Ciao Milano
After spending two years of the pandemic solo with my son on Miami Beach, dedicating every waking minute to helping improve his life in some way (internal medicine, doctors, therapists, detoxes and all), it was time to leave. As much as I didn’t want to because my son was progressing and I was happy there, Miami became unaffordable, and I had to make one last attempt to save my marriage. I packed everything up and headed back to Milan with my son, hoping (with many doubts lol) he could continue to progress there while having his dad and mom together after almost three years apart.
My husband at the time had reassured me that he had set up everything for our son in Milan. This included: school, therapies and summer camp (I was hopeful for a babysitter/nanny too, but I knew those chances were slim lol). After a very delayed flight, and chasing my 3 years old around JFK for three and a half hours (traveling internationally, alone, with an autistic small child is not for the faint at heart LOL), we boarded an overnight flight that we did not sleep on and arrived to Milan Malpensa Airport with half of our luggage. Apparently the 2 hour before check in and the 3.5 hour delay wasn’t enough time for United to get ALL of our bags aboard the plane. When we got in the car to head into our condo in Milan, after a journey from hell to get there, it only seemed right that I began to drill my husband (at the time) with questions about all the things he supposedly set up for our son. Sadly learning everything was hanging in purgatory-nothing was definite for our son. No summer camp, therapy not starting until after the summer (2 plus months away), school didn’t want him-it was disaster. I realized I had made a huge mistake, and i was pissed off and angry at the world.
A summer of hell went by, and my son was finally enrolled in school and in the most minimalist of therapies-but one in Italy might consider “good”. Months continued to go by and there was little progress for my son. I spent many weekends alone with him whilst his soccer agent dad went scouting at away games. It was hell, and agonizing as a mom who sacrificed the last few years trying create a better future for my son, and seeing him regress. Christmas was coming, and it was time to leave and close a door to another chapter in my so called “Life” lol. Arriverderci.