Need to Vent

[Guest guest]

Can I just say that sometimes it really sucks? (I never use that word.)

That's all really.

He's been doing really well. He had a fabulous day yesterday and a stellar

morning this morning.

Then I tried to take him to church. He had two complete meltdowns which aren't

his norm anymore. The teachers are great and they handled him well, no blame

there. Just that it sucks and I don't know if I will ever completely understand

what is going on his brain and body or why. Which means I may never be able to

help him resolve his issues for good.

Couldn't help but cry on the way home while he sobbed the whole way and the rest

of the family sat in silence.

I just want to move far, far away with him and never have to deal with other

people again.

Vent over.

Cathy

[Guest guest]

Yes it does suck. I would like to move far away too...live in the country surrounded by horses dogs and chickens and pigs for pets....my son healthy enuff that we dont have to eat meat ..

it is not an easy the life we live, said it before and sayin it again...it is by the grace of God we all keep it together..

all I can say is we are so blessed to be on this group...i find the smartest people post here...and kids ARE recovering....no reason why ours cant too....but we got to have faith and a soldier like mentality...I guess that is where warrior mom came from....

war is not easy.....not on any level...

xo

channa

To: mb12valtrex Sent: Sunday, December 11, 2011 2:37 PMSubject: Need to Vent

Can I just say that sometimes it really sucks? (I never use that word.)That's all really.He's been doing really well. He had a fabulous day yesterday and a stellar morning this morning.Then I tried to take him to church. He had two complete meltdowns which aren't his norm anymore. The teachers are great and they handled him well, no blame there. Just that it sucks and I don't know if I will ever completely understand what is going on his brain and body or why. Which means I may never be able to help him resolve his issues for good.Couldn't help but cry on the way home while he sobbed the whole way and the rest of the family sat in silence.I just want to move far, far away with him and never have to deal with other people again.Vent over.Cathy

[Guest guest]

We all get those days but like the phenix we r we raise from the ashes and go another day another idea. As I always say we ve this group and we ve the power to vent what of our little angels knocking at their door of autism wanting to join us but they can not speak and they must wonder why we do not hear them when they r telling us what we should do to bring them out.Keep on keeping on we will bring them home Sent from my iPod

Can I just say that sometimes it really sucks? (I never use that word.)

That's all really.

He's been doing really well. He had a fabulous day yesterday and a stellar morning this morning.

Then I tried to take him to church. He had two complete meltdowns which aren't his norm anymore. The teachers are great and they handled him well, no blame there. Just that it sucks and I don't know if I will ever completely understand what is going on his brain and body or why. Which means I may never be able to help him resolve his issues for good.

Couldn't help but cry on the way home while he sobbed the whole way and the rest of the family sat in silence.

I just want to move far, far away with him and never have to deal with other people again.

Vent over.

Cathy

[Guest guest]

I have to say that I have a tendency to feel antsy in churches, too.  Churches have a musty moldy-ish smell to them sometimes (and it's not entirely impossible that there may actually be mold because many churches are old buildings, so there may actually be a mold sensitivity going on there), you're expected to sit still (typical kids get antsy after about 20 minutes -- heavens, even in a place like school, which is more likely to be geared to kids, children have trouble sitting for more than 30 minutes in circle time -- and from an OT perspective, children especially are just built to need movement breaks and not sit completely still), it's not terribly exciting because some guy's up at the front who's not Elmo or Barney or Bieber talking about stuff that you don't quite understand -- hard for any child to understand, much less a child with autism who thrives on visuals.

 

I think The Lord wouldn't be terribly upset if you spent Sundays observing The Creation (instead of The Creator).  Creation is much more beautiful and exhilarating, more inspiring and much more powerful.  Don't feel bad if you spend Sundays just going to soak in the beauty of gardens, having fun in the park, going on a walk at some place that's just fun and beautiful.  These are a part of Creation, too, and are probably even more conducive towards spiritual growth.  Don't feel bad about not going to church in place of doing something that will foster the bond between you and your child.  I am certain that anything divine would see this as more important -- the relationship between you and your child.

