Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Homecoming

My dad comes home this afternoon. Tomorrow morning, at 4:30 am, it will be exactly two months since I wrote this.

I'm both terrified and delighted to have him back at home.

He'll be at a day program for the next several weeks, so there's some transition time for all of us, my dad included. This time has to be different. I think it will be, I really do. We've all grown and learned and realize there has to be change.

I do think he's gotten to a good place, honestly. When I saw him on Sunday he was more him, the good him, than I've seen in a long, long time. And the truth is, he needs to come home, to have his normal life again. We all need to build a normal life again.

Two months is a long, long time to be in a hospital. And a month in the psych ward? Would drive the average person batshit crazy. It's an honest to god nutso place.

My dad walked my mom and me to the elevator Sunday. You have to sign out, push the elevator button, push a camera button inside the elevator, then wait for the people at the nurse's station to let the elevator go so you can finally push the L button to go down to the lobby. It's quite a process.

Invariably you push buttons and wait and someone winds up bellowing "elevator!" so that the nurses will let you go. Once, Betty and I wound up on the 4th floor four times. Door closed, elevator went nowhere, door opened, and we saw the same check in desk. Four times. We were starting to feel crazy ourselves.

There's a sign on the elevator that says, "Use your hospital pass."

Sunday my dad asked Betty if she was going to use her hospital pass. She said that would mean she worked there. He asked if she was going to work there.

And she said, "Are you kidding? This place is full of crazy people!"

One of the other patients, who was sitting next to the desk, turned to my dad and said, "Present company excepted, of course."

"Of course."

15 comments:

  1. Today, Juneteenth, is the day freedom from slavery finally manifested in Texas, two years after the actual Emancipation Proclamation.

    Here's to Michael's emancipation. Give my love to him, and all around him. AND you can give some to you, too.

    Love love love,

    J

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  2. I wish the best for all of you!

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  3. newish reader just wanted to say best wishes and stuff as well! keep on keepin on, it's the best thing you can do!

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  4. Good luck, and happy building. Sending good thoughts as fast as I can!

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  5. Wow, big day. Congratulate your dad for me. :-)

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  6. All of you rock! Thanks so much for all your support and wishes. I'm delighted and I know my dad will be too.

    J - Thank you thank you! I will definitely pass along the love to my dad. He's glad to know we're in touch.

    Moosie - Thank you!

    Kate - I'm glad to have a newish reader! :) Thanks for the good wishes!

    Dagny - Thank you thank you as always for the good thoughts.

    LMNt - I will, I definitely will. Thank you!

    VVK - Thank you! Hug back! :)

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  7. Good luck! I started reading your blog around the time you started writing about it (wow -- two months already?), and I've always admired your candidness and (slightly morbid, but hilarious) sense of humor. :)

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  8. That is fantastic news - sometimes, being at home is all it takes to speed up healing.

    You are all in my thoughts as you begin this next phase.

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  9. I'm wishing all the best for your dad and for your family.

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  10. Wow - i'm so out of touch (just got back to the country!) but send prayers you and your dad's way and am so glad that I got to read this post before I read your post from two months ago, or I would have been so worried! I hope you are all sticking together and keeping your sense of humor - I can't imagine anything will be as helpful as that :)

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  11. Lisa's Dad, welcome home!

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  12. Glad to hear the news. Keeping the good vibes coming for the homecoming. :)

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  13. great to hear he is heading home... it's amazing that you can maintain a sense of humor at such a trying time. i truly admire your strength.

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  14. gn - Wow - what a bizarre time to start reading that must have been for you. Thanks for sticking with me!

    Miss B - Thank you for the kind thoughts.

    DCup - Thank you - you are always so supportive.

    MI - Welcome back from South Africa! Thank you for your prayers.

    HKW - I will pass that along! :)

    WiB - Thank you for the good vibes!

    H - What a nice thing to say. Thank you!

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