Want a new book for Christmas? Or for any of your family as gifts? Then come to the Book Fayre above on 8 November. Plenty of choices to make, from children's books (including mine), memoirs and crime and mystery. There will also be talks by some of the authors, including me. You can hear me talk about what I write and why.
Let's have start Christmas shopping early this year (if you haven't already).
Hope to see you there.
Hello, Billy from Billy and the Sparkling Socks here.
I am here to tell you that as a writer and storyteller, one good way to learn about autism is to read books about autistic characters. As I am only eleven, here are a few recommendations of children's books featuring autistic characters, and most of them are written by autistic authors I have been told.
For teens
Geek Girl series by Holly Smale. The first one in the series is now on Netflix.
You can buy the book here
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Geek-Girl-Book/dp/0007489447/ref=sr_1_1?tag=juliedayautho-21
The State of Grace by Rachael Lucas
https://www.amazon.co.uk/State-Grace-Rachael-Lucas/dp/1509839550/ref=sr_1_1?tag=juliedayautho-21
The Secrets of my Spectrum by Callum Knight (a memoir)
For middle school children
The Emily Edwards books by Laura Holt-Haslam
For 7-9 year-olds
The Rainbow School series including my (Billy) story Billy and the Sparkling Socks
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/154264853X/ref=sr_1_1?tag=juliedayautho-21
The Pet Rescuers series featuring my classmates, Lyn and Pete.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lyn-Parrot-Pursuit-Julie-Day/dp/1915114047/ref=sr_1_1?tag=juliedayautho-21
(Contains affiliate links)
Happy reading. You can learn different things about autism and being autistic from each book.
There are a few things I know that I didn't put in my memoir, especially about when I was recovering at home. One of these was the difficulty I had doing every day things such as combing my hair as I wasn't allowed to lift my right hand above my head for six weeks. Why was this? Well, I had a pacemaker and its leads fitted, and to let them settle in properly you can't move about too much otherwise they wouldn't work too good. So when I came home in 2021 for six weeks I couldn't comb my hair properly, I couldn't wash it (it hadn't been washed for weeks anyway because of being in hospital), I couldn't moisturise my neck properly, I couldn't move the wheelie bins out by myself as I wasn't allowed to move/lift heavy things. Oh, and it was difficult to put on clothes over my head such as nighties or T-shirts. One of the carers I had did show me how to do it.
So why am I mentioning it now? Well, very soon, probably October, I am going to have to go into hospital again to have a pacemaker lead replaced as it is making extra noise. They want it changed before it causes any problems with me. I am going to have to follow the 'be still' rules for four weeks this time. I shall have to practise putting on clothes over my head like the carer taught me. And practise combing my hair with my left hand.
As I told the consultant, if I have to have it done, I will have it done. I am not looking forward to it as this time I have to go under general anaesthetic. Last time I had it done under local anaesthetic.
Meantime, I am making the most of my time at home in my own comforts, and getting on with my writing. I have plans to create more books and journals to go with my memoir (you can buy it from my website or from The Book Dragon website here www.the-book-dragon.com). I want to turn my memoir and its journals into a brand about resilience and make a business out of it alongside my children's books. I plan to take blank journals in to hospital with me this time so I can write in them when I feel like it, and get an idea of what I can put in the guides I want to write with the gratitude journals I have in mind.
One of the things that I regret not doing during my journey of having endocarditis is tracking what happened to me properly. I wrote in my diary now and then, appointments on a calendar but not everything that I went through esp the symptoms getting worse. It all ended up in my head and on hospital letters. When I wrote my memoir, I started to get an idea about creating a journal for this purpose. I actually have this in my memoir that I intended to create one to help others who have either been in my situation or could be. Well, at the beginning of this month, it came to life. I wrote it all over the last months and published it this month. The contents of the guided pages reflect all that I went through and mention in my memoir. So, if you are experiencing a serious illness, including endocarditis and any other heart conditions, then check out my journal. It will empower you to know what is going on with your health. You can find it here. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Endocarditis-My-Journey-journal-condition/dp/1915114055
Or if you know of any one else, esp hospitals, that might be interested in a copy, please let them know.
Be empowered.
