"The best in me was born out of having a child with complex developmental challenges".
‘I so enjoyed "Raising Tiffany". You are a very talented lady, and it was just great to remember Tiffany. I'm sorry that when we sang in your garden my mind was mostly on notes and lyrics. So reading your book has been my quiet time to think about Tiff.
“Thank you Tiffany (where ever you are!) for being in my class; for sharing your love of music and cake; for being a good friend to Suzannah; for taking me to the opera, and charming the socks off all those around you. For your smile and laugh and for your appraising look!”
Lots of children I worked with over the years felt disturbed, unhappy, out of control. Tiffany felt the opposite of those. I think your friend Teresa expressed it well............she felt like someone who knows she is loved; who has a happy home.
I found your writing style direct, fresh and vivid. And it made me think, by tackling lots of taboo issues.
Thanks Debbie for sharing your thoughts and feelings so bravely.’Julia x x
Click here www.deborahtrenchard.com, to view Deborah’s profile and coaching programmes.
To order a copy of RAISING TIFFANY – Portrait of a Special Girl or FINDING ME – A Life in Transition go to: www.authorhouse.co.uk/com or Amazon.co.uk/com
I’ve been asked, on numerous occasions, and in various situations, if I had always been so positive about having a handicapped child. No. One can see throughout the pages of this book, every time a doctor voiced his or her professional observations, I went straight to a point of denial. Perhaps subliminally I mistook denial for hope. Whatever the case, there were times when I felt desperately alone. At other times I felt deep emotional pain as I projected, if only in my mind, what my future held as I mothered Tiffany.
Although an optimist by nature, the negative thoughts would occasionally grip me; send me down a spiralling hole of despair. Even more so when I was confronted by my own health challenges. That morning I described in an earlier chapter, there was a desperation to live for fear of what might have happen to Tiffany if I wasn’t around to mother her. Challenges also presented themselves after her dad and I divorced. These struggles and challenges would have caused some to give up totally. Or resort to Prozac. Instead, I thrashed my frustration out on the page, word by word.