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| Great Letter From A Great Mother |
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| I get wonderful emails from people all over the world and I always read them straight away and answer them (if you've not gotten a reply from me, resend the email as it is most certainly the case that there was some sort of technical glitch!), because I really am so grateful to those who write in. Just recently, I got an email that so touched me that I asked permission to put it on the site. So, thanks so much to Joy for this lovely chance to share a little of your story. When I read your book I felt like I was taking a look at my own life. The experiences, emotions and situations that Melanie went through mirrored my own experiences. I actually went through the book with highlighter in order to show the people in my life, "See, this isexactly what it is like to have an autistic child. This is what is feels like and how it takes over your whole life.
Marti
Letter from Joy:
Dear Marti,
I know that we do not know each other, but after reading "Daniel isn’t Talking you became my best friend. I am also the mother of a child with autism.
When I read your book I felt like I was taking a look at my own life. The experiences, emotions and situations that Melanie went through mirrored my own experiences. I actually went through the book with highlighter in order to show the people in my life, "See, this isexactly what it is like to have an autistic child. This is what is feels like and how it takes over your whole life. I can still remember my drive home from the neurologist’s visit when my son was diagnosed with autism. I felt exactly like Melanie did as you described in the book. My husband also decided to leave me after he told me to get over my depression. My answer to him was that I did not think I could ever be happy again.
Thankfully, I am happy. I came to a peaceful place of acceptance. I learned to enjoy my son when he is happy and funny and
loving, and I have learned to "cope" when he is being difficult, stubborn, perseverating or acting completely inappropriate in public. Thankfully I have learned that having a child with autism can just be part of your life and not take over your entire life. I am proud of how far my son has come and also how far I have come. My only regret is that even though I tried everything under the sun to "cure” my son I was never good at being his therapist. I will always feel that I could have worked harder with him.
Thankfully I was able to find appropriate therapists towork with my son so I could be his mom and not his therapist. Marti, Want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for writing such a beautiful book. I plan on giving out copies to all my friends and familymembers who will be willing to read it. I think it will help them understand what I went through during the most difficult time in my life. Maybe someday we will meet, but please know that you and your son have a very special place in my heart.
Joy Ryan
PS Will this book be made into a movie? I sure hope so!!!!!
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| Friday, March 30, 2007 | 16:27:21 |
| Comment by H.B. |
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| If I could write such a good letter, I might have written this one. My son is now 22, and I did not know so many of the treatments they now have. I have given your book to many of my relatives who never understood how much I love my son and how I felt through all those years. |
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| Tuesday, April 03, 2007 | 17:36:02 |
