1 I woke up to an empty hospital room, but it didn't stay that way for long. Mac came in carrying coffee and bagels for breakfast. I gave him a kiss and said, "Yum. You taste like coffee." He laughed, "Well, I brought you your own, so now I get to taste you." I took a sip of the steaming liquid, Mac leaned down and kissed me and playfully teased back, "Yum. You taste like coffee." I laughed at him and he kissed my nose and said, "Stell, I do believe that you are going stir crazy. Are you ready to finally go home babe?" "Hell yea I am."
The doctor came in along with Clarie to make final preperations for my leaving. While Claire was unhooking me from monitors, removing my I.V.s, and checking my vitals the doctor was talking to me about medication and recovery.
"Now, Ms. Bonasera it is crucial that you be very cautious while getting back to you daily routine. That means, taking everything very slowly and while that may be hard for you, it's vital in the recovery process." He listed off my medications, daily doses and when my physical therapy sessions were. "And finally there are a couple things that you should refrain from doing for at least 1-2 months, depending on how well you heal. That includes any running, sports of any kind, climbing stairs, sex, vigorus workouts that aren't approved by your physical therapist and it's probably best if you don't go back to work for at least 2 months." When Doctor Shepard mentioned sex I could see out of the corner of my eyes Mac turn a deep, deep shade of pink.
Doctor Shepard started asking me questions, "Ms. Bonasera, what floor do you live on. "The 6th." Does your apartment building have an elevator?" "Yea" "Do you have any family members that could stay with you in the early stages of your recovery?" "Doctor I'm sure...I broke off because Mac interrupted. "She will be staying with me, I live on the 1st floor and no stairs whatsoever to deal with." I turned to look at Mac and protest but Doctor Shepard just kept rambling on. When he finally finished and left I turned to look at Mac, "Mac, are you sure about this. I don't want to be a burden." I said as I started to cry.
"Hey, hey look at me, Stell. You will never be a burden. I love you. I have been thinking about this long and hard. It just makes sense, with me being on the first floor it will be so much easier for you since you have to be in a wheelchair. Plus, I don't think I could stand to be apart from you." He captured my lips with his and we stayed like that until and cough came from the corner.
"Sorry to interrupt you two, but Ms. Bonasera, you have been released and I am here to get you settled in your wheelchair and make sure you are okay." Claire said as she wheeled in a blue and white wheelchair. I laughed when I saw what it said on the back of it "Stella's Scooter" I looked over at Mac and saw that he had the same surprised look on. "You mean you had nothing to do with this." "Nope, but I wish I did. That is funny." "Whatever Mac. Just get me home, well get me to your home I guess." "Right away."
That was it. I was finally going home, well kinda. Mac wheeled me off of the elevator and out the front door and I got my first taste of fresh air in over 3 weeks. We got to Mac's Avalanche and he put my bag in the back before helping me up into the passenger's seat. He folded up my wheelchair and put it in the back, then he climbed up into the driver's seat and we were off.