 

Don't feel bad for not going, not even for a moment, if there are other ways that you can spend your Sundays that will foster a closer relationship between you and your son.  I'm not saying that a child with autism shouldn't be in church because they might disturb others...I'm saying that there may be other ways in the context of sprituality that may be fostered by other means.  Church isn't the be-all, end-all.  We try to always do something as a family on Sundays...create happy memories for the kids, have fun, and grow as a family. 

[Guest guest]

,I cried a few times today. And on top of that couldn't even keep it together to be a decent mom to either my 3 yo autistic son or my 5 yo NT daughter. This is a painful road we're on. My heart goes out to you and all of the other moms who cried autism tears today. Sylvia

Can I just say that sometimes it really sucks? (I never use that word.)

That's all really.

He's been doing really well. He had a fabulous day yesterday and a stellar morning this morning.

Then I tried to take him to church. He had two complete meltdowns which aren't his norm anymore. The teachers are great and they handled him well, no blame there. Just that it sucks and I don't know if I will ever completely understand what is going on his brain and body or why. Which means I may never be able to help him resolve his issues for good.

Couldn't help but cry on the way home while he sobbed the whole way and the rest of the family sat in silence.

I just want to move far, far away with him and never have to deal with other people again.

Vent over.

Cathy

[Guest guest]

Amen

To: mb12valtrex Sent: Sunday, December 11, 2011 8:08 PMSubject: Re: Need to Vent

,

I cried a few times today. And on top of that couldn't even keep it together to be a decent mom to either my 3 yo autistic son or my 5 yo NT daughter. This is a painful road we're on. My heart goes out to you and all of the other moms who cried autism tears today.

Sylvia

Can I just say that sometimes it really sucks? (I never use that word.)That's all really.He's been doing really well. He had a fabulous day yesterday and a stellar morning this morning.Then I tried to take him to church. He had two complete meltdowns which aren't his norm anymore. The teachers are great and they handled him well, no blame there. Just that it sucks and I don't know if I will ever completely understand what is going on his brain and body or why. Which means I may never be able to help him resolve his issues for good.Couldn't help but cry on the way home while he sobbed the whole way and the rest of the family sat in silence.I just want to move far, far away with him and never have to deal with other people again.Vent over.Cathy

[Guest guest]

Very nice Alberta! And yes and Sylvia, I have had many, many of those days too. Sometimes I think we need to just stop and relax and laugh about the things that make us stressed (I need to learn to do this more too). When we went to my Gramma's funeral this spring, my son too was pretty nervous the minute we walked in (lights, smell, stained glass not sure what). We walked into a door at the front near the casket so i could come in with the stroller for my daughter. There was a long line of people waiting to view the casket. My son was nervously moving around and playing with his cars and his pants started to fall down so I asked him to pull them up. He accidentally pulled them down and mooned the whole church. I was slightly mortified but now I just laugh....I wish i

could remind myself to laugh more in these moments and not get stressed about what isnt working...it was another rough day so I am going to try to wake up tomorrow thinking about how not to worry about the "small" stuff and find someway to laugh with the kids even when they/autism are driving me crazy:) To: mb12valtrex Sent: Sunday, December 11, 2011 5:12 PM Subject: Re: Need to Vent

I have to say that I have a tendency to feel antsy in churches, too. Churches have a musty moldy-ish smell to them sometimes (and it's not entirely impossible that there may actually be mold because many churches are old buildings, so there may actually be a mold sensitivity going on there), you're expected to sit still (typical kids get antsy after about 20 minutes -- heavens, even in a place like school, which is more likely to be geared to kids, children have trouble sitting for more than 30 minutes in circle time -- and from an OT perspective, children especially are just built to need movement breaks and not sit completely still), it's not terribly exciting because some guy's up at the front who's not Elmo or Barney or Bieber talking about stuff that you don't quite understand -- hard for any child to understand, much less a child with autism who thrives on visuals.

I think The Lord wouldn't be terribly upset if you spent Sundays observing The Creation (instead of The Creator). Creation is much more beautiful and exhilarating, more inspiring and much more powerful. Don't feel bad if you spend Sundays just going to soak in the beauty of gardens, having fun in the park, going on a walk at some place that's just fun and beautiful. These are a part of Creation, too, and are probably even more conducive towards spiritual growth. Don't feel bad about not going to church in place of doing something that will foster the bond between you and your child. I am certain that anything divine would see this as more important -- the relationship between you and your child.

