After what felt like a very long slow three months, I am finally able to go home.
It took a lot of paper work and some house preparation from Dad and Tony, I was told by Tony his girls did a very good job, soon I will see for myself. A real family affair as Tony and his crew have been living with Dad since moving back home, I am looking forward to it, feels like it will help with the rest of the healing journey.
For a few days Tony has talked about adding chair lifts on the stairs, it has a space to fold the wheelchair and when not used fold out of the way for stair use, he is proud of how he helped Dad get this done, how it's his part in getting me home, it's deeply appreciated.
"Your nieces did a test drive of how smooth a ride it will be, it's slow but safe, prepared your room with a lift, this way you can get yourself out of bed and into the chair. My girls are helping for uncle to come home, they have many hugs to give."
"I love the sound of that Tony, wish I could skip the wheelchair and just walk again." I am impatient, I know I need to be patient and grateful after all I am alive, but right now not feeling like it's living, really hope that being home helps.
"All right boys, all signed out, time to go." Dad's smiling " going to need something for this writers cramp from all this paperwork but it's time to go home son." I love that sound of that Home, I am going home.
Tony has gathered up everything that I have received while here, cards and gifts from teammates, most of the fan mail awaits at home. Dad starts wheeling me out of the room, nurses and doctors wave as he takes me to the elevator.
At the car in the parking garage Tony places the box on the roof, Dad got me into the backseat, my full strength and range of motion has not returned yet and I think for habit Dad buckled me in, not really complaining, it's been kinda nice being like a little kid again, some what but sh it's a little secret.
Tony takes the wheelchair folds it up and loads it and the box in the trunk and takes shotgun, excited to be going home yet feeling tired had lots of reassurance from the hospital staff this will be normal for awhile.
On the drive home my thoughts go to all the work to be done, at home physiotherapy a hour a day with staff coming to do home care, mainly to make sure I alternate days for arms and legs and don't attempt to over do it. My left leg being a big issue since it was out of a cast last and didn't get much physio in hospital.
It's September now and the weather just started to cool off, the leaves haven't changed yet but the sense of fall is in the air, the silence of the ride is broken by Tony, " Need to sign the girls up for school in a few days, think they'll like our old school" he laughed a little.
"What do you mean Tony, aren't you flying home soon?" my thoughts now on what Tony said. "Bro, I told you we moved back", that is true but I guess it didn't sink in to be true, " I guess a part of me thought that you would go back when I was released, I was looking forward to living with my bro but, not sure why I, guess my head is still fuzzy"
"We have been talking it over, before we left and since we have been here, we had some changes at both of our jobs, it's a transition period, we already had all our things shipped to you and your dad's place and our place just sold a few days ago, our severance pay or packages as they called it will be next week."
Wait what? "Did you both get fired for coming to help dad and I?" Silence.
"Tony, did you get fired because of coming back for me?" I really hope not, I look back out the window, wow how things change, when you drive you don't notice the scenery, not like a passenger. Now I notice how much I have missed, the difference in being passenger, difference of street driving and race driving.
"No dude, it was sold to a bigger company, truth is it is being liquidated, most of us have been let go with a pretty nice compensation package."
"Sorry to hear that" not sure why they didn't tell me sooner.
"Jonathan"
"yes dad"
"I have a feeling you may be thinking, why didn't he say something before, that is because I asked him to wait, so you could focus on healing and not add more worries then needed" spooky that dad knew what I was thinking, maybe it would be cool if some powers had happened from the coma but I guess being alive is a super power enough, I did mange to see footage of the crash when I got the tv in my room, with out all the safety measures are sport has I would have been dead on impact, but time to refocus on the conversation at hand.
"I guess that makes sense, you staying at the house for now?" I don't get myself, I know this, he did say so, and been helping Dad, maybe I do have brain damage.
"Your dad made sure that when we came to visit, he was there to get us from the airport even had something for the girls ready and waiting at home so they didn't stress much, he is a really cool grandpa", I guess I robbed him of that, not falling in love and having kids, guess I could learn to be a better son.
My best friend really is like my brother I never got to have, we hadn't really seen each other as much as we liked, now this family will be under one roof. Being Uncle on a more full time bases we be good practice, then when time comes I hope to be a good Dad like mine and like Tony.
We pull up into the driveway, those girls are so precious I see the balloons and banners, some signs on the lawn, thought they would just stand in the driveway and wave, I feel like my eyes may be leaking a bit.
"Wow, how sweet, but where are the girls?" I was looking towards the door, they made a nice ramp, my Dad and Tony, but no girls standing there.
" Maybe they thought they'd have a bit longer to play in the back yard, will join them" my Dad smiles.
"I have a feeling you all planned something"
"Told you he would figure it out" Tony seems to be enjoying this told you so moment with dad.
I unbuckle, open the door, my chair all set up, I move my right leg out use the handle over the door to help me lift and shift, I think Tony got a bit to eager as he just scoops me out and plops me down, is that burgers I smell, he must be as hungry as I am.
"OK, good to go" Tony says loudly, " are you letting them know we are here?" I ask with a bit of a grin, then followed with "Do I smell burgers?"
Dad looks at his watch, "yeah that does smell like some one barbecuing lunch, it's a good idea maybe we should wheel you into the backyard and do one ourselves"
"Dad, Tony, this seems cheesy let's just see this surprise you have in the backyard" I have been craving burgers, so I would like to hurry and eat one or two, maybe three, I feel hungry.
"OK, here we go, wheeling nice and easy now"
"Tony are the girls supposed to run over here? you keep going loud" I just hear him laugh a bit, he starts to slowly like a snail wheel me from driveway to the back yard. "Really bro, slow? All our racing and you pushing slow?"