The Cause of Autism & Multiple Sclerosis is…
Hoo man, i’m gonna put my hand up for living in one of the most polluted streets in Sydney for years before my pregnancy, and then moving into a brand new appartment next door to that street after the bun started to cook in the oven.
Like, fresh beige carpet fumes! Super fresh - oh yeah baby, i could feel the vapours excreting from it. Could feel & smell the vapour - hovering a good 50cm from the ground at least, but you could still smell it whilst standing up… just so much stronger when you lied down on the bed …which wasn’t sitting up higher on it’s frame because we had just moved in and had so many weeks of lying down so low and right up next to it before we got the house sorted out.
I was freshly pregnant too! Found out on the first week of moving in! How nice!
That smell certainly didn’t help with the nausea, but i wasn’t too thrilled about the neighbour’s indian cooking permeating into the master bedroom through the ceiling ducts with all those pretty little “spotlights” either.
17 weeks into my pregnancy, my first major attack of Multiple Sclerosis gives me the most fucked up experience of supreme acute pain in my life, taking a good 3 years to recover sensation from the neck down. Lost function of my hands during the process and am ever so grateful that they’re still here with me & functional to knock wood with now, let alone type & feed myself!
The smell of mould in the neurological ward of the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital that had no windows you could open and that fucking carpet - it was WET, totally soaked and smelt like urine crossed with mouldy penecillin. That wasn’t helping with the nausea either.
Do you realise how unpleasant it is to walk on mouldy-wet-urine-soaked carpet with a pair of socks? It wasn’t that much fun bare foot even! It’s fucking disgusting.
I remember asking my husband;
“Darling, can you please bring my can of Impulse?!”
Spritzing the air with nice-smelling deoderant to try and counter that stench didn’t help and i was at the absolute worst moment of my life. I was supposed to be grateful for the room, because at least i had a room to myself. Frankly, i think being in the company of other neurologically challenged patients in conditions monumentally worse than mine might’ve been a lot more comforting in helping me deal with the pain i had to live with myself. Atleast my other vitals like normal brain function and ability to communicate with my family wasn’t compromised as it was for others!
The pain i endured, that fucking pain i just had to live with and not be able to take anything for it because i was pregnant. This was further amplified by doctors not believing me too, thinking it was just a figment of my imagination, just “in my head”. Well they certainly did get that very fucking wrong. It wasn’t all in my head at all, it was in my fucking spine. I’ve eversince been so annoyed to see TV medical shows make commentary that MS just happens in the bloody brain, coz that was the same attitude of so many of the RPAH registrars.
“Results showed no lesions in the brain. It’s not MS”
Hello - don’t forget the spine. You know, the tail of the brain you fucking quacks! Forgive me, i’m angry. I was treated very poorly by some of the hospital staff in there and i still need time to vent that other branch right out of my life in detail.
One profusely traumatic childbirthing experience later, i end up with the next worst horror to contend with - an unconsolable child, refused to latch, unable to breastfeed, unable to bond and hoo, that severe PND which followed sure wasn’t fun, but it obviously made me so much stronger as i’m not dead yet. 5.5years later, my son’s diagnosed with autism. How nice!
My MS has been in long remission. Started to get better in my last year of living in toxicville and since my move out of there into the mountains last year, it’s been so non-existent in my life that it feels like it’s completely gone now, but maybe i’m just being cavalier. I haven’t had a relapse or flare-up for such a long time. Maybe i’m just lucky, for now - so let’s knock some more wood.
Anywayz, i’m putting my hand up by listing pollution, the toxic shit & the carpet fumes in particular, as one “probable cause” on that same story which constantly says “genetic susceptability & some environmental trigger” whenever you look up “what causes autism” or “what causes multiple sclerosis” and all the other auto-immune diseases in this world that share that exact same bloody fucking story.
I’m happy to let the researchers and scientists work on the molecular level of testing really tiny microscopic things in tests tubes, while i’ve gotten awfully curious as to the social side of the research. Aren’t the people who “catch” the dieseases the best experts on themselves? Aren’t they the ones with the stories of what sorts of events transpired during the time that illness struck? Hey, i might as well start my adventure in this search today.
