Friday Afternoon... preparing to go home

We have spent the morning meeting with social workers and therapists sorting out what support can best help Toren come home and transition successfully and easily. He is gaining strength every day, and it does a heart good to see him. Toren is devouring food every time it appears. Working hard to regain his skills. He is walking up and down the stairs with just a little support - which is such a leap it is delightful to behold. His PT spent a lot of the session encouraging Toren to pace himself... going slowly is safer, better for building strength and balance, and will allow his lungs to recover steadily. As Toren says he is excited to be leaving the hospital and excited to be experiencing life instead of just recovery. As nice as hospitals are it is not nearly as nice as being home, because as he says at home you can do as you wish!! (We will see about that!!)
So we are heading home tomorrow with a walker, and with the caution to have 24 hour support over the next stage of recovery, with serious instructions to take it very easy for the first few days home. I am stilling here watching him eat and feeling a sense of appreciation that seeps into the stored dark scary places in my being... and while it does not evaporate the fears and pain it does dilute them, and restores balance and expands the flickering flame of hope.
There are more meetings and more therapy this afternoon, and then Helaini will join us for Shabbos Dinner... no I haven't cooked, we will order something nice in - maybe Chinese food, so we can have the whole Jewish Xmas experience early.
The house is all clean, Melinda came and helped me get things organized and cleaned on Thursday - God bless her. When I got home I found a lovely veggie casserole from the Bernards... it was the perfect thing to find - so I had it for dinner, breakfast and lunch - what a treat. Walking with Linda helped me get some perspective, a good cry & laugh on the phone with Jonathan allowed me to gather the energy to teach my yoga class... and just to make you laugh... there was a fire drill in the middle of my class (God has quite the sense of humor). Marvin took a 30 hour shift here at the hospital to allow me to enjoy all those blessings... he and Toren enjoyed each other's company, and Toren was more appreciative of me after a break from my company.
I am looking forward to making a crockpot full of soup tomorrow afternoon, so we can simply chill out and enjoy the quiet, and yes fussing with Lilah who was very very happy to see me on Wednesday when I arrived home for the first time since the 11th. Life will start to take shape over the next few days, Toren will have out patient therapy for speech, ot and pt, and will start back at the NPRS Program hopefully next week... at lot of the challenges he is having is related to the strain of the last 3 weeks' trauma... once that is resolved and recovered from we will see what else needs addressing over the coming months. We are very hopeful, grateful and positive about the future, looking at ways to avoid another crisis will become a serious focus for us. As Shabbat draws in I am full of delight and appreciation. enjoy your families, your homes, your friends, and take the time to look at the candles as the flicker and sense the brightness of our love and tenderness for each and everyone of you.
Shabbat Shalom
M & T