Lottie's diagnosis CHANGED EVERYTHING

Louise Fein had always been a career woman – until her daughter’s condition forced her to change paths

- EMMA ROSSITER

As I scroll through the pages of my novel, giving it one final proofread, I still can’t quite believe it’s finished. My historical fiction has been five years in the making, and if my childhood self could see me now, she’d think it was a dream come true. Still it’s not been the easiest journey to get here, and I hope my book will always remind me good things can come from a bad situation.

Growing up, my nose was always stuck in a book and I spent more time writing my own stories than I did on homework (much to my parents’ – and teachers’ – annoyance!). Becoming an author sounded like the most magical and exciting of careers, only as I went through school I realised it might not be the most realistic path, so I decided to please my parents by pursuing a career in law.

I graduated in 1990 – but soon after, I wanted a change of pace, and in 1996 I took a job in banking. A year later, I married a fellow law student, Julian, then 30, and Millie was born in May 1999. I dropped to four days a week at work and we welcomed Josh in April 2002.

Juggling our family with our professional lives was tough, and Julian worked long hours as a lawyer, so we relied on my mum and a nanny. I was thankful for their help, but didn’t like becoming the type of mum who never saw her kids.

That’s why, after having Lottie in January 2007, I started my own consultancy business. I could work when the kids were at nursery and school, but still pick them up and help with homework – and for a while, things at home had never been better.

Worrying symptoms