Going Home

I'm writing this post as I so often do, at the end of the night when Steve is finally dozing for what is usually just a nap.  But it's a peaceful time of night when I can just be alone with my thoughts reflecting on the day.  Today was so very eventful right from the start.  Early in the morning, Dr. Urata, the head jaw reconstructionist stopped in for his rounds.  It's humbling just being in his presence as I am so very grateful for his skill and talent and above all his approachable bedside manner.  I like him.  Here he is, the one in the suit, in action:

After Dr. Urata, the speech therapists came in to teach Steve speech exercises and then they watched him eat breakfast.  Late last night, Dr. Hanpeter approved orders for Steve to start a "wired-jaw diet."  So for breakfast he ate cream of wheat through a straw:

Later Steve had some very special visitors, LaSalle Culpepper and Mary Grace Weaver:

While Mary Grace was here, Steve walked two laps around the ICU with the physical therapist...he was showing off!  After Mary Grace left, Steve had a short break and then Ryan, the nurse came in and we begged him to convince Dr. Hanpeter that Steve was ready to go home.  Ryan has been one of our absolute favorite nurses.  He's amazing:

Notice that in the above picture, Steve no longer has a trach tube.  That's because at 3 pm Dr. Hanpeter came in and discussed what's next for Steve.  He decided that it was time to remove the trach tube.  Steve was beyond excited.  Here's a close-up of Steve without the trach tube:

Finally, we had a long discussion with Dr. Hanpeter about when Steve could go home.  Pretty much at this point, he's desperate to go home so he can be with the family.  Even though the doctors, nurses, and entire staff at USC University Hospital have been so great, Steve feels that he is at a point in his recovery that being home will allow for optimal healing.  Dr. Hanpeter's concerns were for Steve's ability to breath well enough without the trach and the precariousness of the blood clot in his chest which is being treated with the blood thinners Lovenox and Coumadin.  Because of the blood thinners, Steve will require daily blood tests until a therapeutic level is reached.  After discussing all of this and so much more (in home nursing care, medical equipment and supplies needed at home) Dr. Hanpeter agreed to discharge Steve tomorrow.  We could not believe our ears.  Of course, the discharge is all contingent upon how stable he continues to be in the next 12+ hours, but we'll take that.

I had some quiet moments with Steve this morning in between doctor visits, etc. where I was able to show him some photos of how he looked his first days at Holy Cross Hospital when he was in the drug induced coma.  I also showed him some of the news footage of the day he was shot.  Up until now, Steve never wanted to see any of it.  But the gravity of what's happened to him is finally sinking in and there is a two week period of Steve's life of which he has no memory.  He finally wanted to fill in the blanks and see for himself what had happened to him and around him during that time.  Watching him watch those videos and look at those pictures and being by his side as he was witnessing this event that has forever changed us both was an honor and a privilege.  With tears in his eyes, he watched with dignity, courage and grace the unfolding of what can best be described as his "new lease on life."