Don't feel bad for not going, not even for a moment, if there are other ways that you can spend your Sundays that will foster a closer relationship between you and your son. I'm not saying that a child with autism shouldn't be in church because they might disturb others...I'm saying that there may be other ways in the context of sprituality that may be fostered by other means. Church isn't the be-all, end-all. We try to always do something as a family on Sundays...create happy memories for the kids, have fun, and grow as a family.

[Guest guest]

I feel ya Cathy.I think sometimes the more good days we get, the more the bad days kick us in the gut. :-\So close to pulling the kids out of school and buying a farm and just living far away from anyone who doesn't get us.

 

Can I just say that sometimes it really sucks? (I never use that word.)

That's all really.

He's been doing really well. He had a fabulous day yesterday and a stellar morning this morning.

Then I tried to take him to church. He had two complete meltdowns which aren't his norm anymore. The teachers are great and they handled him well, no blame there. Just that it sucks and I don't know if I will ever completely understand what is going on his brain and body or why. Which means I may never be able to help him resolve his issues for good.

Couldn't help but cry on the way home while he sobbed the whole way and the rest of the family sat in silence.

I just want to move far, far away with him and never have to deal with other people again.

Vent over.

Cathy

-- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Click to find info about Vitamins and Minerals:http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=10150543521682565

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Click to find links to info about the Low Oxalate Diet :http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=10150543495292565

------Toni------Mind like a steel trap...Rusty and illegal in 37 states.

[Guest guest]

,

My son would have one better day and the next day we r dealing with meltdowns at

home, school and therapy. I get a little hope and then it seems like there is no

improvement. Even parents at his speech therapy center stare at my son as he is

a tall eight year old and has very little speech and while other kids with

delays are trying to play with toys, he is always stimming. Every time I explain

to my mil that this symptom is yeast or that symptom is clostridia, she looks at

me like I am crazy and trying to give excuses for my brain damaged kid. I still

sometimes wish that all of us on the forum were living in the same neighborhood

and our kids had opportunity to hang out with kids on the spectrum and NT

siblings without being stared at and the moms could hang out and exchange

healthy recipes. I think I am going into my fantasy world again.

is

>

> Can I just say that sometimes it really sucks? (I never use that word.)

>

> That's all really.

>

> He's been doing really well. He had a fabulous day yesterday and a stellar

morning this morning.

>

> Then I tried to take him to church. He had two complete meltdowns which

aren't his norm anymore. The teachers are great and they handled him well, no

blame there. Just that it sucks and I don't know if I will ever completely

understand what is going on his brain and body or why. Which means I may never

be able to help him resolve his issues for good.

>

> Couldn't help but cry on the way home while he sobbed the whole way and the

rest of the family sat in silence.

>

> I just want to move far, far away with him and never have to deal with other

people again.

>

> Vent over.

>

> Cathy

>

[Guest guest]

Sylvia,

Just 1 request. I understand your heart goes out to moms who cried regarding autism. Hearts need to be provided to Dads also. Each day is so very difficult. The worst part is to worry regularly and constantly about a child's future.

Abid Khan

To: mb12valtrex Sent: Sunday, December 11, 2011 8:08 PMSubject: Re: Need to Vent

,

I cried a few times today. And on top of that couldn't even keep it together to be a decent mom to either my 3 yo autistic son or my 5 yo NT daughter. This is a painful road we're on. My heart goes out to you and all of the other moms who cried autism tears today.

Sylvia

Can I just say that sometimes it really sucks? (I never use that word.)That's all really.He's been doing really well. He had a fabulous day yesterday and a stellar morning this morning.Then I tried to take him to church. He had two complete meltdowns which aren't his norm anymore. The teachers are great and they handled him well, no blame there. Just that it sucks and I don't know if I will ever completely understand what is going on his brain and body or why. Which means I may never be able to help him resolve his issues for good.Couldn't help but cry on the way home while he sobbed the whole way and the rest of the family sat in silence.I just want to move far, far away with him and never have to deal with other people again.Vent over.Cathy

[Guest guest]

I don't know if this is old news for most of you but I am now on Welbutrin and

it has saved me. I was sliding down slowly from so much weight on my shoulders

to save my son, our marriage, myself, etc. I finally got so tired of the

depression and sadness and was willing to try the low dose and now I am so angry

that they didn't hand me this Rx when they wrote down my son's diagnosis. I feel

like it gives me an epidural for my hardest days - like I still can feel pain -

it is not an escape - but there is an absence of the depth of darkness. Also, it

is a $10 copay and compared to the hundreds of dollars my son's supps cost...?!

