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Learning to Fall: out.
Today's the day. Today I left the hospital and I will not miss it. I will not miss the fingers in places they should never be. I will not miss the measuring of things that go in me and then come out of me and the quesitons, serious questions, about if I pooed today or not, or if my pee hurts or if I want some more pain killers.
Yes. I want some more of those, please. No. I did not poo.
The nurse who has been picking at my scabs said the last of her work was done and then she kissed my head. Her name is Kerry and of all the things in the hospital I will miss her the most. I will miss you Kerry the Debrider. I will miss your big toothed smile, your white busoms and your friendly needle in the arm.
Momma and Dad helped me dress in my new favorite tee-shirt, another wolf, this one says: "My, what big feet you have!" and is dressed like Granny. I wondered if I should joke about Jillian and her big feet but then thought how she's been there helpin' me get caught up with school and how she and Alex smuggled me Bunny Burgers from the Red Rabbit drive-in so's I wouldn't have to eat so much jello and applesauce and then I thought maybe I shouldn't ever make mean with her again. Unless she pinches me. Then all bets are off.
The nurses made me ride in a wheelchair when we left, visiting all my new pals on our floor before they glided me into the elevator. We stopped at the guy down the hall with twice the burns that I have except his are on his legs. His roommate doesn't speak on account of how his windpipe was crushed and he'll have to have one of those little vibratey things to talk with but he's not healed up enough yet. His bandages are all around his head and he breathes through a hole about the size of a quarter where his adam's apple should be. I think I got out lucky.
When the elevator doors opened, there was Ms. Harriet and Terry's momma standin' in the lobby, both dressed in black. It was the first time I'd seen either of 'em since I landed in the hospital and I swear both of them looked skinny like movie stars. Terry's momma was holdin' a present and Ms. Harriet had a rose in her hand. In the next five minutes I was practically smothered to death by both women huggin' and squeezin' me so much I couldn't even breathe, but that was okay. I was goin' home.
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