Part 8: Welcome Home

There were so many doctors involved in my care, they all seemed reluctant to commit to a date when I could go home without consulting the others. Finally, Dr. Orme said Sunday would be the day. Ah, Sunday! I made a special effort to smile when the doctors would come and try my best to look extra healthy - anything to keep them confident that I could go home!

Little by little things started disappearing: The oxygen, then My IV stand, then my heart monitor, etc. With the new freedom from my hospital "gear"came the looming reality of what "going home" meant. I went on several walks around the cardiac floor, and I would return and have to catch my breath and feel completely exhausted. I would take a shower and dry my hair and need a nap to recover from it. How was I going to manage at home? Josh came to visit me and I told him how conflicted I felt about going home. On the one hand, I wanted out of this place, but the thought of returning to the demands of motherhood, and keeping a house, and even caring for myself had me feeling completely overwhelmed.

Saturday was full of final scans, x-rays, exams and instructions. I decided not to order my own dinner and just take what they gave me: Chicken Noodle Bake - overly cooked noodles with pieces of all the leftover chicken dishes from the week in a mystery sauce. I'm not really a picky eater, but this one did me in! It was "pluh" as Yaks says when something is too yucky to eat.

Sunday morning I began slowly gathering up my things. Boo and Yaks and Josh came to bring me home. Josh was so helpful to hurry along the process of checking out. Sometimes all the paperwork and red tape can take longer than necessary. I got prescriptions from my doctors, and well-wishes from everyone. They wheeled me down to the entrance and loaded me into the car.

I was greeted at home by an enormous banner that my sister-in-law Cara made and sent, along with an assortment of paints, markers and decorations. I'm told the kids spent hours decorating it - what a great idea! We brought it in from the rain and it has been sitting in the garage. Today I wanted to snap a photo to show you. I sent the kids out to get it, but it had "disappeared"! I waited one day too long - I think it went out with yesterday's trash. Sorry :( Thank you, Cara!! There were flowers on the counter from friends and a cute little poster made by Boo's Kindergarten class with all of their names and their handprints forming a blue flower, "because blue is your favorite color, Mom."

Our house sits on top of our garage, so there are stairs to get into our house, no matter where you enter. I walked slowly up the stairs from the car to the house and greeted Diddles and Annette (who stayed with us another week) and had to sit down and catch my breath! Suddenly the stairs in our house seemed so overwhelming! They are getting easier, but wow...where is a rambler when you need it?

I was in the kitchen and Yaks gave me a little hug. I whispered, "It's so good to be home." He said, "There's no such place like home, right mom?" Right.

Enter my visiting teachers, friends and the Relief Society, who truly live up to their names! Meals were brought in, baked goods delivered, my kids whisked away to play so I could rest, e-mails were sent to check on me, rides for Boo to and from school were easily handled, and Josh was home usually by 4:30/5:00. I really don't know how I could have managed those first few weeks without the extra help! Thank you, thank you dear friends and family! You truly strengthened the feeble knees!

Today I try to remind myself that we have temporarily lowered the bar of expectations in our household. Josh is a champ for being tolerant of the chaos, and pitching in the nano-second he walks in the door. Kids fend for themselves quite a bit. We stay in our jammies for large parts of the day.

No sweat, Mom. I'll just get my own breakfast!

"We're cleaning up the toys with these!"
Don't you love her jack-o-lantern smile? She's lost seven teeth this year!

Today Boo and Yaks made their own lunches, and did a pretty good job! Mouths go unwiped. Toddlers walk around with toothpaste on their shirts and pancake syrup in their hair.

This one now has eyes only for Daddy.
The other day she was kissing and hugging the Fisher Price plastic Dad doll, while the Mom doll sat in the plastic car.

Boo goes to school with any outfit she pleases, whether it matches or not. I only ask that it's clean!

The house is not spotless or organized, but guess what...


There's a mom in it! And that's the happiest ending I could ask for.



Thanks for your patience in letting me document this event (eight parts, yikes!).
Thank you also for your supportive comments. I read and love every one. Thank you, friends! I love you.