fight or flight, yet being desperately upset as a mum excuse my child is screaming. Add to that the complete failure in being unable to remain calm, no experts advice to follow because I've just failed it, and I still have a desperately unhappy child to support, whilst probably being in great. Physical and emotional pain... I think the most of this, is that being a parent is just about being oneself and just all the stuff that comes up. The problem is, I find this hard - like all parents. These days paretong is so focused on sleep routines, when to feed solids, polite behaviour etc, whereas, my worries were all about who I was when I was with the kids. I always felt that was more important, but never knew how to do it. Parenting is pretty well defined as I do things that are odd, but seem to suit my kids, the battle has seemed external as well as internal.

My typos are terrible!

My iPad does weird things in this format, I'm thinking about changing browsers. Maids love it though so that's cool.

D has started her new school. It's a special school and I struggle with that, but then I also struggle with the fact that the ed psych has said she is too high functioning, too normal to attend. He's right, she is, but she was highly anxious in her previous setting. Such a shame our schools do not cater for happiness? What else is there?

Last thing to end on a happy note. We had an Easter Assembly at school recently. D LOVES her school, loves her teacher, runs onto the bus with a big grin in the am and is generally calmer and happier at home. It's completely brilliant. Easter Assembly happened, I'd made an Easter bonnet with D just before. She was the only one out of her class and the first child in the whole school to stand, smiling broadly, and parade her hat. Just amazing. The older pupils did amazing presentations, but of course it's my girl in her hat I remember.

World Autism Awarerness Day

So ill ATM, all wobbly and dizzy and trying to stay upright and not vomit, or shake, ache etc. blood test results on Thursday. Somehow it's quite brilliant, somehow there is more happy involved. Today was brilliant. It's not always going to be so, but just had a get day mooching around wit the kids.m did scream and swear this am, when they'd thrown sand all over them selves and I was worried about sand and eyes and ears - wouldn't be the first time. But then I released I hadn't had time to check in with myself, so I sat down at 11, had my first drink of the day and realised I actually felt rubbish and scared. So I had a good reason to be angry, and knowing that disapiatated it.

So the thing I've realised on WAAday is that somehow I can actually cope. The fear and uncertainty of the last year, the worry about schools, the hatred and judgement of our schools, it's being got through. There will be more stuff too, I accept that.

Also realising how much fear of other peoples reactions has so far spoilt my aims for career and study is really helpful. It's such a tangible fear, if not I could cut it up and cook it, there would be no more world hunger. Such a shame. Seeing the sadm fear in D and realising its a fear of unpredictability of learning not being completed unless its rote and perfect, and seeing the same fear and knowing its all brain level stuff. Born with brain level stuff, not learned. I've tried so hard to shield her from being like me, taking her out constantly as a child, socialising her, doing everything the various specialists said and she's still use who she is. M on the other hand, who I did none of those things for, is so sociable I don't nderstand it. I don't get how he can just walk up to another child and start playing, how does he know the rules? I never did and that's when I start to get it, get that subtle but huge difference in brains.

The last 2 books I've read and a local monk have all told me to take regular breaks through out the day for really short periods to take a deep breath, feel the spaciousness and then get stuck in again. I wasn't able to follow the first two, but thankfully the mo pointed out its about being willing to try and not succeeding.

What a thing it is to find complete acceptance of ones failings that one can't accept oneself.

I'm really pleased that D loves her new school, loves all the new experiences, and is getting used slowly and gradually to the school bus. I'm so impressed she is able to all of this, this is the emotional equivalent of a hike to the Himalayas to be undertaken dressed as a chicken, she is doing amazingly.

What I am exceedingly, exceedingly cross about is that the school bus is full of obviously disabled children, much more severely asd kids etc. D will eventually move into main stream where hopefully she will have learnt enough social skills to cope. These poor kids will stay in their special school, to go into supported living and society will never bloody see them. No one will realise that the disabled are part of our society if they are never seen.