Drop in the bucket!

Just sharing in case it can help...

[Guest guest]

Posted on my FB feed today:http://www.warmandtote.com/Retweet/Parenting/Parents%20of%20Children%20with%20Autism.html

 

I don't know if this is old news for most of you but I am now on Welbutrin and it has saved me. I was sliding down slowly from so much weight on my shoulders to save my son, our marriage, myself, etc. I finally got so tired of the depression and sadness and was willing to try the low dose and now I am so angry that they didn't hand me this Rx when they wrote down my son's diagnosis. I feel like it gives me an epidural for my hardest days - like I still can feel pain - it is not an escape - but there is an absence of the depth of darkness. Also, it is a $10 copay and compared to the hundreds of dollars my son's supps cost...?! Drop in the bucket!

Just sharing in case it can help...

-- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Click to find info about Vitamins and Minerals:http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=10150543521682565

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Click to find links to info about the Low Oxalate Diet :http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=10150543495292565

------Toni------Mind like a steel trap...Rusty and illegal in 37 states.

[Guest guest]

QEnviado desde mi BlackBerry® de VodafoneSender: mb12valtrex Date: Sun, 11 Dec 2011 17:12:08 -0500To: <mb12valtrex >ReplyTo: mb12valtrex Subject: Re: Need to Vent I have to say that I have a tendency to feel antsy in churches, too.  Churches have a musty moldy-ish smell to them sometimes (and it's not entirely impossible that there may actually be mold because many churches are old buildings, so there may actually be a mold sensitivity going on there), you're expected to sit still (typical kids get antsy after about 20 minutes -- heavens, even in a place like school, which is more likely to be geared to kids, children have trouble sitting for more than 30 minutes in circle time -- and from an OT perspective, children especially are just built to need movement breaks and not sit completely still), it's not terribly exciting because some guy's up at the front who's not Elmo or Barney or Bieber talking about stuff that you don't quite understand -- hard for any child to understand, much less a child with autism who thrives on visuals. I think The Lord wouldn't be terribly upset if you spent Sundays observing The Creation (instead of The Creator).  Creation is much more beautiful and exhilarating, more inspiring and much more powerful.  Don't feel bad if you spend Sundays just going to soak in the beauty of gardens, having fun in the park, going on a walk at some place that's just fun and beautiful.  These are a part of Creation, too, and are probably even more conducive towards spiritual growth.  Don't feel bad about not going to church in place of doing something that will foster the bond between you and your child.  I am certain that anything divine would see this as more important -- the relationship between you and your child. Don't feel bad for not going, not even for a moment, if there are other ways that you can spend your Sundays that will foster a closer relationship between you and your son.  I'm not saying that a child with autism shouldn't be in church because they might disturb others...I'm saying that there may be other ways in the context of sprituality that may be fostered by other means.  Church isn't the be-all, end-all.  We try to always do something as a family on Sundays...create happy memories for the kids, have fun, and grow as a family. 

[Guest guest]

oh i have a story. We were at my typ sons hockey game and i was trying to watch

the game and my Dau. Well she was sitting near a young man abt 18 and decided

to take her pants off and shake her naked butt. He turned five shades of red

and ran! i had to laugh later. At the moment i was mortified. We have some

tough days but boy do we have some laughs too!

Re: Need to Vent

Thanks for the laugh! It reminds me of the time that my hubby and I separated

in Whole Foods and he had our ASD son with him. My son got it in his head that

he was going to remove his pants and underwear in the very busy bakery

department. My husband was mortified trying to get him to pull his pants back

up and tussling with him. When I caught up to them, my son was terribly upset

and my husband was red-faced and sweaty and clearly agitated. I saw the humor

in it. My husband did not (at the time.)

