Baby has left the nest for a while

[midfielder]

Our baby ... OK he is 23 but still the youngest ... dropped him off at the airport yesterday and he is off to Europe for 3 months back packing .... coming home for a while and then plans to go to Asian for a couple of months...

At 11 he was an elite sports person at 12 he could not walk nor feed himself by 16 he could walk again but with a lot of pain ... he made selective school [North Sydney Boys] but could never attend and never finished high school ...

He is somewhat of a IT God and completed a Advanced Diploma in Networking and has worked in networking for the last four years ....

Sometimes when you look back on life it has some great drama's ... some things are silly ...

However just felt proud, scared, and hopeful ... very mixed emotions when someone who was so ill for so long ... goes and takes on a trip of this kind ... sorta cannot get it out of my mind today...

 

[true believer]

if he's anything like you . he'll end up a talk show host in Switzerland .

 

[FFC Mariner]

Sounds like a job well done mate.

Sad days though arent they?

 

[Big Al]

Congratulations - Should be very proud. Sounds like a fighter.
Scared yeah I'd be scared to that the first call home is for more beer money.

I am sure he can handle the girls that will be coming his way as well - French, German, Swedish (Very nice), Maybe even a nice Italian girl.

Back packing is a funny world & I am sure he will have the best time meeting people from all over the world seeing things that are so friggin old we can't comprehend because to us the harbour bridge is old.

 

[dibo]

What if he likes boys? 1/10 chance.

 

[midfielder]

What if he likes boys? 1/10 chance.

Would make no difference [however weird kinda question to ask me thinks] .... however he has had a couple of long term girl friends...

FFC

They are sad / emotional days ... its kinda hard when someone has been so fragile ... I remember talking him for a walk along the broadwalk at Dee Why and we looked out over the beach he was in his wheelchair and struggling to sit in it because even the movement over the path was causing a lot of pain... I felt so helpless and wondered and hoped he could if nothing else he could get out of pain ...

Ten years latter and he has a senior IT position and takes off back packing and the first thing the family and his mates say to him is have you packed pain killers ....

As I said very mixed feelings .... and as number one son said last night imagine how he must be feeling...

 

[dibo]

Sorry middy, not really the sort of forum where the word heteronormative would get thrown around a lot (particularly by a straight bloke such as myself), was more meaning that all other things being equal, there's a more than trivial probability that Big Al's presumptions above might be misdirected. Carry on, best wishes for your boy's travels.

 

[Forum Phoenix]

Be proud and happy Middy. This is what it is to be alive.

And can you have a word with him about taking one or two of mine with him?