It makes sense to have a brilliant school like the one D is gong too, with a centralised pool of resources as money is tight and the kids go, need these resources to learn. But it makes me so cross that because of this, we don't see these disabled children in the streets, we don't see them in the shops, we don't see them anyway. Access is so restricted for a variety of reasons- steps not ramps, no accessible toilets, too much/ little sensory stuff, the list is endless. No one person could solve it all, but in the mean time, we have a sanitised image of a disability free society. Disabled children are looked on as freaks, morons, saints or geniuses, their mothers the same.

Neuro typical adults who should know better categorise and damn. Our schools should be and can be brilliant. To hear Deborah talking about her class mates is a truly profound and moving experience. But if it were recognised that children were humans and benefitted from loving adult contact, were not all identikit robots, and had needs, wow our schools would be amazing. How much do we loose by hiding our disabled people away?

So cross, very Pre menstrual, can you tell?

Inspired by a friends sculptures.

Tie a thread around a loved one's waist,

Or weave it around their heart,

Let it follow wherever they go,

Let go of the ends you hold.

The threads will disappear

The ties remain still.

Do this for a friend who dies,

Let them go.

Welcome the memory of their love

The tie to their soul stays with you

Until you too let go.

Let love love stay with the world,

Tie us all together

Threads that bind, fast unwind,

Our apartness binding us closer.

Soft as breath

These bonds are forged

Never forget

But just let go.

Intense Day

Up and down, up and down.

Went to see a brilliant friend yesterday and felt human and me again. Had tea out afterwards to celebrate Ian's new job - poor D ate so quick she filled 3 bowls with puked up mango lassi, dosa and EVERYTHING. Or so it seemed. Full marks to the waiter who came over afterwards, seeing the puke filled bowls, and asked if I wanted it boxed up - erm no. As Ian was back from the loo by then having cleaned D up, I was able to take the bowls away and empty and clean them myself. Poor Deborah it had taken us an hour of mind-crunchingly slow traffic to get there, most of which she had filled by screaming at the top of her voice in the car. I shivered and shook with the effort of not responding until I snapped and screamed back, and then sat in gloom and guilt and self disgust. Michael loved seeing our friend's daughter, loudly announcing in the back of the car that he had had fun. I was glad but also sad as Michael has to put up with so much screaming, so much special needs, so much sometimes. it's ok and will stand him in good stead, just we need to balance, balance balance so much.

Today Ian put the bookshelves in our shrine room. He put Dad's old siddur's (prayer books) up on the highest level. Looking through them I saw the names of the auntie's and uncle who had given him them for his bar mitzvah. I even found his bar mitzvah certificate. I even, even found a book inscribed to his mum from her father. I think my great grandfather was the son of immigrants. I've also written our Christmas cards this week (yup Buddhism, Judaism and Christianity in one paragraph) , one for my aunt Judith, Dad's sister. She's going senile, my mum last spoke to her a year ago, when her speech was confused and she couldn't answer questions reliably. Of course being that she is from my Dad's side of the family where the ASD genes run rife, no one is allowed to have/display any emotion, so any enquiries I've made about her have been ignored or answered piecemeal. So sad to say goodbye to someone before she is dead, and also very hard too. I will email my cousin again to say Happy Christmas (her children are aetheists but this one celebrates Christmas for her children's sake) and also to find out how her mum is. I understand that it's hard to talk about this stuff, so maybe I am expecting too much. especially if you're not in the habit of it and if not talking about it is your coping strategy.