In this case at church, my heart breaks because my son WANTS to go to church and

be in his class with the other kids. Class is really fun and he loves it. But

he just can't handle it. I think part of his problem is that he close enough to

recovered that he is embarrassed by his own behavior and knows the other kids

don't understand when he acts that way. I think he has a lot of anxiety about

going because of it, even though he really wants to be there. Usually he has a

very difficult Sunday morning bef

[Guest guest]

Thanks for the laugh! It reminds me of the time that my hubby and I separated

in Whole Foods and he had our ASD son with him. My son got it in his head that

he was going to remove his pants and underwear in the very busy bakery

department. My husband was mortified trying to get him to pull his pants back

up and tussling with him. When I caught up to them, my son was terribly upset

and my husband was red-faced and sweaty and clearly agitated. I saw the humor

in it. My husband did not (at the time.)

In this case at church, my heart breaks because my son WANTS to go to church and

be in his class with the other kids. Class is really fun and he loves it. But

he just can't handle it. I think part of his problem is that he close enough to

recovered that he is embarrassed by his own behavior and knows the other kids

don't understand when he acts that way. I think he has a lot of anxiety about

going because of it, even though he really wants to be there. Usually he has a

very difficult Sunday morning before church (difficult enough that more than

half the time I end up keeping him home.) This week he had a calm, relaxed,

compliant, easy, happy morning. I think he didn't release the stress before

going and that's why he ended up completely melting down there.

I am okay if I never go to church again. I am a Christian and I love God and

desire to serve and follow Him each day. But He has also given me my son to

parent and I believe that He would have me serve my son's needs first before

serving other people or myself. (God first, family second, others third.) But

it makes me so sad that my son wants to do these things and is then devasted by

his own behavior.

All of this wasn't directed specifically at you, . I just got rambling.

Cathy

>

> Very nice Alberta! Â And yes and Sylvia, I have had many, many of

those days too. Â Sometimes I think we need to just stop and relax and laugh

about the things that make us stressed (I need to learn to do this more too). Â

When we went to my Gramma's funeral this spring, my son too was pretty nervous

the minute we walked in (lights, smell, stained glass not sure what). Â We

walked into a door at the front near the casket so i could come in with the

stroller for my daughter. Â There was a long line of people waiting to view the

casket. Â My son was nervously moving around and playing with his cars and his

pants started to fall down so I asked him to pull them up. Â He accidentally

pulled them down and mooned the whole church. Â I was slightly mortified but now

I just laugh....I wish i could remind myself to laugh more in these moments and

not get stressed about what isnt working...it was another rough day so I am

going to try to wake up tomorrow

> thinking about how not to worry about the " small " stuff and find someway to

laugh with the kids even when they/autism are driving me crazy:)

>

>

[Guest guest]

YES! That is exactly right. The good days - the GREAT days - give a taste of

what could be all the time. For some reason, everything was in proper alignment

and perfect for that day(s), but you don't know exactly why, so you cannot

faithfully reproduce it necessarily.

And my kids are already pulled out of school. haha.

I still think we need to get together sometime (with or without kids) along with

any other FL parents who would like to get together!

Someday I will organize that...

Cathy

>

> I feel ya Cathy.

>

> I think sometimes the more good days we get, the more the bad days kick us

> in the gut. :-\

>

> So close to pulling the kids out of school and buying a farm and just

> living far away from anyone who doesn't get us.

>

[Guest guest]

Of course we include Dads, too!!

Cathy

>

> Â

> >Can I just say that sometimes it really sucks? (I never use that word.)

> >

> >That's all really.

> >

> >He's been doing really well. He had a fabulous day yesterday and a stellar

morning this morning.

> >

> >Then I tried to take him to church. He had two complete meltdowns which

aren't his norm anymore. The teachers are great and they handled him well, no

blame there. Just that it sucks and I don't know if I will ever completely

understand what is going on his brain and body or why. Which means I may never

be able to help him resolve his issues for good.

> >

> >Couldn't help but cry on the way home while he sobbed the whole way and the

rest of the family sat in silence.

> >

> >I just want to move far, far away with him and never have to deal with other

people again.

> >

> >Vent over.

> >

> >Cathy

> >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

is,

I would like to join you in your fantasy world!

