Do They EVER Grow Up and the Worries Stop?
 

All of you with older children...do they ever grow completely up and you quit worrying about them? Please tell me this does happen:(
My oldest son is 22 years old and graduated in May from college. He has been back-packing through Europe since the end of May (by himself). He was scheduled to come home mid August. A day or so ago he had emailed and said he left his credit card at the last hostel he stayed in, which was in Krakow. He had taken a train to Germany and was 10 hours away. He knew for a fact they had his card, but they wouldn't send it to him and he didn't have enough cash to get back there on the train. We told him we would western union him the money and to let us know, he said he was going to his bank chain in Munich to see if they could help and would let us know. Nothing. So we figured he worked it out.
Last night he calls us in the middle of the night and gets my husband on the phone (first mistake). He is in Paris at Charles De Gaulle Airport and is coming home early. They want 100 dollars or a credit card to change his flight, of course he has neither. He wanted us to call British Airways and give them a CC # for the $100.00. This is 1 in the morning our time and BA is closed until 7 am. We tried to call BA in England, no luck. We tried to call Charles De Gaulle airport, nope, no paging, no BA no nothing. So we are sitting around trying to figure something out, and he calls again...immediately he is cut off. We call relatives in England to see if they can call BA from there, BA won't help them, they cannot disclose anything about him, even with his flight login info. They won't let them leave a cc # either. We wait until 7 am this morning (L O N G T I M E )
and we can't get anywhere with BA. I call western union and send money to him that he can pick up anywhere in Paris, France and email him on the off chance he is somehow able to check email. At this point I am frantic! We finally get an email from him, he cannot call home collect, they will not take our CC # on the phone, he MUST have cash or a CC in hand and he has not eaten in 2 days, except for 3 tums. France is 7 hours ahead of us, so he is going to a Western Union place when everything opens hopefully to get the money. Of course, he nor I know exactly WHERE a Western Union place is...I am praying he finds one without too much trouble. As of 9:45 pm my time tonight he has not picked it up. He said he stayed in the park last night with the bums (in his email, the same one where he has only eaten 3 tums in the last two days and he is thirsty.)
How in these days of technology can this happen??
I know it will work out and he will get home, but this waiting is killing me.
He is college educated in Engineering, which he accomplished in 3 1/2 years, while working the whole time. He paid for his whole trip himself. He is going to grad school for physics...this guy is no dummy....How on God's green earth did he get himself in this fix???
Please send some good thoughts his way (and mine and his dad's too, please)

Delaina, I am so very sorry for your worries. It sounds like your son has had an interesting trip. As long as he is safe and has food and shelter :D . I will heek him in my thoughts and prayers as well as you and his dad. Please update us and let us know how he is doing.

I hate to burst your bubble, but.... you never quit worrying. At least I know I wont. My three are "Kids for Life". (big sigh) I love them, but I would like to seem them safely established before I die of old age :D.

Thank you Cindy for your good thoughts, I kinda knew this already:rolleyes:, but really was hoping someone would tell me there was a magic time when all worries ceased:D
He has had an interesting trip and we were thrilled he was getting to do this, although it's hard for him to be off and so far away, I wait every day for that email, so I know he is okay. He has been pretty good about emailing at least every 4 or 5 days, so I didn't worry too much, at least until now..that is:(

Oh my, I hope he gets everything sorted soon. If he was in England I would offered to help.

I'll keep you all in my thoughts.

Ohh no .... what a mess .....

Well I can tell you for sure we and the other EU Countries have Western Unions .... mostly in bigger Cities .... they might give him a hard time though .... he speaks English ..... anyway hope things will work out and he will be home soon ......

Goodness gracious! When you got your Mommy credentials nobody told you about times like this? I think it was listed on page 4,528. Did you miss it? :D

I do know how you are feeling. Here he is in another country, waiting with the bums and not having anything to eat. A mother's nightmare come true! I do hope you hear from him soon and come back and post to let us know he is fine.

Tell him you are keeping a journal on all of this so you can pass it to his kids when he has them. Use if for blackmail later, if the need arises. :D

Thank you Vicky, I appreciate it. I wish he was in England too...we have relatives there, just none in France:(

why would this be? because they don't speak English?

Well, I KNEW I should have read that manual a bit closer:D
Yes, it is a nightmare come true, I haven't been able to sleep again tonight, but he FINALLY picked up the western union money, so now at least I know he has some. I keep telling my husband I'm going to wring his neck when I see him, and he just laughs at me and says, "you mean after you get done hugging him?"
I keep looking at my fur kids and being thankful, they will never go off to college 2400 miles away, nor will they ever backpack through Europe, or any of those other worrying things!!
Thanks for the good thoughts, I appreciate them!! I will update you guys when my wanderer makes it home :)

*****BIG SIGH OF RELIEF*****

Ahhhh. That's wonderful! I know how you feel and I am glad you got some reassurance that you will be seeing him soon. Hug him a lot, but make him pay!! :D

You (and Dad) poor things, you must have been frantic. I can't imagine how worried you were. But, now that he has the money and gets a full tummy and a good night's rest, he should be ok. As for the worrying, I think the usual time frame is after your youngsters have received their 3rd Soc. Sec. or retirement check you can start to rest easier;). Good luck until then:D.

Could you give us an update? How is your son doing now? I cannot stop worrying about him, he is so young to be stranded so far away.

Your son is at that age where he is on the brink of being all grown up and thinking that he can conquer the world, but he is still a "baby" who NEEDS mommy and daddy. I bet he will come home a better person for having made this incredible trek across Europe - and to think that he did it on his own! Mom and Dad, you are to be congratulated! What a fine son you have raised to be independent! Ok so, he needed a bit of help at the end, but Mom and Dad are there for life with a safety net.

LOL! Sounds like you have a great son!! He did so many things right, he didn't want you to get cocky and quit worrying!

Sending good thoughts! My Son is 25 and we still worry about him

If you find out let me know....I have a 16 year old and a 13 yr old :( I feel the stress building everyday......

GOOD THOUGHTS FROM MICHIGAN!!!!!!!!