Went out today - much more successful. Big slides and fresh air work wonders. Saw a dog ran over and killed on the way home. Nothing anyone could do, it had run out of a field by the side of a quiet road. Ian slowed right down as he saw it, the lady on the other side of the road didn't see the dog . It was a cocker or springer spaniel and it was zig-zagging across the road, straight into the puddle the car as driving through at the same time. It got caught up in the wheel mechanism and was circled violently before being thrown off. The driver got out immediately too distraught to speak, Ian rushed up and gave her a hug (she was ok with this). I came out of the car too, some neighbours were out - all stood with our hands on our mouths, too shocked. The neighbours didn't know whose dog it was Ian was talking to them. I gave the driver a hug and then held her hand as the dog's owner came running out of the field. The neighbours told her, the driver didn't want to to talk to her, but pushed herself forwards. It was all tearful, the driver was shaking, I was shivering and the owner was a real, stoic country woman. She was not going to show any emotion - the driver said she was amazing for not showing any, and the stoic answered that was going to go home to shake and cry - brusque but kind not nasty. The owner and river hugger, the dog's body got put in a bag for the vet to dispose of, the owner said she never have let him off the lead. I hope she's not going to go home and feel like a silly old lady for having done so - I once worked with a similar, wonderful stoic who once the drama was over, quietly got on with blaming herself. We got in the car and drove off, pleased everyone was being so terribly English but in a good way about it. Still shaken and sad for the dog though and for the old lady without her dog at Christmas. The driver luckily had someplace to go - she was visiting her father, as she was taking him some dinner as he lives on his own. I hope she was able to relax there and get over the first stages of her shock, she had a dog herself. She could remember hearing the dog go round the wheel arch and I suspect she will for a long time.

Then a horrendous bed time with D and talking to my mum on the phone and remembring such a strong feeling I had growing up. Quite simple really - not enough emotions for my mum's side of the family, but far too many for my dad's side. So confusing and still makes me want to scream, lots. My cousin on my mum's side has brought the kids Christmas presents, its bizarre, she's made no attempt to contact me since before Deborah was born - she phoned to tell me her son was born. She has no money but still wants to buy us Christmas presents as her mum did when she was alive. I wrote to her a couple of years back, to say do you want too, I'm concerned that you're spending money that you don't have and it's not as if we ever really see each other anyway? She never responded, so it's a weird sort of kindness. I mean presents are kind aren't they, but I don't get why she's bought them?She didn't last year and this year she turned up on my mum's doorstep with a bag full for all of us. It's fine if she want's too, but I really don't understand it. Archie (her son who is a month older than Deborah) turned up with a present that he really wanted to give to Michael. I'm sure Michael will love it, but I last saw her 6 years ago, when my father died. I think I've met her daughter once - she looked lovely, just old enough to pull herself up on things, and at the stage where my cousin was worrying about what foods to introduce next. I've talked about this with Ian and he looked slightly askance so maybe it's not jsut em, but who knows. She has a new boyfriend so maybe she's trying to pretend our family is more functional than it really is.

Part of the weirdness is that because of Dad's lack of emotions, Mum's family all thought he was really cruel and never really understood quite how mentally ill she really is. They certainly never understood that at one point he pleaded with the hospitalfor mum to come home, purely so he could keep me at home and not re-homed as he felt I would have been, men not being fit parents 40 years ago. Particularly, Jewish Aetheist, non diagnosed Aspie ones. So for years I've had to defend Dad to them, and for years I've had to commiserate about my mum to my dad's family. My dad's family are actually sympathetic as long as I have no emotion.

So I'm totally, totally confused, and would really rather no presents from any of them. I could particularly do without Mum announcing "I only gave Alex as much as I gave you" whenever she gives her money. I'm not jealous, it's my mum's money and she's free to do with it what she likes. I'm not sure why she's reassuring me, it's never made me feel anything other than it's mum's money to do what she want's with. I guess I do feel uncomfortable that mum feels she has to justify herself like that, but I think that's her business. I think it's a shame it's so difficult for people around mum to really sort out the truth from the not so true, but I guess that's because Mum has difficulties herself.

Christmas hey? Brings out the best and worst of us. Oh and first day of Hannukah today too.

Anaemic.

Well tablets definitely having an affect as that which had been very light is now rather heavy. Oh good. Thankfully have realised today that the low mood, headaches, fatigue and irritability are related and that maybe it's not a good idea to take my calcium supplement at the same time as my iron one. So many little things to juggle at the same time.

