We'll Recover Together

First Day Home

Miranda stayed in the hospital for a week. She wanted to go home sooner but Ben talked her into following Maggie's suggestion and staying just to make sure she was good.

It was Saturday and Maggie was at the hospital to discharge her. She and Ben were at the nurse's station going over Miranda's discharge paperwork, while she was in her room getting washed and dressed, with help from a nurse.

"Okay Ben let me tell you what to expect at home. Someone will have to be home with her for the first two weeks of her recovery. Miranda is going to feel tired and not have a lot of energy. Make sure she gets plenty of rest but be prepared she may have trouble sleeping at night."

"Even though the procedure was minimally invasive she's still going to experience pain around her incision area. She will have swelling in the leg where the vein graft was taken from. The incision areas in the chest and leg may be itchy, numb or even tingly. No ointments just keep the areas clean. No baths but she can take a shower until her incisions heal. No perfumed soaps, something mild like Dial. Make sure she does her breathing exercises. She may have shortness of breath so I will get you a small tank of oxygen just in case her levels need to rise."

Ben listened intently to what Maggie was telling him it was a lot even for a doctor like him. She continued.

"She may experience depression, so watch out for it and get her to talk to you if you feel she is. She may even be fuzzy headed and have short term memory issues. Her appetite may be poor just make sure she eats. Check her pulse every day for any irregularities.

Ben was getting dizzy with all the instructions, and he couldn't take it anymore

"Um okay Maggie I can read the rest. This is a bit much."

"Ben are you okay to do this on your own. Do you need someone to help you?"

"Oh no I can handle it. I will be okay I just want to get her home and to our own bed."

"Okay here's the rest of the instructions and her meds. You have enough here for a week just get these prescriptions filled."

Ben took the paperwork and pills and thanked Maggie for all she had done. He walked into Miranda's hospital room with a nurse who had a wheelchair. Miranda was sitting on the bed when the door opened.

"Okay baby you're all checked out. Let's go home"

Miranda smiled and Ben helped her in the chair and grabbed her bag and purse. As she was being wheeled out, the chief of surgery came and said his goodbyes.

"Dr. Bailey, I'm glad to see you're feeling better."

Miranda rolled her eyes and said.

"When I am fully recovered, you can be sure I will be contacting you about the subpar medical attention I received when I first came. I hope you've learned from this experience."

Ben smirked at his wife she just couldn't help herself.

"Come on baby let's get out of here."

Ben took over the pushing of the wheelchair and they got into the elevators. They went down to the lobby and Miranda waited with the nurse while Ben went to get the car. He drove up to the hospital door and got out and walked around to the passenger side. Ben opened the back door helping Miranda out the wheelchair and into the backseat. He did not want her in the front with him just in case there was an accident and the airbag deployed it wouldn't damage her chest.

Ben helped her get buckled up and thanked the nurse for her help. He then walked to the driver side got in and headed home. While driving, Ben looked into the rear-view mirror to see Miranda with her head leaned back on the head rest with her eyes close.