One Coming Home - One Leaving Home

It's been a long two weeks but finally dad is being released from hospital today. The almost 8 hour surgery went well although he did get that *slim* chance of infection they were sure he wouldn't get. Yesterday they removed all remaining tubes and should have started him on soft foods. Some equipment and nursing supplies were delivered to the house yesterday . I believe the machine is to help him breathe.
Other than the few words he said last week he has not been able to talk.  He's still too swollen. A device has to be ordered and made to measure which will be inserted into his throat to help him speak.  Found out last night that it will be at least six months before he will talk again.  Growing up I would have welcomed the fact that he wouldn't be able to yell at me..

Locri as seen from Gerace

Meanwhile Number One son has decided to fly to Italy next week for a month.  I have learned that like me, he is very spontaneous which I'm not sure is a great thing. But unlike me he does not plan things well having no idea what he will do once he arrives there. Thankfully he will be staying with Simy!
Although my son is adult it's really hard not to worry about him flying half way across the world to a foreign country. It makes me wonder how all those mothers felt watching their children (mostly  males) leave home for the better life the Americas offered during the mass Italian immigration of the early 1900's.  I'm not so sure I would have handled it well. 
Although he is flying to Genoa he has promised me he will go to Calabria. It would be a shame for him to go all the way there and not meet 'the family'.  Language will be a problem though as he doesn't speak Italian and none of my relatives speak English (that I know of) but I'm hoping this trip will give him a sense of his roots and understand them, like I did at his age, during the same time of year so many years ago.

Wish I was going with him.........