Had a bit of a rubbish morning, went to our local children's centre and as usual was too busy supporting D that I didn't have time to talk to anyone else. Due to the lack of iron I had a huge headache and was feeling really dizzy and irritable anyway, plus M kept me up last night from 12 - 4 and 5 -6 so was quite tired. I don't often get the chance to talk to parent's at these sessions, but I feel they all know me as the mum with the disabled child... Very lonely feeling and very sad as I feel it is impacting on M as the focus is always on D.

M in super whingey mood for a specific snack, so I lost my eye on the ball, hence D getting hungry and having a huge, huge HUGE strop over a tricycle. Of course it had to be at story/singing time when it was nice and quiet. Trying to sort D out I then return to find M scooting around the room on a beanbag, fun but bumping into people potential so felt embarrassed. D is still kicking off so lots of people are staring at me and I felt totally conflicted as to stop M or at least take D some place she won't disturb story time. Thankfully D really wanted to do what I wanted her to do (which had caused the strop) and leaving her to it was the best thing. As it was so public it was all I could do not to cry.

You can guess what happened next - one of the workers asked me how I was and there were tears. As I said to her, when you get given a diagnosis, you become your child's therapist, advocate, social worker, carer, the whole lot. The mothering role get's lost. Of course it's still there, and D wouldn't be doing so well in general if I wasn't mothering but even so. Plus I have to keep M in social situations too. The problem is, people only ever want to know what's happening with D's school status, and I do tell them, and they say, "Oh you're doing magnificently Rachel, you do so well!" This is of course a wonderful thing to say, and appreciated, but quite honestly I'd rather move on from being a mother of a disabled kid who is after all a child like any other. This is going to sound ungrateful, but I also hardly ever get a drink when I go to this group as I'm simply too focussed - I kind of wish the appreciation would include the physical too. But then I'm expecting mind reading, which is unfair.

The kids absolutely love this group, and talk about it for much of the week, so I feel we do have to go regularly. Plus it's good for D to be put in supported but stressful situations and good for M to see the other kids. I'm worried he doesn't play with them much though.

Sick to the stomach with all the bloody school stuff.

Drinking very dark cocoa in an attempt to assimilate iron and cheer up. Writing this has been very therapeutic though, as today was a doddle in comparison to many, many days we have had. I don't mind how things are at all, just maybe I need to acknowledge them a little more.

Bittersweet

Went to see the gynaecologist today. Quite an interesting experience, the scan showed all fine on the inside apart from chunky ovaries. Nothing happening to them, just they look quite big.

The gynaecologist listened to my 22 year history of hormone horribbleness, agree with me that I may not have had ME in my 30's, just that it was too much trying to have work and deal with my hormones. No reason for why my hormones are so bad, just either that I'm very sensitive to the ones I produce or that I produce masses. I queried conceiving so easily and he suggested that's because I'm lucky. I will agree with that. I agree with the rest too as well. I always tell people I'm too hormonal and maybe I'm actually spot on. It's only been since my periods have come back after Michael and after the coil them getting so much worse on a monthly basis, means I can observe the hormone effects. As these are basically from just before ovulation (day 12) and last until the last day of my period (day 10), I do literally only get 2 days off a month.

He's suggested I take the mini-pill and also that I can take 2 a day if the symptoms come back stronger after a few months as generally happens. He's put me on system so I will be phoned by the clinic in 6 months time to see how I'm getting on.

Happy with the treatment, but can't express how it feels that I could have had a career and been good at what I love. I've never really grieved for the ME years, I've always just got on with it, believing that's the best thing to do. There's never really been anything to grieve, and I guess in very many real ways there still isn't. After all there is no disputing that I took about 5 years out to get better and I did which was great. I've had children too which was never part of my plan, but of course life is much better with them. Got married too, never thought I'd find someone to accept me. Struck gold there.

In my late 20's/early 30's when I started to feel so bloody tired ALL the time I didn't realise the link between my hormones and the way I felt. That link has only become clear later on. It's always been confusing as other women always agree how awful PMS is and they say, but it's only for a couple of days isn't it? It's taken me years and years to realise they probably weren't in the main talking about 2 to 3 weeks of labour like cramps (had these in my 30's pre children too), and mood swings/fatigue a go go for the entire time too. Most women do a get a substantial break each month, it's me that's unusual here. So I can stop beating myself up for feeling so pathetic for not being able to cope with something other women seem to sail through.

