To all of us

This was a poem I wrote about 5 years ago, that I just found.
Poetry: Autism
by Lesa Shusta

to all of us who went on with our everyday activities and smiled when we knew deep down something was very very wrong
to all of us who did the secret research when no one else knew
to us who tried as we might but couldn't deny it
to all of us brave enough to face the truth
and hear "those words"
and still went home and carried on..... making dinner, paying bills going to work, grooming ourselves and our children, while our worlds were spinning out of control
To us who accepted, protected, fought, cried, begged, and wondered how we were going to tell our boss, our parents, our grandparents, our friends with typical children, strangers in the community
to all of us who had the unwavering hope in the beginning that we would beat this
to us who have lost sleep, canceled plans, dreaded simple activities such as haircuts
to all of us who put on a brave face
and to all of us who broke down in public
To those who changed a diaper much larger than a diaper should ever be
and who go without every single day
who groom our teenagers with love and dignity
to us who are brave and petrified at the same time
who know the meaning of the term a hard days night all too well
who breathed a sigh of relief that a car was not speeding down the road when our child darted out
and who went on
and go on
everyday
you are not alone
we will not fail our children
we will pull the strength from somewhere...
We will pull it from each other
Lesa Shusta