Some people believe you are never given more than you can handle. It sounds like you are being challenged to the max. You sound like you are an amazing person that you have been handling this for so long. Just dig deep and realize how lucky you are to have 2 sones that need you. good luck. You will be great.

Kazza, I believe that you will someday reap your rewards for sowing such a great harvest full of love, patience, and endurance toward your sons. Just don't give up.

You say that you feel you have no life, but in my heart, I respect a mother who devotes her full strength to her children more than a mother who spends half her strength to her children, having the other half to party or have fun.

My prayers are certainly with you.

Patrick

Thanks patrick & elan :d

It is very challenging, my son has a mild degree of it, my g/f son has autism too more developed form, we find it helpful to meet other parents with the same challenges to socialize with, they understand when our child stems, etc. Take care of yourself, find your resources, here in canada you can get extra help in your home if your a single mom, called respite care if needed. It is okay to ask for help. If not make your own autism support group. It will help. My g/f son is 10 too, maybe you like to chat online with her on this topic.

I have 3 children, the middle, my ds, 5 years old, has autism. I also have been diagnosed with add, depression, and anxiety. I am married, but my dh is not much of support. I, too, feel like I don't have much of a life. There have been so many invitations to parties that I turn down if my husband can't go or if I can't find a babysitter. And it can't be just any babysitter, it has to be someone who is experienced with a special needs child. There is so much I would like to share with my children outside the house, like parks and zoos and town festivals, but I just can't do it alone, so we stay home. A social worker at my son's school, knew of situation, and reached out to me to be an advocate of us. Because of her, I will be getting a respite worker to come to my house 8 hours a week. Maybe if this person is really good, I can bring them out with me to help with my dh. It is very hard to have hope, but every now and then, something good does happen.

Yes, my son is almost 4 and I have just found out that he is autistic. While I am just starting to go through the aceptance of autism, I also have lived life as though in a bubble for the also 4 years. Mason can't be taken out into public for very long and certainly not if I can't put him in stroller or a cart, something that I can fasten him down.
I don't mind that I am doing this as a single mom, it's not the parties and people I miss. What kills me at night is all of the wonderful things I hoped to do with/for my son that I can't, the things that he may never be able to do, I can't even deal with it, I just try really hard to look at his face and kiss his cheeks and know that I love him, and somehow, it has to be all right.
School is a great place to start, also check with human services in your area, they aren't usually much help, but the school system has been what has saved me from emotional breakdown.