So that's me. Quite sad about the loss of career thing, but who know's there's maybe still time to do something once the kids are in school. Really hoping the new treatment will work alongside the coil, after all I've not tried that option before. If not, at least now I'm in the system for the gynaecologist so I will be able to access that quicker. Finger's crossed.

All I need to do now, is work on my sensory issues and on getting D sorted. M is doing just fine, but the more I can get us out the house, the more he will see people which will be good. I may even have enough energy to start contacting my friends again, this has all gone for the last 6 months or so of hormone horribleness. But let's not be rash here ...

Currently indulging in chocolate and tv, but soon am going to turn off the telly and get the kids to the chemist. Life carrying on, one step at a time.

When we lost you,

you were there in perfect sight,

I was probably dressing you, or changing your nappy,

Making your tea, or brushing your hair,

Yet you were lost.

The hardest thing was that we didn't know,

didn't know that you were lost.

Because you were there in front of us

we allowed ourselves to be convinced that you were a difficult child

"They're all like that, with their funny little ways".

We thought all you had to do was change,

grow a thicker skin, learn to adapt.

We didn't know you couldn't,

didn't know that changing you meant losing you.

So we lost you.

Suddenly we realised

we knew we hard to find you.

We took off your uniform, but you were not there

We looked in your eyes, but you were not there,

We held you tight, but you were not there.

So we let you go,

let you go where you needed too,

put up with the scratches and the blood and the screaming,

We held you tight, looked in your eyes, hugged and kissed you lots,

and you were there,

you'd never gone.

Thrown and caught by the dancing wind

The leaf shadows flicker and splash on my garden fence,

A painting of a feeling, caught in one second

And blown away the next.

Month by month

Month by month and day by day,

Another label for your needs,

Another barrier for you to climb,

Another perspective.

So many labels in such a short time,

so many diagnostic criteria

but you still manage to laugh, be happy and love,

and loved, loved, LOVED very much too.

Defined but not cut-off

Part of this life, this great big world,

Part of the great going-on beyond

And here, right here, and loved.

Holding the Universe

Holding the Universe

When you feed yourself to sleep

and I hold you close to me

I'm holding the universe in my arms

A whole wide world unknown to me

Drifting off to sleep.

Pregnant Pause

Pregnant Pause

Twisting in the twilight of the womb

You came to be part of the world

Part of the world just as you are

with your hopes, dreams desires.

Part of the world, just as you are

with a brain that hinders your speech

hinders your smile, hinders your eyes.

A brain that demands perfection,

A brain that see's fear,

A brain that see's this beautiful world

In your own beautiful, unique way.

Twisting in the twilight world

I wish I'd done a better job

Given you a brain that craved love more

Craved eyes, and feelings

Craved touch and sounds and smells.

But this is to unwish you

and that just cannot be done

For you are yourself

with your frightened brain

your anxious eyes

and your ears that hear so much.

Twisting in the twilight world

You came as you are

My greatest teacher

and your own self.

Twisting in the twilight world

You became you.

Let the world outside welcome you.

Together

Together we learn to fight and rage,

scream and shout and bite and worse

and when I wonder about those words

well let's just say I heard it first.

When I wonder about those looks

wonder what is in your books

Wonder where you learned to fight

Wonder where you learnt to bite

and scratch and scream and hate so much

The mirror talks to me.

The reflection in your eyes reminds me.

Then we tickle and laugh and life is good

And now all feels as it should

A breath and I am grateful.

Grateful to you for teaching more about love than I ever thought there was to learn.

Such a day.

Such a day of weeping and wailing,

howling and hailing

emotional thunderstorms too big for our bodies.

The ranting and railing reaches the heavens,

the lightning of words screams round and about

whipping our heads with confusion,

scratching our minds with its talons.

But.

A perfect blue hexagon

No clouds in the sky.

All curled together, loving and laughing.