Cathy

>

> ,

> My son would have one better day and the next day we r dealing with meltdowns

at home, school and therapy. I get a little hope and then it seems like there is

no improvement. Even parents at his speech therapy center stare at my son as he

is a tall eight year old and has very little speech and while other kids with

delays are trying to play with toys, he is always stimming. Every time I explain

to my mil that this symptom is yeast or that symptom is clostridia, she looks at

me like I am crazy and trying to give excuses for my brain damaged kid. I still

sometimes wish that all of us on the forum were living in the same neighborhood

and our kids had opportunity to hang out with kids on the spectrum and NT

siblings without being stared at and the moms could hang out and exchange

healthy recipes. I think I am going into my fantasy world again.

> is

[Guest guest]

Cathy, maybe some day my fantasy world will become a reality and we will all

live happily ever after:). Till then we at least have each other on this forum

and our hope that together we will recover our kids someday.

is

> >

> > ,

> > My son would have one better day and the next day we r dealing with

meltdowns at home, school and therapy. I get a little hope and then it seems

like there is no improvement. Even parents at his speech therapy center stare at

my son as he is a tall eight year old and has very little speech and while other

kids with delays are trying to play with toys, he is always stimming. Every time

I explain to my mil that this symptom is yeast or that symptom is clostridia,

she looks at me like I am crazy and trying to give excuses for my brain damaged

kid. I still sometimes wish that all of us on the forum were living in the same

neighborhood and our kids had opportunity to hang out with kids on the spectrum

and NT siblings without being stared at and the moms could hang out and exchange

healthy recipes. I think I am going into my fantasy world again.

> > is

>

[Guest guest]

Yes hang in there cathy! I hope we will all look back one day and smile about these stressful times....just got a call from school that my son peed and pooped his pants (he's almost five and at a typical preschool with an aide)....on a good day he is more adhd and a bad day well you know....i think most of the kids know he is different and he feels this too (poor guy is so sensitive too)...hopefully these difficult childhood experiences will make them stronger and more unique down the road...a big underline under hopefully!!-- Sent from my Palm Pre

Thanks for the laugh! It reminds me of the time that my hubby and I separated in Whole Foods and he had our ASD son with him. My son got it in his head that he was going to remove his pants and underwear in the very busy bakery department. My husband was mortified trying to get him to pull his pants back up and tussling with him. When I caught up to them, my son was terribly upset and my husband was red-faced and sweaty and clearly agitated. I saw the humor in it. My husband did not (at the time.)

In this case at church, my heart breaks because my son WANTS to go to church and be in his class with the other kids. Class is really fun and he loves it. But he just can't handle it. I think part of his problem is that he close enough to recovered that he is embarrassed by his own behavior and knows the other kids don't understand when he acts that way. I think he has a lot of anxiety about going because of it, even though he really wants to be there. Usually he has a very difficult Sunday morning before church (difficult enough that more than half the time I end up keeping him home.) This week he had a calm, relaxed, compliant, easy, happy morning. I think he didn't release the stress before going and that's why he ended up completely melting down there.

I am okay if I never go to church again. I am a Christian and I love God and desire to serve and follow Him each day. But He has also given me my son to parent and I believe that He would have me serve my son's needs first before serving other people or myself. (God first, family second, others third.) But it makes me so sad that my son wants to do these things and is then devasted by his own behavior.

All of this wasn't directed specifically at you, . I just got rambling.

Cathy

>

> Very nice Alberta! Â And yes and Sylvia, I have had many, many of those days too. Â Sometimes I think we need to just stop and relax and laugh about the things that make us stressed (I need to learn to do this more too). Â When we went to my Gramma's funeral this spring, my son too was pretty nervous the minute we walked in (lights, smell, stained glass not sure what). Â We walked into a door at the front near the casket so i could come in with the stroller for my daughter. Â There was a long line of people waiting to view the casket. Â My son was nervously moving around and playing with his cars and his pants started to fall down so I asked him to pull them up. Â He accidentally pulled them down and mooned the whole church. Â I was slightly mortified but now I just laugh....I wish i could remind myself to laugh more in these moments and not get stressed about what isnt working...it was another rough day so I am going to try to wake up tomorrow

> thinking about how not to worry about the "small" stuff and find someway to laugh with the kids even when they/autism are driving me crazy:)

>

>

[Guest guest]

Next time someone looks at us crazy for treating our kids, show this to article them. Imaginw a kid with immune problems dealing with this.