So - why didn’t my brand new appartment come with a warning sign like on those cigarette packets that say “Smoking can harm your baby”? Known to be bad for pregnant women to be exposed to and yet the whole world said;
“It’s perfectly ok to keep on building houses like this when we know that those carpet fumes are TOXIC! It’s a well known phenomena folks!”
*snorts* How nice!
I don’t forget the commentary of the builders working on the finishing touches of the Presidio Appartments in Newtown - yes, they’ve had colleagues & friends experience “new-building syndrome”.
Jesus. I almost felt inspired to design fasionable gas-mask maternity wear for pregnant women after what i’ve read in The Natural Medicine Guide To Autism, by Stephanie Marohn just a minute ago.
Looking forward to the day THE CAUSE becomes as concrete & supposedly fucking “definite” as my diagnosis of MS!
So - what happened when some kind of auto-immune diesease or autism began to enter in your life? What do YOU think is the cause in your life at the moment? What were the events that occured which lead up to the “attack” or diagnosis? What are you doing now to help your life feel better, either mentally or physically or everything?
Bah. Just feeling rather venty at the moment so i’m just gonna let it all hang out loose like this in a scream and then get back into my usual journey of laughing at life.
If you haven’t been on Newtown Mums - you’ve got no idea of how much i used to bitch about that fucking beige carpet …because it was so hard to keep clean …even moreso with a toddler learning how to toilet train.
Like, we paid $420/wk to live in that appartment and I’m so glad we moved right out of that fucking place!
Enjoying the fresh air over here - while it lasts, that is…
Though my life with my son hasn’t been easy, we have been fortunate to be incredibly blessed by it in other ways. He’s gifted & bright, has an incredible sense of humour and i treasure the fact that we can enjoy experiencing proper face-to-face hugs together now. To experience affection with your child, in a hug. The upside of not being able to have so much of that at the begining like other mothers have had - it makes me all the more grateful & appreciative of the moments that i can have that closeness with my son now, and never take it for granted. It always means the world to me.
Onward & upward with the journey of learning how to DETOX.
that frolicsome kid said,
May 10, 2007 @ 5:52 pm
I can feel your exuberance of living in a good and unpolluted environment now.
I’m sorry to hear that you had multiple sclerosis. At first, I didn’t know what it was until I checked out Wikipedia. Man, I cannot imagine my hands suddenly becoming nonfunctional. I’m so glad that you’re okay now.
Ugh, why were the hospital carpets in such sorry state? I thought hospitals are supposed to be clean and hygienic places, not to harbour unknown bacteria, parasites and virus in carpets! :O Did you lodge a complain?
I’m surprised why the doctors didn’t check your spine for abnormalities. According to Wikipedia, MS seems to affect the central nervous system and obviously the spinal cord is part of it besides the brain. Yeah, like what you said, the “tail” of your brain. Lol!
If doctors think it wasn’t MS that was affecting you, then what was? I don’t think pains can be hallucinated! :O
Oh man, I have difficulty trying to imagine how difficult the birth of your son was and him being inconsolable and unable to be breastfed, I can understand how depressing it can feel. And oh my gosh, your child was diagnosed with autism?!
Sooo sorry to hear that……. 
Maybe if you’re free, you should go for another checkup on your MS just to ensure things are fine. Or if it’s still there, it could be treatable.
Unfortunately, construction of houses will never stop. The population just keeps on increasing and people need house to live in. Plus, it’s a common response to urbanisation.
Despite his autism, it’s really heartening to know that your son is okay.
And the most wonderful thing that has happened is that you share such a close bond with him. 
R’acquel: No need to feel sorry for me, MS is greatly out of my life now but thanks for the warmth & love. There is plenty to appreciate within the present and if i didn’t go through what i did, i wouldn’t have learnt the valuable lessons it had to teach me nor gain the strength that i did either. Eventually did end up with an incredible neurologist after my initial assault from the hospital. My body’s in remission, has been so for a whole year. I’m suspecting that lifestyle changes might’ve helped. My body is currently in the best phsyical condition it’s ever been these last 30 years. When other women can worry about the shape of their breasts & bodies sagging after childbirth, I’m lucky to be in the position to be simply grateful that i can still walk and use my hands as the prospects of potential quadraplegia was truly terrifying.
>If doctors think it wasn’t MS that was affecting you, then what was? I don’t think pains can be hallucinated!