Do you know the rest of the phrase? When robins appear, loved ones are near. I saw two robins together on the fence earlier today and it made me both smile and cry. They were together as they weren't fighting which robins are tend to do being territorial birds, so I guessed they were a couple. This made me wonder if they were there as my mum and dad visiting me to check up on me and see how I am coping. I do like robins. I don't normally think of robins that way, but today happens to be National Cardiac Rehab Day, a day that can be appropriate for me after what I have been through. Do you believe in the phrase?
If you want to read all about my 'inspiring' cardiac rehab journey when I was in hospital after heart surgery and when I came home two years ago (can't believe it was that long ago), then my memoir 'Endocarditis - My Journey' is available to buy as an ebook from all ebook platforms, and as a paperback from my website www.julieaday.co.uk, from Amazon and from The Book Dragon shop either on-line or in person at www.thebookdragaon.co.uk.
Having endocarditis in 2020-21 gave me a whole lot of firsts in my life. I have mentioned some in my memoir but here are ones that I can recall.
1. My first CT scan. These are fine just as long as they don't involve a cannula, which the first couple I had to have did. If you hate needles as much as me, do ask if they could put it in your arm when you are lying down.
2. My first MRI scan. I think my mum told me at the time about the loud noises you experience. They are loud even wearing ear plugs and headphones which are given to you. If you have music going on the machine, try to tune into that. It does help. Another tip is that you can't usually wear metal during the scan so if your shape allows go without a bra and wear a crop top and wear joggers/trackies or a skirt (weather permitting).
3. My first blood transfusion. I never want one of those again. It takes 4-5 hours to complete, even longer if you are like me and need the toilet often.
4. My first major surgery. One I hope to never repeat in my life. My mechanical heart valve is meant to be for life. This is why I chose this instead of a tissue valve.
5. My first pacemaker. I never expected to have one of those at all in my life. If you have read my memoir, then you know why I was fitted one. I might have to have it replaced later in life as they don't last as long as a valve. I do know that I will probably this year have to have one of the leads replaced as it is making extra noise (my body has always been complicated).
6. My first time having carers. I never thought I'd have them until I was much older. They did help me to recover at home, knowing that I wasn't alone all day.
7. My first time using hospital transport. I didn't even know that it existed until I was transferred to my second and third hospitals, and then when I came home could use it to attend my appointments. I still use it today especially to go to my main appointments at Guy's and St Thomas's hospitals. It involves waiting around for them to come and collect you both at home and at hospital but it is a door to door service.
8. Saying that, the above is another first for me – attending hospital appointments on my own. Before the surgery I always used to go with my mum as I was afraid of getting lost and not knowing what to say to medical staff due to my Asperger's. I now go to all my appointments on my own, something that I am amazed I do. I believe that it comes from no longer having a hole in the heart which made me nervous. So, one good thing did come out of that period of my life.
BTW my memoir 'Endocarditis - My Journey' got a 5 star review from The Book Dragon store, which you can read on their website. It is available to buy there as well as my website, Amazon and other ebook retailers.
Sorry I haven't been on here lately. So much has happened since Mum came home in June after her stroke. She was more subdued and quieter than before. Then a couple of weeks ago she caught a chest infection leading to sepsis. She is on the mend now and possibly coming home sometime next week.
Anyway, coming home from hospital was the next change in my life. I would be on my own as Mum was still in hospital herself then. Time to recuperate by myself. One change that was immediate was the layout of downstairs. Mum and I both had our beds brought downstairs by my brother. Here is what I wrote in my memoir coming soon.
Alone, I sat down, put my head in my hands and said, “I'm home.” It was a different home to when I had left back in February. The living room was now a cum-bedroom with both my and my mum's beds in there. The sofa was now in the dining room with Mum's clothes on it. The dining table had been dismantled and put upstairs. All done by Ian. What an amazing brother!
The second change was me having carers coming in to help me. I never thought I'd have carers, not until I was older anyway. It helped me a lot. But being on my own, having to do things by myself, was a major change for me. It was the longest I had been on my own in the house for ages. Up until then the longest I had been on my own was a weekend in 2016 when Mum was in hospital. It really helped me find my feet, and I feel now that it stood me in good stead for future times when I have to be on my own, like now. At least I know now that I can and am able to live on my own when the time comes, which I know it will sooner than later.