He finds viruses captivating- Boston Globe article

Ben Stechschulte

“A lot of our major health problems involve viruses that didn’t make people sick all that long ago,†said Carl Zimmer, a science writer who is author of “Planet of Viruses.†“If you went back a century, there was no HIV.â€

WHO

Carl Zimmer

WHAT

Zimmer, a science writer who is author of ‘‘Planet of Viruses,’’ will introduce the Coolidge Corner Theatre’s showing of the science fiction film ‘‘12 Monkeys’’ tonight at 7.

Q. What fascinates you about viruses?

A. Viruses in a way really rule the world, we just don’t know it. They’re the most abundant form of life by far. They’re everywhere: they’re in the oceans, they’re in the soil, they’re in the air, they’re inside of us - even when we’re healthy. And they’ve been around since the beginning of life. Their existence and ours are really intertwined.

Q. How many are in our bodies?

A. By one estimate, there are 4 trillion viruses in your body. They’re mostly viruses that infect the bacteria that are also living inside of you. They’re kind of like predators in your ecosystem - they are keeping different species in check. We also have viruses in our own genome, which is pretty mind-blowing. There are maybe 100,000 pieces of our DNA that came from viruses.

Q. And there are some we can’t live without?

A. There’s a virus gene that makes a protein that is essential for placentas to attach to the uterus wall. If that gene is not there, there’s no way the placenta can form. So, it’s literally true that none of us would be here without this in our genome.

Q. Of course, viruses make us sick, too.

A. A lot of our major health problems involve viruses that didn’t make people sick all that long ago. If you went back a century, there was no HIV [the virus that causes AIDS]. What a lot of scientists are doing is trying to find a way to predict what is the next virus that is going to jump from animals to us?

Q. Has your research into viruses made you paranoid about them?

A. I don’t think I’m paranoid. Sometimes I feel very fatalistic. Sometimes you just think oh, gosh, something like the movie “12 Monkeys’’ - you start to think, maybe that could happen. I think that one’s a little extreme, but still, there’s some serious trouble ahead, I’m sure.

Q. A lot of people seem to confuse viruses and bacteria. Can you explain the difference.

A. Bacteria are a lot more like us - they’ve got lots of DNA in them, lots of proteins inside of them. They can feed, they can grow, they can divide. Most viruses are just protein cells with just a few genes inside. All they can do is insert their genes and proteins into a cell and force that cell to make new viruses. They’re not quite alive in the sense that bacteria or we are alive.

Q. That’s why they’re harder to treat with medications?

A. There aren’t many good antivirals. There’s not one for the cold. Viruses change quickly - they mutate a lot. If you get sick with a cold, your body starts producing lots of new cold viruses. Every single spot in the cold viruses’ genes may mutate. You’re producing millions or billions of viruses. That means there’s this fantastic opportunity to evolve protection against the drugs we try to make for them. It also means that drugs that work against one strain may not work against another strain. There aren’t a whole lot of targets to hit on a virus.

Q. But scientists are getting better at fighting viruses?

A. I think there’s reason to be optimistic. It’s possible that scientists may need to rethink how they attack viruses to really come up with an effective, new generation of antivirals, but there are people who are exploring that now.

http://bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/2011/12/12/finds-viruses-captivating/6nQto66KVdUxNe8ppmLp6M/story.html---

Subject: Re: Need to VentTo: mb12valtrex Date: Monday, December 12, 2011, 11:48 AM

is,I would like to join you in your fantasy world! :)Cathy>> , > My son would have one better day and the next day we r dealing with meltdowns at home, school and therapy. I get a little hope and then it seems like there is no improvement. Even parents at his speech therapy center stare at my son as he is a tall eight year old and has very little speech and while other kids with delays are trying to play with toys, he is always stimming. Every time I explain to my mil that this symptom is yeast or that symptom is clostridia, she looks at me like I am crazy and trying to give excuses for my brain damaged kid. I still sometimes wish that all of us on

the forum were living in the same neighborhood and our kids had opportunity to hang out with kids on the spectrum and NT siblings without being stared at and the moms could hang out and exchange healthy recipes. I think I am going into my fantasy world again.> is

[Guest guest]

I've probably said it a hundred times and I'll say it a hundred more...the very best intervention in our house has been pulling the kids out of school. It's amazing how much you can learn when stress becomes a non-factor and you can create an optimal learning environment. I highly recommend it to anyone who is in a position to do it. It has made all the difference here. -Tammy To: mb12valtrex Sent: Monday, December 12, 2011 11:44 AM Subject: Re: Need to Vent

YES! That is exactly right. The good days - the GREAT days - give a taste of what could be all the time. For some reason, everything was in proper alignment and perfect for that day(s), but you don't know exactly why, so you cannot faithfully reproduce it necessarily.

