Det räcker inte med kärlek

by Jenny Lexhed

When Jenny Lexhed and her husband have their first child, Lucas, they are living the dream. They’re happily married, they’ve just bought a house, the company they built together from the ground up is starting to blossom. But with the arrival of their son, a feeling of anxiety slips into their life. What starts as a feeling becomes a conviction. Lucas is not like other children. Everything seems to indicate, and psychiatric evaluation concludes, that their son is severely autistic. Will he ever be able to communicate?

Jenny vows to do whatever she can to help Lucas connect with his parents and others and live an independent life. Tossed between hope and despair, she begins a frantic effort to research the best among many competing therapies and find exactly the right treatment for her son. Her obsession takes her to the brink of exhaustion—and over, when she suffers a psychotic breakdown and must be committed to a psychiatric clinic. There begins another journey, to find her balance and recover her strong, healthy life, before she can begin again to fight for her son.

Both brutally honest and deeply affecting, Love Is Not Enough is a page-turning memoir that offers insight into autism and what a parent goes through for her child.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, Autistic Spectrum Disorder

298 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2008

Reviews

[Jack Jiang · Rating 3 out of 5]

Way too long and I got lost. It is powerful sharing of her own mental struggles and being institutionalised and having to raise a child with autism in an era where a lot about the disease and treatment is still being developed.
Key takeaway for me is understanding how difficult it is to raise a kid with autism and even countries such as Norway doesn’t have right support.

[Lynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Jenny realises that her infant son isn't developing as expected, her research leads her to suspect autism. After a struggle to get a diagnosis, she continues searching for ways to train and educate him so that he can learn to relate to others. Her already sleepless nights are now further exacerbated by her obsession with finding solutions, and this eventually leads to a psychotic breakdown. Her experiences within the public mental health system are the stuff of nightmares but she recovers and the learning process continues, not just for her son, but for herself and her husband. This is a very useful book, not only in the detail she gives about the programs, but in the difficulties she raises in living with an autistic child and the impact it can have on a marriage and on other siblings. In her case, the efforts of herself and other helpers paid off and this heartwarming book is a real tribute to the patience and loving care of herself and her husband.

[Lisa Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Memoir by Swedish mom whose first child is autistic. She becomes psychotic due to stress and sleep deprivation.

[Hilary Cockshaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audiobook

[Joanne Shaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very helpful insight into life for a highly articulate parent with a severely autistic child. I’m left with powerful admiration for Lucas and his family, especially his rather wonderful mother.

[Carolina Lafuente-de Vos · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love how Jenny wrote in very 'easy to read' way how things really 'are' for parents -especially Mothers- of children with Autism. As a mother of two young children in the Autism spectrum, I have found my own story reflected in so many of the pages and situations of this book. Sure the names of people and places are different. For me its Sydney rather than Stockholm, instead of snow there is endless sand instead of cold there is hot weather here but the core of the challenges that Autism brings to a household especially in all of your relationships and in particular the one with your own self, all that is very similar to all parents that deal with the same diagnosis regardless of their geographic location.
I personally thank Jenny for having given me a great 'companion' which helped me feel I am not 'alone' in this tough and long journey

[Margie Dorman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Mother's and Son's Autistic Journey

As a former teacher of autistic children this mother's biography of her and her son's foray into this world is brutally honest,frightening,and one of unconditional commitment and love. Every autistic child is so different,so what is the key to their utmost success? An Individualized education plan for every child,instructional aides for every child trained in the correct methodology, cooperation between all other specialists each child needs: speech therapists,occupational therapists,psychiatrists etc. And support and training for parents in and out of school. This is a life long condition with no cure,but always hope if caught as early as possible.

[Sara W. · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is true that Love is not enough! I love the story and find this book very interesting and I can relate to the story. My son has a deficiency and I wonder how to react with it. I have searched for the best doctor and found out that there is no treatment, but there are some foods and drinks to avoid. I know that love is not enough to be the best mother. But with the love you give, the child will feel belongingness and care.

[Olivia Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book, read it in two sittings didn't want to put it down!

[Anthony Hernandez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful story

My son has autism and I really relate to certain things the author was experiencing. It's not easy being a parent. This book is inspiring and eye opening.