Perfection as we look to the sky

The day takes a breath, we pause and we laugh

We should jump, we should scream, we should all bounce high

- we are on the trampoline after all

The perfect blue hexagon as we look up,

Aeroplanes the only white in the deep blue sky,

Peace in an unexpected place.

Such a day.

coping with...

Not quite what you might think. Talking to a mum today whose ASD child attends the school to the pre school that D attended. She thinks they're great because they cope with her son. He has meltdowns at home that last up to 2 weeks whenever anything changes at school.

It took me a while to twig that actually I want Deborah's eventual school to do a hell of a lot more than just cope with. I agree, her behaviour is certainly a lot more challenging than most 4 year old's - but she has a good excuse, and it's not as if she's autistic by choice. I'm slowing down on feeling guilty for not wanting to home educate - the children are leading me in that one. Because of Deborah's language impairments I want her to be somewhere where the staff have specialist knowledge of how to support her and cherish her and not think she's inadequate, or that she just has to get used to it or any of the crap we had before. Michael is desperate to socialise, he had 11 year old cornered today in the park offering them imaginary chips and sausages, and every time we walk past a school or nursery , he demands to go. I've signed him up for next Easter, and he went very small and quiet when we were in the nursery we're thinking about - until he got outside that was. Then he loved it. So we'll see.

As for Deborah, I'm beginning to see that the confusion with my dad's behaviour is a good thing. Sure its daunting to be told that your child is disabled, that it will be life long and no one can currently predict outcome. All the signs are so far looking as if D has normal intelligence, she does age appropriate things which is great. So on one hand I have the diagnosis, the knowledge of her disability, the actuality of having a frequently very cross and extremely frustrated child - and on the other hand I have my family. All hugely intelligent, late developers, crappy social skills and often quite brilliant in their own way. Add into this mix, my understanding of the social model of disability (through my amazing friend Sharon Woodward, who died age 36) and I kind of feel quite upbeat about the whole thing. Yes the daily grind of screeching and chivvying is still there, but I'm moving away from the professional's viewpoint and developing my own.

It's also about my feelings about everyone's right to be just who they are -a closer development of a life-long interest. Yes its been tough having a bi-polar mum and an autistic dad, but it's prepared me well for this moment. I'm stopping feeling guilty for not realising earlier that D was so different - if you'd had my family, you'd understand :) But, because I do have my family, and am now working so hard to make sure D get's more support and understanding than any of us ever did, I'm hoping she will - well it's up to her. I just hope she's happy.

Goodness - back to period pains like early labour. So today was a write-off.

The self hating not in control but just so tired and cranky.

Read and remember

Well - that's an instruction for me at least. So the next time I'm attempting to save the world/ensure my children have stress free lives whilst being the biggest stress-source ever/ control time and space continuum as we know it so that Deborah's ASD will not be a drawback in anyway whatsoever, whilst not so secretly dealing with feelings of guilt, denial, grief and rather a lot of guilt, - I need to read this post.

Here goes - Rachel - relax, You are fine - this may or may not feel true. You are a loving mother, even if you feel incapable of this right now. Actually - that last, although not a nice feeling is ok in the larger scale. It's actually good to accept and listen to your non-lovingness, it won't go until you do. The world will be what it is despite you.

Rachel - your father very probably had ASD. His are the most important mental foundations that you have built yours on. If you are feeling highly stressed, it is most likely you have gone into default, scared mode, and these are the patterns you are using to try and solve whatever is going on. It won't. Dad was globally compassionate, but as an ASD person (which you certainly have many traits of, although for you the jury is out), he also feared it and was constantly trying to fix it. So are you Rachel. You grew these foundations as a response to your father trying to support your mum through bi-polar. There were decisions made that adults could and you couldn't. Trying to control it all by thinking that you are responsible for your mum's bi-polar simply by being born and then punishing yourself for every failure (how dare you fail when you have the gift of life and have ruined someone else's?) and every success (how dare you succeed at anything when you've ruined someone else life, you deserve nothing) - well it doesn't work.

