Monday 30th July 1979.  22.52hrs. a girl was born, 6lb 10 3/4ozs.







Rachel Unity Elizabeth.


Rachel & Tammi.



Rachel is my elder daughter. It is her 27th birthday today, but Rachel is no ordinary adult. She suffers from Autism, and has had a nervous breakdown, making her more like a child than an adult.

Rachel has taken anti psychotic drugs since her breakdown, but of course, they will never cure her and she is verging on the brink of having her second breakdown.

She likes to have routine in her life, but since her dad died 2 years ago everything has been turned upside down. Rachel requires 24 hour care and recently has been refusing to go into her day centre, meaning that she is at home all day. If this happens, nowadays, she doesn't dress and confines herself to her bedroom.

Rachel likes to read the magazines, her favourites being the TV guides, Woman, Woman's Own, Take a Break, Chat and That's Life. She gets these every week. She has also started going to the library once a week and getting out a book. She also likes to watch the soaps on TV. She won't miss Emmerdale, Coronation Street, Eastenders or River City, and if you suggest doing something else at these times, be prepared for a tantrum.

Another of Rachel's loves is listening to the radio. She has done this since a little girl and over the years has had crushes on various DJ's. Some things never change and her favourite just now is Grant Stott from Radio Forth.
Rachel's favourite bands to listen to are, 
Erasure and Oasis. She also enjoys R.E.M.
and Frank Zappa.

For gifts, Rachel likes to recieve DVD's and is particularly fond of crystal figures. She loves cartoons, her favourites being The Powerpuff Girls, Spongebob Squarepants and The Simpsons.

Rachel's life has been filled with lots of ups and downs, most of which I will write into her timeline in due course. I just want to say that no matter what Rachel's problems are, she is and always will be my daughter and that I will always love you Rachel.x

People with Autism do not mix with others very well. Rachel has no real friends other than the people who attend her day centre and things here in Edinburgh are not like they were up in Dundee, where policies were changed, so that young vulnerable adults were not subject to the dangers of the outside world. Rachel only feels safe when she is at home.


Here is  a Blossom snowglobe that I put together for you Rachel.

And Bubbles, your favourite Powerpuff Girl.

And Buttercup makes three.

Rachel's favourite colour is black and she has always been fascinated with the moon. She likes bright sparkly lights and glitter globes. Here are a few things that I found for you Rachel.



When Rachel gets upset, she likes to go to her room and listen to some relaxation music. Her dad got her loads of music to chill out to. It is something that she has not done in a while though, although her mental health is deteriorating. We are trying to get home to Dundee before she has another breakdown as the provisions for her in Edinburgh are not nearly up to the standard they now are in Dundee. I wish I had a magic wand to make all Rachel's problems disappear, but I don't and I can only pray that the offer of a house comes up for us soon.
All that's left to say here is, Rachel I hope we can make you feel safe and secure again. I know life's been tough on you since your dad died. I try my best, but you've always responded better to males than females. 


Thank you for taking the time to read this tribute to my special daughter Rachel.




In the early eighties, autism wasn't very common and everything that I had read about was quite scary.  The future. Looked bleak.  Autism was recognised in the late 1940's, before then sufferers were believed to be mad and locked up.  As autism rarely presents itself at birth, the children suffering were known as "fairy changlings".  

The MMR injection has been blamed for the increase in autism.  All I can say is that the MMR wasn't around in Rachel's day.  She received a single dose of the measles vaccine.  If this component is the cause of autism in our children, then I do not think it would matter if the dose was given singly or with the mumps & rubella components.  If a child is going to be affected by the vaccine, then they will be, regardless.
 
Some more lovely crystals for you Rachel.

MERRY CHRISTMAS.

2008.

Well, we got back to Dundee in August last year. We were offered a private rental, but as it is extremely expensive and an old building, we are finding it financially difficult.

Since coming back, Rachel has had her medication increased twice, but she appears to be still, very anxious.

OLIVER

Oliver has lived in our family now since Rachel's breakdown in 1998. He is her "son" and he is half cat.
Through the years, we have all gotten used to Oliver's ramblings and Rachel's responses to him.
He is so real to her.





Another of Rachel's favourites when she was a child.




Rachel's sister Tammi also has a site. You can visit it at

www.tammi-ann-tomlinson.celebration-of.com

Also please take time to visit my friend Naomi's little girls site. Aneesah has a lung disease which has the doctors here baffled. You'll find this special little girls story at

www.aneesah-ali.celebration-of.com

Thank you.