The doctor who oversees everything at Seattle Medical and Rehab, the skilled nursing facility (or "Sniff", yeah, really) where Stu has been this year, has been pregnant, it seems, for a very long time. So long that I lost track of when she'd be taking a leave. That leave starts now; her last real work week was last week, and she'll be taking a month off, returning in late June/early July after having her baby.

As it is such a hardship for me to go to the best toy store in the city (yeah, right) which happily is in my neighborhood, I went the other day to find a small gift for a small person. When Dr A came to give us a thank you card today, we ended up talking about how Stu was doing. And oh. oh wow.

So she tells Stu how well she sees him doing - this has always been the case. She knows a lot but she also is clear that she's not a specialist in every field. So when the topic of Stu's breathing, support, vent, trach, etc etc, comes up, Dr Azen has said to me "What I know about central apnea is that I don't know anything. When the time comes, I'll be bringing in a team. We need specialists." Stu, of course, has had sleep apnea for 15 years, but the stroke brought on other breathing complications including the more complicated central apnea, which was the reason he ended up having a tracheostomy so many months back. This has meant that there is no chance of apnea when he sleeps every night. He is still on a vent at night, but pretty much ever day, he is off the ventilator, getting a little breathing support from an oxygen machine that brings in some moisture to his lungs.

What she then said to Stu filled me up with such joy. Of course there are no answers or absolutes but she said to Stu something like this:

"So, you've got a month. I'll give you my maternity leave to work on all this stuff that you're working on and doing well at. Work on the swallowing, the standing and stamina. Exercise and get stronger. When I get back, we will start examining the central apnea issues so you can go home."

I asked her to repeat what she had said, to savor the moment. He'll be home, guys. I think it will be in the summer, maybe as early as July, ok, and maybe not. But

Just like that. Now yes, YES, it has been clear that Stu is coming home. it's been so damn long and it's taken a lot out of me to know that he'll still be in recovery in a few weeks, when the anniversary of this event rolls around. But it is clear to his normally reticent doctor that Stu is "going home."

It put a certain reality to the day. Stu is recovering and will, vent or no (but probably no), wheelchair or no (ditto, but that's just my educated take so far), we can start talking and planning about a real future. She made my day.

Stu will be coming home. Probably he'll require help, therapists and aides, at least for a while, because there is much I cannot and should not do. Stu will be coming home, to the place we've shared for 22 years, since we relocated here to Seattle. Stu will be coming home, and we'll be setting up what I hope resembles our version of a salon, with visits and food and conversation, while he gets his wind back, while he catches up on so much.

Stu is coming home. Count on it.