My name is Deirdre and I’m a mom.  My twin boys are almost five now and occupy much of my time.  Before I was a mom, I did some other things, too.  I still do other things once in a while. 

I am a pharmacist by training and like to approach things scientifically.  Enter motherhood and all that goes out the window.  I spent years in various clinical settings –retail, hospital, long-term care.  I landed in a very large, very well-known pharmaceutical company quite by accident and ended up staying for 12 years.  In that organization I had the pleasure of training, teaching, selling and auditing – a wide expanse of experiences.  I have a Master’s Degree in Business Administration, too, which has helped in my new role in a very small marketing company that works closely with the pharmaceutical industry.

I have been an autism-mom for almost 2 & ½ years now.  My son was officially diagnosed  in August of 2009.  I, like so many of you, went on a quest to ‘fix’ it – to make him well and make sure he had everything he needed.  I spent countless hours on the internet, in doctor’s offices, filling out paperwork and talking.  I talked to everyone who would listen.  I asked question after question to those that would take the time to answer.  I reached out to everyone that I knew who had some kind of connection in the medical community and could possibly help me.  I made a pest of myself until people felt compelled to help me!

I am constantly in motion and find it difficult to sit still for long periods of time.  I need to be moving – executing on my ideas and thoughts.  I was actually like this before my son was diagnosed.  I just make better use of it now.  I teach group fitness and yoga. I am also a personal trainer and a firm believer in the link between the brain and exercise.  I try to keep everybody in my house active.  I am also really grumpy when I miss a workout.

I have found, over time that other parents of children with autism are my greatest resource.  The power of ‘word of mouth’ is truly amazing to me in the autism community.  I was encouraged by a friend to write a book and laughed off the idea with a shrug and a sarcastic remark (I’m also known for those).  That is how my blog came to life.

Our world is full of other things besides autism.  I work full time as a marketer and teach at a gym part time.  The boys go to school and play football in the evenings.  They will start kindergarten in the fall.  I have two step-children, one doing great things in college and the other is captain of her field hockey team.  I do all the other things that most moms do on a regular basis, along with managing my son’s autism.  I try to keep it all together and take each day one at a time.  

So, you will see me around here from time to time – writing on topics that affect me as a parent of a special needs child and things that affect my family and my world.