Passed our inspection - cleared for discharge

Today the Kaiser Santa Rosa home health people came by to inspect the house, check the equipment and assess whether we were ready for Sara to come home. I am happy to report that they have signed off on our preparation and are recommending her discharge for Monday.

Its a little surreal now. She's really that close to coming home. I'm not going to believe it until the ambulance backs up to the house and I see her face appear in the sunlight.

The bathroom is not done, but it is not going to hold her up. I told them that she will be bed bathed like she has been in the hospital until it is done. They liked the roll-in shower design and said she'll really enjoy it when its done. The contractor that was helping had to drop out to work on his normal work. Thanks for the help out that he was able to give. It made a big difference in prep. I'll be resuming on that tomorrow.

Sara's room is ready to decorate. So, any of her friends who would like to come over and start putting things up in her room, you are more than welcome to. We still have to put outlet covers and a switch in, her lights, and the shades, but that won't interfere with putting up her artwork and collections. We'll be home all weekend. Anybody is welcome all day saturday and late afternoon sunday.

On the Michael front - he's doing well. He and I have both been sick all week. I'm still feeling about half cruddy, but I have to be nearing the end of it. He seems fine now.

I'm still half believing she's actually going to be in this house on Monday. I know its going to be a different type of tough, but just having her here seems to make it feel a lot more possible to get through.

I can't thank enough the people who, directly and indirectly, helped us along the way. There is absolutely NO way we could have made it through this horrid first chapter, the first 10+ months since her accident, were it not for those close to us, to her, and the unending stream of loving thoughts that come our way daily. There are so many times I've caved in thinking I couldn't handle another second, and then i'll see a friend of Sara's in Target, or get a phone call from someone asking to help, or see that the blog has been read, and its not so bad. Seeing her always makes it worth it. What an amazing woman... Hard to believe she's my baby girl.

Getting Sara home is by no means the end of the road for us. It is the start of a new chapter for Sara. One where she is able to be a part of her own life, participate in the lives of her friends, continue her love affair with Daniel, witness her brother's final year of high school and his launch from the nest, and her continue to heal and grow. Its a chapter where we will see her start to move, push herself, work to breath in life - deep and full, and where we will start to hear her voice. She is communicating more each day via computer and it will only expand once she's home and I can work with her on it and programming along side her. She will also be working to get clear of the traech and start to work her own vocal cords. Once she truly gets her own voice back...watch out. But even before then, there are going to be things she and I are going to share that we have to do together, so that people understand what was really going on. Some things got held from the blog, other things only recently discovered, and still others that we were slow to explore out of fear and pain.

But, that aside for the moment...the plan is to discharge from Walnut Creek on Monday. Michael is going to come with me to help make sure we get everything and hopefully he can ride in the ambulance with her. That's going to be a long trip. Her Dad, Mike, will be here at the house to make sure that the nurse has everything they need to setup to receive her and get started, and run to Kaiser Santa Rosa if we are missing anything critical. Daniel is at school on Monday so he has to do that. He is the very first person she wants to see at home, in her own space. I suspect that Nanci and Kelly will want to come by and see her and the setup we've all worked so hard on - and Sara finally in it. Team Sara - please remind me to give you each keys to the house. You will always have access to her for emergencies and if you just want to fly by in the middle of the day to say hi and check on Sara and the nurse...or as we rotate some of her care times.

As for visitors - give us a couple of days to get her settled in the house and we'll start opening it up. Don't want to overwhelm the girl.

I can't wait to see that sweet face around the house...right where it belongs.