That was definitely their response alright - everyone’s response - that i was just hallucinating, just because they didn’t know and that my medical records had listed my history of former mental health problems with depression. I faced some truly shocking treatment from hospital staff. Better left to a seperate vent of the events that transpired over that. The upside is that it taught me to be my own advocate. I’ve learnt a lot from it.
I studied interior design before i specialised into visual communication and was told of the very toxic chemicals that would leach through various construction techniques & use of specific materials. Wish i had known better at the time to take that more seriously but i had no knowledge of just how bad it really could be. What my husband & I had to endure - it was a real armageddon. I’m not the only mother to experience things the way that i did with my child.
The beauty of life, is that necessity is the motherhood of invention, and hardship breeds excellence. Amazing things did eventually evolve from the deepest pain - which is something to truly appreciate and be grateful for in the ‘now’ of life.
I took up a stand-up comedy course a few years ago, and performed the piece as a way to laugh at all the fucking shit that i went through. Felt really good to stand up on that stage, tell the world about what happened to me and then see so many people just fucking laugh at it, including myself. Found a great deal of closure, through laughter - and i haven’t stopped eversince.
RennyBA said,
May 10, 2007 @ 6:34 pm
First of all: congrats and I really like your attitude - taking the bad with the good. In all you have been through to be able to see that you are ‘fortunate to be incredibly blessed’ is amazing. You really are a person who sees the bottle half full and not half empty!
R’acquel: Sometimes, they say the bottle or glass just needs more beer too
*lol*
chase said,
May 11, 2007 @ 11:49 pm
I am sorry about the sclerosis thingy and I hope you will feel better now. I grew up in a city in the Phils. which is really polluted. Moving to Norway was very nice coz even the cities here still smells wonderfully nice. You can even see trees with lichens which is a sign that the air is clean.
R’acquel: Thanks for the sign
I’ll keep my eyes out for the lichen.
that frolicsome kid said,
May 13, 2007 @ 12:13 am
I really admire you that you can look back and smile, knowing that you battled hard against all odds, and you came out a real winner.
Hurrah!
Speaking of stand-up comedy, I remember a couple of weeks ago, we fifth formers had our mid-week services and we watched a video about Nick Vujicic who is a guy without limbs. I think he’s Australian too. You know, at first, I was well… “horrified” to see a guy without limbs (it’s not the first time anyway, I’ve seen a few around Australia and I really pity them. =( ) but as he spoke on stage, telling his testimony of how God has graciously helped him in his life… I’m amazed that he exhibits such a cheerful and jubilant personality! It’s like life is good and all…
He’s so much happier than me! And I really admire him.
Anyway, just letting you know that you are double tagged by me! Hyak hyak hyak! I’m sure that as a designer, you will enjoy doing the first tag.
Well, have fun! Catch ya later!
Captain Lifecruiser said,
May 13, 2007 @ 7:00 am
Glad you got it all out of you
I sooo know what you feel.
The biggest thing to accept is that it’s all so bloody unnecessary! Many things could be much easier (or avoided) if professionals of all kind learned to listen to others - like listen to the ones that got those diseases. Or to pass the info on to others. No, instead they just shut their eyes and ears.
I’ve had so much problems with the doctors over here the last years with my own health. I guess there are som good ones, I’ve just not found them yet….. *giggles*
(I’m looking forward to the cruise stop in Hamburg Sunday!)
Rhiannon said,
July 1, 2007 @ 11:26 am
I was doing a search to verify my ideas that autism and MS are related as my 5.5 year old son was also just diagnosed with autism and I am in the middle of trying to convince my neurologist to check my spine even though my brain shows no lesions instead of suggesting that my condition, while it appears to be MS, must by psychological…. Thank you for being out there, I now feel that my suspicions may be closer to the truth.
R’acquel: Thanks for the response. Wish i could know about you via blog. All the best with regards to getting the docs to take you seriously. I’ve been there and it was no fun at all. Quite horrifying in fact. Take Care. *hugz*
Gina said,
August 5, 2007 @ 7:25 pm
My smallest shows signs of Autism. When she arrived she was on 4 different medications for ailments ranging from asthma ( including nebulizer 2 times a day with 3 different meds) to bowel issues. At only 18 months she was the size of a 9.month old After 2 months she was med free and as of March she has begun walking, can feed herself and can pay attention to movies that she likes. There is hope. That was a great and interesting post.