New here and have question

[Guest guest]

Our 11 yr. old grandson lives with us. He is a severe autistic,

non-verbal. We have been home schooling from the beginning and have

had modest but good results. Even the school who evaluates (state

law)says we have done more than they could have. He was damaged

originally with inocculative encephalitis (brain swelling due to

reaction to inocculation) and mercury damage. Our current doctor is

an M.D. and holistic physican (lucky us!)with experience. We also

have another grandson who was dx'd last year (he is four)and is also

non-verbal by another daughter.

QUESTION: Are there any other grandparents here who have the

dominate care of an autistic grandchild? I really feel isolated from

women and couples our age (I am 56, my husband is 62)because our

situation is unique to what most people our age are experiencing. Our

whole lives have been as drastically changed as our daughters' yet I

have no one to talk to that can empathize with our situaiton from our

viewpoint.

RESPONSES FROM ANYONE IN THIS PARTICULAR SITUATION WOULD BE

APPRECIATED.