Pops is Home

It's official. Pops no longer resides at Froedtert Hospital. Today he came home. For good. How amazing is that? Apparently we did such a good job keeping him alive this weekend they thought we were ready for the real deal. It's almost surreal that he's actually home...I don't think it's really sunk in yet. Mom of course will have the biggest adjustment of all, being his number one caregiver. But how exciting for her that tomorrow she won't be driving to the hospital as she has been every day for the last 5 1/2 months...wait, scratch that...they do have to go to the hospital for dialysis. But, heh, maybe the next day she won't have to...

He'll have a nurse that spends the nights and helps with the morning routine, but other than that mom's got him covered as far as meds, stretching, feeding, etc. I've got to say she's doing a great job...it's an incredible amount of work but as I told her tonight, "Hey, one day down, only like 30 years to go!" It's such a blessing they live with Mike and Becky cause there's usually someone to help out, even if that someone happens to be four years old. And Fans and I officially move to Wisconsin in three short weeks and are very excited to be closer to the action.

Pops also got his first taste of real food tonight...first food in almost six months...that's a crazy long time without tasting food. Mike cooked him up some ravioli...(dad's only allowed five teaspoons of food...and it has to be in mashed/pureed form) but the look on dad's face was priceless. He has a lot of rules to follow when it comes to eating...but he can have tiny amounts if he's very careful. Tomorrow we may even go to the coffee shop! (He can have two teaspoons of coffee if we add thickener to it...mmmm....delicious, right? Hey, baby steps, people, baby steps.)

It was a big day. Pops left one family to come home to another. A day of mixed emotions, for sure, as those nurses at the hospital truly have become family for dad. There were lots of goodbye tears, lots of sadness mixed with excitement. He'll be back at Froedtert regularly for therapy and dialysis, at least for a little while, so he will get a chance to see his nurses again. We love them all so much...they are amazing people. They will always be family to us....and we will be forever in debt to them for loving our Pops through some very tough months.

He's home. Lots of challenges ahead to be sure...but for today, we praise God for bringing our Pops home. A day we thought would never come. To God be the glory.