My intensity of self hatred is really quite something. It kind of explains why I'm too afraid to succeed, fail and often quite ambivalent about getting out of bed. But - it's also ok. I just need to know it's there, remind myself of it's root causes and move on. Last night I was full of the worst thoughts, had been crying in desperation in the playground as I'd been angry at D and found her ASD traits completely annoying. Ian was really cross at me, and I was cross as we'd been away where we'd had full support by staying with family and it was so blissful that it was the intense fear of coming home that triggered it for me. Deborah has been getting really challenging recently, pinching and drawing blood every day for over a fortnight has been particularly hard. Coming home was hard as she's stopped on holiday when we all relaxed and I didn't want to be so stressed I started her again.

But on the upside - we now have a specialist SALT visiting once a month who will help D communicate with us and vice versa. She's particularly keen to work with D's anxieties. Thanks to the ed psych pushing, we will also have the local pre school teacher counsellor visiting fortnightly, and I've arranged for a worker from the local children's centre to come fortnightly to encourage play skill - both kids will benefit. I'm also talking to the gp soon to see how they can help and I'm hoping to get a Home Start person soon too. And we have an OT appt in September, plus there are ways to access things to start now, and the SALT will be sending me communication stuff to use at home, so since 31st March this year (when we got the appt) - well I've been busy.

As for the rest - just remember, breathe out, let go and walk on. Be Rachel.

Too awkward to discuss

Well face to face with anyone within Deborah's hearing range. Would be totally unfair. But I have no idea of what to expect from her, as such I am constantly comparing her to other children of a similar age and end up really disappointed. Isn't that a simply awful thing to think about one's own child?

She is so beautiful, and so similar to me and my dad. It's really hard to know how to react to it all, I try to just be with it, but there is so much stuff that trips me up. After a rather thrilling car ride, when I was stuck in the back with a reluctant daughter who did not want to be in her car seat and who really enjoyed all the attention she got for trying to escape - 2 weeks ago, my bruises are still healing. It's the karmic nature that's tripping me up, the physical attacks from a close female relative, too similar to what I had with my mum. Sure that's apparently how it all works, Rev Olwen once said all these cycles come round again and again but it's tough. So many of my reactions are based on things long passed.

It's also tricky as I simply don't know what to expect and I don't know exactly where the tantrums are coming from. Plus she, like many autistic people, is almost super sensitive to emotions, more so than her brother. It's odd, she doesn't understand the outright expression of emotions, but the subtle feeling of it can have her in turmoil. Last week of PMS was fun for both of us...

I'm trying to find more support - home start have no available volunteers but have asked them again. NAS do volunteers but they only come out when your child is over 5. There's plenty of online support and phone lines, but I cant guarantee I can actually talk on the phone so I tend not to use those. I do use an online forum but find my social anxieties are sometimes a little triggered. The local educational psychologist is doing a brilliant project, but her support will be coming to end soon when she will pass me over to the local pre school teacher counsellor to do Deborah's statement. This would normally done by the school that the child is in, but obviously Deborah is not in the education system at the moment. The local special school would be brilliant for Deborah as she would get SALT and OT as part of her lessons which I think she really needs. But to get there, she needs statement and of course she's no longer in the school because of how traumatic it was for her. So fingers crossed for that one. The special school has a family support worker and an autism support worker, I'm trying to access these at the moment as well as someone else who advises on continence.

It's all rather a lot to do.

At the same time, Michael is coming on leaps and bounds, wakes at 4, loves people, chips cbeebies and trains and has the most staggeringly deep voice. They both need nurturing not a mum freaking out about being 40, and feeling tired and unable to study and completely overwhelmed by the whole disabled thing.

Tried out Kalms last week, they were very effective and also compatible with breastfeeding. They even contain hops which boost milk production. Because they were so effective I felt relieved I wasn't "seriously" depressed and resolved not to take them. Bad mistake. I've now decided I will take them when I am pre menstrual as they do work and as I only need a 3rd of the recommended dose, well it's just fine. I really should get over myself.

This bit is really quite hard. Need to remember it won't last for ever.