gethampshire - Reading Evening Post

How exciting I'm going to be the subject of an article for the local paper!!!! A photographer will be coming to my work to take my picture on Thursday. I guess I had better get some ironing done.

Eric and Alec have been very quiet today. I got them to do some school work to exercise their brains this morning.

Today started out a little roughly with Alec not wanting to stop his DS playing and go to rugby practice. Eric also resisted entering the great outdoors. I only managed to tempt him out with a bribe of a magazine and sweets in an effort to get my fringe trimmed.

Eric spent a couple of hours building a model Spitfire with Kevin this afternoon while I was out running. So it wasn't all torture for him.

It was a bit difficult for Eric again today he was resistant to doing anything. Managed to get out to the pool for a couple of hours. Treated the boys to Chitty Chitty Bang Bang in memory of Lionel Jefferies. I pleased to report that both boys loved it, Eric especially so. I think the over exaggerated expressions help him to understand the subtle humor better. Alec just LOVED the song and dance routines and of course the scene where the children fight back.

Apart from the swimming the only marathon related activity I did today was to order my supply of Lucazade Sport and Carb Gels. They both taste like poo until you've been running for about an hour. As both of these will be handed out along the marathon route I have to get used to taking them on my longer runs.

The second day of Eric's Ritalin trial and things are still going really well. We took him to the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard today to admire the Victory and to visit the Mary Rose Museum. We had another fantastic day out!!!! He even allowed himself to dress up in public and relax a little bit.

I had a rest day today so no gym tonight but swimming tomorrow...

Well where to begin... Eric was able to focus long enough to learn how to shallow dive!!!!! To give you all a bit of background Eric has always had a problem with being in water. The sensation of the water on his body has always caused him to retreat into himself. It took till this summer to teach him how to swim after 5 years of trying. So for Eric to suddenly be able to focus in this environment took us both aback... Don't get me wrong he is still Eric reciting facts and figures and obsessing about his current topic of the Tudors but just without the ticks.

Later in the afternoon he went off and unwound by building a nifty lego spaceship.

Wednesday was a big day in our house Eric has been prescribed Ritalin at his request for his twitches and involuntary noises. Dr Rossdale-Smith is hopeful that this will help with these challenges. He will be taking a very low dose on a trial basis for 2 months to see if there is any effect. I still have my trepidations about drug intervention. However, this is a decision that has been made primarily by Eric. He asked the Doctor back before Christmas if it would "stop the buzzing in my head". So we will see...

Swam 52 lengths tonight.

Pancake day... boys wanted a quite day which suited me to a T. Poor Eric spent a lot of the day making animal noises and rocking. Sometimes he just needs to give into his autistic traits and deal with the world in his own way. Ended the day with a 45 minutes of interval training followed by planks, side planks, supermans, bridges and my nemesis squats and lunges.

Half term break... poor Eric does not deal well with change so breaks are always difficult for him. Started off the week by taking the boys into London to the Victoria and Albert Museum. Eric loved the Decode: Digital Design Sensations exhibition. The black and white kinetic sculpture outside this exhibit really captured his imagination. I have always been amazed with kids like Eric 'getting' art in ways that most adults can't comprehend. I learn more from him some days than I can teach him. Alec was his usual normal 6 year old self wanting to touch everything Ended the day with 50 lengths of the pool... felt really good afterwards.

Discovered that the reply slip for parent teacher interviews never made it to the teacher. As I spoke to his teacher he slunk away and hid behind the bookshelves in the library and made monkey noises. I am now slightly concerned and have booked an appointment to see the teacher after half term break. What is he worried about me finding out? Oh Eric!!!!

Eric informed us that as he forgot to bring his homework home that meant that he didn't have to do it and consequently he should be able to play Wii. Though impressed with this argument on one level I am by the same token unimpressed. Only managed to go for an hour walk with the dog in the sleet that evening.  Spin class was again excellent I seem to be able to tolerate the inclines better. I guess my overall fitness is starting to improve.  Spent Friday night at the gym swimming lengths is the pool upon the recommendation of Helen Mehrtens my Physio Therapist.  I am not a strong swimmer so much splashing about was done managed to do 33 lengths but felt utterly sore afterwards.  But pain is good right?

Well started this week out well swam lengths at the Hart Leisure Centre Tuesday ran on the treadmill for an hour Wednesday was my usual Beaver Scouts commitment Thursday Spin Class Friday out with the girls from the office. Saturday I got to spend a day at the Gold Bond Meet the Experts Day and had a fabulous time. Learned loads about nutrition, hydration, carbohydrate gels, fund-raising and lubing bum cheeks to avoid chaffing etc all things marathon related. Even fell in love with a pair of running shoes... when I slipped them on they felt like heaven looking forward to breaking these babies in

Poor Eric though he said to me upon my return " wow that must have been a great party" Not realising that I had come home gone to bed and left the following morning before he had got up. Spent some time hugging and chatting to him about the Tudors his current obsession.

I will never forget sitting in the Paediatrician's office - that stiffness and wave of nausea that hit me when he asked if we had heard of Autisim. The only point of reference I had was the movie Rainman and though I could instantly recognize some of Dustin Hoffmans character I couldn't fully comprehend what he was saying. I remember vaguely that he drew three interlocking rings and explaining the spectrum to me but nothing sunk in during that initial shock. As soon as we got home we went on the internet and the first resource we came to was the NAS website. We have been back many times since looking for guidance and support with raising our eldest son. Eric is 9 years old now and though we struggle with communication difficulties on a daily basis he is still our special little boy.

I started running as a means of blowing off steam to reduce the stress of parenting an autistic child. Life with Eric is great, but sometimes I need a break to clear my mind and running has been that release for me.