Back in the land of the living

[Jadensmum]

Hi everyone,

 

My title says it all really. Had a funny few weeks and although I came on here every day and kept up to date I didn't feel able to post - maybe because I had nothing to say but also I think I was a bit "autismed" out. I felt like I couldn't think about it anymore. As soon as J went to bed I was on here looking up all things Autism wise and I never had a break from it.

 

J has only been diagnosed for 6 months (I wasn't expecting the diagnosis either) and I was just coming to terms with Epilepsy and suddenly I felt like I had to be an expert on Autism and help my son as much as I could. Think I've been going through the cycle of emotions all at once.

 

I don't think watching the recent tv programmes about Autism particularly helped me either!

 

Amongst all this mine and his Dad's relationship is disintegrating yet again (we are not together but argue like we are! )

 

However, lots of good things have happened. I have been on a couple of courses and met a few other parents (one who is a blood relation to me!) J is doing well with PECS. He has a nursery place in January with hopefully 1:1 support. Education System here we come

We switched onto the quick release melatonin and it's working Finally I get some sleep!

I am also helping with some fundraising to turn a derelict building in our town into a Special needs school.

 

So there we are, not a rant as such. I am sure most if not everyone can relate to this and there are people going through worse.

 

Going off to answer some posts now............

 

Denisex

[nellie]

Nice to see you back Denise,

 

Yes, I'm sure we all get "autismed" out at times.

 

Nellie xx

[lorryw]

Hi Denise

Glad to see you back.

I know what you mean about being autismed out. I never watch any TV programmes or read any of the books anymore. My son was diagnosed 12 years ago and I was always in the library/ Smiths/Waterstones etc. I was looking for the answer and it eventually dawned on me that I wouldnt find a perfect solution to our problems. I now live for the day. The books I read were either all doom and gloom or dippy, feed your child carrots, beetroot only on a Tuesday, type stuff.

I now take it all with a huge pinch of salt and realise that these books are written with the aim of making money (Ive yet to see one issued free) and read this site to pick up useful real life tips.

Having said all that I am sure there are some people may find them very useful but each to his own.

Take care

Loraine

[mossgrove]

Denise

 

Nice to see you back.

 

I know exactly what you mean. I go from posting loads in a day to lurking only and posting very little or not at all depending on how things are.

 

Loraine

 

I know what you mean abot the books, but I still find some of them helpful, especially some of the personal experience based books like 'Mulitcolored Mayhem' by Jaquii Jackson of "George and Sam:Autism in the Fanily" by Charlotte Moore because they are both upbeat postive books about parenting autistic children and it sometimes useful to have a little help in staying posititve.

 

Simon

Edited July 5, 2005 by mossgrove

[Hectorshouse]

Hi Denise, its the same for me as well, sometimes I go into post overload and other times, I can only read. My life does sometimes feel like it is in ASDoverload.

 

Good to have you back, HHxx

 

(oh and yep ... I am meant to be packing ... 2 weeks to moving!!!)

Edited July 5, 2005 by Hectorshouse

[Sallya]

Snap.

Sometimes I see lots of posts I want to reply to, but cant find the right words, so I send a hug or short message because what I want to say isnt sounding right.

xxx

[LizK]

Hi Denise

 

I know what you mean. We seem to get all our appointments coming through at the same time and it's so easy to get overwhelmed by it all and loose track of reality. Tend to overly focus on all the ASD-stuff in my son's behaviour and forget about the qualities of the child beneath. I have to have an 'ASD-holiday' and do fun non-related stuff to get some persepctive again

 

Liz x

[CarerQuie]

Welcome back.I know what you mean about Autism Overload.I feel like that at the moment and I've got the wretched DLA renewal forms to complete.Hmmm,perhaps there is some sort of connection between the 2!!!xx

[Jadensmum]

Thanks everyone for their replies. Hope everyone is enjoying the sunshine.

 

Denisex

[elaine1]

know what you mean, sometimes you just want a 'normal' life whatever that is!

[mandyque]

It is true that you can overload, especially in the early days after a dx has been made. I did it, I went into a daze for weeks afterwards then binged on autism information, anything I could find, until it started getting confusing. A lot of the books I got from the library were out of date and still used references to 'refrigerator mothers', 'retardation' and 'childhood schizophrenia' which I found highly offensive. I KNEW that there was no way I was a cold unloving mother and the rest was just plain unhelpful.

 

I backed off for a while, to give a time scale she was 2.5 yrs at dx, she is 8.5 now and the obsession went on for about 4 years. Then I backed off completely, a mixture of overload and personal life stresses outside of dd and her autism. It's only recently that I have started to talk about it again, we have got help when it's needed but I have pushed the unanswerable questions away now and just 'get on with it'.