A woman in her mid-30s has written to agony aunt Coleen Nolan, expressing feelings of irrelevance as she struggles to conceive while her sister is pregnant with her second child. The reader, who was recently diagnosed as autistic, also feels overshadowed by her siblings' academic and career achievements.
Nolan advises the woman to see her GP for fertility tests if she has been trying to conceive for two years without success. She suggests that knowing everything is in working order may help her relax, and if there are problems, treatment options can be explored.
Nolan encourages the reader to talk to her sister about her feelings, saying that acknowledging the pain of seeing her sister pregnant might be a relief and make her sister aware of her sensitivity. She emphasises the importance of being honest with loved ones rather than bottling up emotions.
Regarding the autism diagnosis, Nolan views it as positive, suggesting it will help the reader make sense of past experiences and move forward with appropriate support. She reassures the reader that she is 'enough' and 'brilliant as she is'.
