Gail,

Having a child with disabilities is one of the most difficult things you can go through. My oldest child has various learning and health problems and the financial/time/emotional strains have been overwhelming at times. As I'm sure you're learning, just advocating for your child -- making sure he gets the right supports and treatment -- can be a full-time job.

In retrospect, what I didn't do in the past when caught up in my child's issues was find adequate support for myself. I know that more than once I turned to food for comfort. I also know that many times I just ate whatever was available, even knowing it was bad for me, because I didn't have the energy or inclination to find something else. You can't beat up on yourself for turning to food for comfort; you're human and you're going through something difficult and you cannot be perfect all the time.

That said, I really wish that I had actively found myself more support earlier and also found a way to make time for myself. If you can somehow find in your schedule a few hours a week to do something for yourself, something you really like doing, it would probably be really helpful for you. Whatever you do, don't blame yourself. You are going through a difficult, emotional time and your reactions are totally normal.