We have been through a lot of heartache and disappointment this year.

Thank-you Judy for your thoughts! Sometimes I just want to sit down and cry and I've done a lot of that lately. My kids and myself have been through a lot. With the divorce and then in 05 my 17 year old ended up in the hospital because her growth plate in her hip on one side shifted. She ended up having to have a screw put into her hip joint. Then we found out the reason. Her growth hormones were off. That was a fine way of finding that out. That same year before all of that, my old employer asked me to come back to work for them. I accepted the position back with the stipulation that I needed to be available in case my son had a meltdown at school. They agreed to cooperate with me. Well, dumb me didn't get it in writing. They renigged on everything and made my life miserable, causing me to make mistakes and when I would they would write me up. After 3 times, they fired me! I've been basically unemployed up until about 1-2 months ago when I resorted to taking a part time job at Dairy Queen. Working only the hours that my son is in school. I also decided to take on classes online through Colorado Tech University online for medical billing and coding. I figured, no one is going to do this for me/us, so I'd better go for it under the Obama bill (for moms to go back to school). Now I am waiting to see if the Iowa Workforce Development office will okay it since it is an online course. I explained to them that this the only way I can go back. I hope they will approve this because of the circumstances. We have been living hand to mouth here. With an monthly income of about $1,600 a month, we were paying $800 month for rent. I haven't been making it very well and now my van (only transportation) is in need of about $1,000 worth of repairs and I don't know where to turn for help!! Then there is Christmas. I just want my kids to have a nice Christmas!! It is very depressing. I feel helpless!!!

Sorry to unload all of this on you people. It is my problem, not yours.

Thanks for the reply. I appreciate it!

Don't worry about unloading on us here - that's what we're here for!  I do hope you get approved for your course.  I was wondering if your son is receiving social services from your county at all - does he have a social worker?  I think he would be eligible for some kind of services.  I have a 31-year-old son with autism and developmental disabilities and I don't know what we would have done without the help and support of his social worker.  That incident with your job is appalling, but I believe it - some people will say anything to get what they want, then when things don't go their way, you're out.  I think medical billing and coding is probably a smart field to get into, there's a lot of demand for that.  I hope you do well.  Please feel free to write any time, especially with the holidays here I know it won't be easy.  Just check to see if there are any other resources available out there; once your son is out of school and if he's unable to work, he should qualify for SSI and a social worker would know what you should do to file a claim.  Maybe you already know about this stuff, but I've come across quite a few people who haven't been aware of what help they can get.  Hope to hear from you again and I'll keep you in my prayers.

My son is on SSI and a family support subsidy. That is about the only thing along with the child support that has actually kept us afloat. I am very thankful for that. I do need to get an attorney eventually and make myself guardian for him after he is 18.

I have gone to the Dept of Human Services trying to get help in the past for a utility bill or something else and have been turned down. Reason being: I am a full time college student. I couldn't believe it. I try to better myself and this is what they do to me. I know I am not alone in this too. There are other people struggling just as much if not more. It is just frustrating when a person tries to help themselves and either the State or Federal Government shoots them back down. That is what is depressing.

Oh, and when we lost our home, the state put my kids into Foster care for almost a week. We had black mold and bugs in the house. There was roof damage and a flooded basement at one point and since I wasn't able to find work, I tried to find a place to help me fix the house. I went to DHS and asked them and called United Way and any place I could think of. No one could/or would help me!! Even with me trying to advocate help, they still did this. That is what depression does to a person. They gave me 2 hrs to find a new place to live. We found this house but had to pay the massive amount of rent on it. Now I have finally gotten rent assistance approved and we are moving to a nicer/newer townhome. I thank God for this opportunity!! We are moving here in the next week or 2. Hopefully, I will be able to get caught up on all of the bills and breathe.

I myself, want to become an advocate for families with Autistic children. That is important to me. I have just met a lady in Illinois with 2 low functioning autistic boys. I have been in contact with her and we vent to each other. I enjoy that.

Thank-you for your support! It is a good feeling know that we are not alone!!!