And my kids are already pulled out of school. haha.

I still think we need to get together sometime (with or without kids) along with any other FL parents who would like to get together!

Someday I will organize that...

Cathy

>

>

[Guest guest]

Tammy, homeschooling really appeals to me in some ways because I think it would be less stressful for my son, although he really likes the socialization. But I haven't done it yet for 2 reasons:1) I feel really inadequate as his teacher to keep him at his grade-level school-work-wise.2) I think I would never get a break. When he's in school now I can run all my errands, get my own grad school work done and take a nap sometimes. How do you get a break from your kids when they're home with you all day?Soraya

I've probably said it a hundred times and I'll say it a hundred more...the very best intervention in our house has been pulling the kids out of school. It's amazing how much you can learn when stress becomes a non-factor and you can create an optimal learning environment. I highly recommend it to anyone who is in a position to do it. It has made all the difference here. -Tammy To: mb12valtrex Sent: Monday, December 12, 2011 11:44 AM Subject: Re: Need to Vent

YES! That is exactly right. The good days - the GREAT days - give a taste of what could be all the time. For some reason, everything was in proper alignment and perfect for that day(s), but you don't know exactly why, so you cannot faithfully reproduce it necessarily.

And my kids are already pulled out of school. haha.

I still think we need to get together sometime (with or without kids) along with any other FL parents who would like to get together!

Someday I will organize that...

Cathy

>

>

[Guest guest]

oh how brilliant! an autism neighborhood.....can we just take over a city? how awesome would that be! no freakin looks!

To: mb12valtrex Sent: Monday, December 12, 2011 11:57 AMSubject: Re: Need to Vent

Cathy, maybe some day my fantasy world will become a reality and we will all live happily ever after:). Till then we at least have each other on this forum and our hope that together we will recover our kids someday.is> >> > , > > My son would have one better day and the next day we r dealing with meltdowns at home, school and therapy. I get a

little hope and then it seems like there is no improvement. Even parents at his speech therapy center stare at my son as he is a tall eight year old and has very little speech and while other kids with delays are trying to play with toys, he is always stimming. Every time I explain to my mil that this symptom is yeast or that symptom is clostridia, she looks at me like I am crazy and trying to give excuses for my brain damaged kid. I still sometimes wish that all of us on the forum were living in the same neighborhood and our kids had opportunity to hang out with kids on the spectrum and NT siblings without being stared at and the moms could hang out and exchange healthy recipes. I think I am going into my fantasy world again.> > is>

[Guest guest]

Blessings, specially-chosen moms. I agree with that proposal for an autism neighborhood/city/zone! It sounds wonderful. It would be so good for all of us and all our children. To: mb12valtrex From: channabrennon@...Date: Mon, 12 Dec 2011 10:34:50 -0800Subject: Re: Re: Need to Vent

oh how brilliant! an autism neighborhood.....can we just take over a city? how awesome would that be! no freakin looks!

To: mb12valtrex Sent: Monday, December 12, 2011 11:57 AMSubject: Re: Need to Vent

Cathy, maybe some day my fantasy world will become a reality and we will all live happily ever after:). Till then we at least have each other on this forum and our hope that together we will recover our kids someday.is> >> > , > > My son would have one better day and the next day we r dealing with meltdowns at home, school and therapy. I get a

little hope and then it seems like there is no improvement. Even parents at his speech therapy center stare at my son as he is a tall eight year old and has very little speech and while other kids with delays are trying to play with toys, he is always stimming. Every time I explain to my mil that this symptom is yeast or that symptom is clostridia, she looks at me like I am crazy and trying to give excuses for my brain damaged kid. I still sometimes wish that all of us on the forum were living in the same neighborhood and our kids had opportunity to hang out with kids on the spectrum and NT siblings without being stared at and the moms could hang out and exchange healthy recipes. I think I am going into my fantasy world again.> > is>