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Original poster

It's been 18m since I last saw my son

116 replies

StillMedusa · 15/09/2021 00:39

And it gets harder every day.
Bloody Covid.
He went to Australia, so happy to finally have the visa to be with his lovely partner, 3 weeks before Covid hit. It was hard seeing him go, but knowing we were only 24 hours on a plane away, made it bearable.
Then Covid.
Since then he has missed becoming an uncle, and last weekend we listened to his voice singing his latest song (he's a musician), as his sister walked down the isle and a little piece of me broke.
I know we are lucky, we haven't lost anyone in our family. But I haven't hugged my son in 18m, and I doubt we will see him for a long time yet.
I miss him so badly and I know he is missing us so much too.
It sucks.

OP posts:

RantyAunty · 15/09/2021 07:48

4 years here. I was planning to go and the borders closed 3 weeks before I was to leave.

Freysimo · 15/09/2021 07:50

Please count your blessings, that your son is alive and we,l and one day you will see him again. I do understand, but my son died 14 years ago. How I wish he were in Australia!

ChikiTIKI · 15/09/2021 07:53

Christmas 2019 since we all saw my brother 😩 I feel your pain. He hasn't met my second child who was born start of lockdown and the third child will be here in January, we won't have seen him yet by then either.

MaverickDanger · 15/09/2021 07:53

Same for us with in laws. All in Australia.

Our DS is nearly 9 months and they haven’t met him yet. I wasn’t even pregnant last time we saw them. Our nieces and nephew have got so big and are desperate to meet their cousin.

I find it so sad that DS will be at least 18 months at the earliest by the time they can meet.

diddl · 15/09/2021 07:55

Try & look for positives-it could be worse!

saleorbouy · 15/09/2021 07:58

It's very dificult being apart but at least there are video calls so at least you can see relatives.
We managed to remotely teach my elderly mum Whataspp so she could see the grandchildren.
The first meeting and a big hug are things I dream of, here's hoping it won't be long for all of us to see and hug those near and dear to us.

2me2u2u2me · 15/09/2021 08:01

@Saddm

Nc for this. I haven't seen my ds for over 10 years.. When police took him away. Arrested for the worst crimes.. Therefore I can't be seen to be missing him.. When I absolutely do. I hope your ds is happy and well op. As is mine.

sorry for you, can’t you still be seen to be missing him even though you don’t agree with what he’s done, or is it people around you that won’t let you? Sending hugs

TheYearOfSmallThings · 15/09/2021 08:06

our flights home for this Christmas have just been (predictably) cancelled

Are all flights from Australia for this Christmas being cancelled? I have a friend who says she is going back to Ireland for 4 weeks, and I've been afraid to hope it might actually happen.

CovidIsADick · 15/09/2021 08:08

@StillMedusa I feel your pain. I’m so sorry. My dad lives halfway across the world and I haven’t seen him for 3 years. We were about to go visit and then the borders shut. He hasn’t met his baby granddaughter. He is getting married this weekend and I won’t be there. It’s so hard.

GillBiggeloesHair · 15/09/2021 08:09

I've not seen my Dad since March 2020. I got back to my country just in time and had 2 flights cancelled since then.
I'll now see him in December 🤞

Roselilly36 · 15/09/2021 08:10

So sorry for all on the thread, that are missing loved ones, it must be so hard. I hope you can all be reunited soon

FortunesFave · 15/09/2021 08:11

I'm a kid who moved away and now my Mum is in a home with dementia and when my sister skypes me so I can see her, she's so vague and barely knows who I am and I can't even bear it anymore.

I had been home to see her before it really got hold of her and I'm grateful for that visit...my MIL paid for me to go and it was a lovely trip.

But I feel like I'm never seeing her again now. It's like she's already died but she hasn't.

Sorry...your post made it all come back.

FortunesFave · 15/09/2021 08:12

I should have said I'm in Australia too.

OhWhyNot · 15/09/2021 08:14

It’s really difficult

I am desperate to see my dad hopefully next summer or maybe Christmas

To not see my son for so long to would be heartbreaking

I feel for you op

GrouchyKiwi · 15/09/2021 08:21

It is so hard.

We last saw my family in August 2018. We were supposed to go to NZ for Christmas 2020 and have a family reunion. I would have seen cousins I haven't seen in 10+ years, aunties and uncles I've not seen in nearly as long, and met my new nieces and nephews.

saddm That's so difficult. I'm so sorry.

Marmite0nToast · 15/09/2021 08:21

@StillMedusa just sending you Some good news in the press here today that Quantas are restarting flights from Mel/Syd to Lon from 18th December, so I think there is finally a glimmer of light at the end of this very long tunnel. There are obviously caveats to the borders being reopened but I'm hopeful we are much closer to this happening now.

www.traveller.com.au/qantas-international-flights-from-australia-the-routes-set-to-start-first-h1yln7

PhoboPhobia · 15/09/2021 08:26

@Saddm
That sounds really hard.

sonjadog · 15/09/2021 08:26

Yes, it is hard. I am fortunate enough to be in Scandinavia and going back to see my mother in the UK has been possible most of the time. But there was a period when it just wasn't possible and I found that very hard. It is one thing not going because you are busy at work, don't have the time etc. and another thing when you literally can't go due to borders being closed. I found that affected me much more than I would have thought in advance.

Auntienumber8 · 15/09/2021 08:30

My friend moved to Australia 20 years ago and his parents are now very elderly and he worries he won’t see them again. It must be really difficult for you, I saw my brothers and their families at a huge family wedding in August 2019, they live in the USA. One was coming back to the UK for a visit in June 2020. I really miss them and have no idea when we will see each other.

FlibbertyGiblets · 15/09/2021 08:30

So sorry for all missing their loved ones, gentle arm squeezes.

allflownthenest · 15/09/2021 08:32

I feel for you, my son moved to Australia 8 years ago and we managed to see him about every 18months or so. It has now been 2 years. We are really hoping to see him next year but you never know, he is still in lockdown and where he is you can only come out of lockdown at the end of October if you have been double vaxed.

queenMab99 · 15/09/2021 08:32

@Freysimo

Please count your blessings, that your son is alive and we,l and one day you will see him again. I do understand, but my son died 14 years ago. How I wish he were in Australia!

^^ This, although I do realise it is not a saddest story competition.

JasonMomoasgirlfriend · 15/09/2021 08:32

I don't understand. Australia is on the green list so why can you not go out there or him come back?

ThumbWitchesAbroad · 15/09/2021 08:34

It sucks.
I am IN Australia and haven't seen my Dad or family in the UK since 2019 - nearly 30m now. Dad is in his 80s and his enforced isolation because of covid has exacerbated his early Alzheimers - he's degenerated faster than he would have done if he'd been carrying on a normal life, seeing and talking to people as he used to.

We still talk via the internet and see him that way - but it's not the same. My kids miss him - they miss England, and the rest of our family and friends. We came back every year until last year when covid fucked everyone over.

Our international borders won't open this year now (except for emergencies) - but it's the return that is the problem, the enforced 14 day hotel stay at a cost of @$3000. Can't afford it.

I just hope Dad holds on until we can get there again - and he still knows who we are when we do.

MsHedgehog · 15/09/2021 08:35

Same here - brother in Australia, not seen him for over 2 years, missed my wedding and not seen his new and only nephew, my son.

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