SOL16 #9 Small Giant Steps

Small Giant Steps to Recovery

It's been a week since I made that 500 mile trip, my sister and I have taken turns sitting next to his bedside so my mom can have time with her grandchildren before they head home.  She insists on coming to the hospital everyday during the doctor's rounds to make sure she hears what they have to say. She is fierce when she listens, she peppers the doctors and nurses with questions.  This isn't her first stent in ICU, she knows she won't get information if she doesn't ask. 

The week comes to an end and my brother still hasn't woken from the coma, but they are going to move him to step down ICU because his vitals are stable.  He has a feeding tube and they are pushing protein for food.  I make the 500 mile trip back home with my kids wondering what the outcome for my brother will be in the coming months.

I call or text daily.

Finally he is awake!, he is sitting up in the bed, he is eating real food.  Such progress in a short time of three weeks.  The doctors mention rehab, my mom isn't ready for that, but the doctors say that he is, so he move to a rehab center to learn basic skills.  He learns quickly and in 8 weeks time they tell my mom he is ready to go home with lots of restrictions.

My mom and sister gather all of the sharp objects, put a special lock on the door to the basement, they gather anything that is dangerous and move it to other locations.  It's been a long road since September 19th. He's been home recovering and he has made tremendous progress so much so that they think he will be able to return to work.

Life changed that day and we will never be able to return to where we were.  That is probably a good thing.  Hopefully we have all become closer through all of this, the physical and psychological healing do not happen equally.

***There are a lot more details to this story, so many I thought it made it more boring than it already is at this length.a