January 16th, 2011 by MIchelle

It’s 5:47 AM. The night shift is almost over. David will be be here any minute now and Conor and I will pack up our backpacks, say goodbye to Danny, and walk out of room 5109. We’ll push the green exit button and the doors to the ICU will open. We’ll walk down the hall and into the elevator. Once we’re on the first floor, we will exit the Benefis Hospital and walk two blocks to the Great Falls Inn. The walk will be cold. My hair will be frosty by the time we get there. We’ll talk about Danny or something related to Danny and we’ll reach room 207 a little bit tired, but not quite ready for bed. Our conversation will continue. Our thoughts will occupy our minds until exhaustion finally takes over. Danny will still be in room 5109. He will be on and off sedation. He will go through nuero exams. He will continue to make small steps towards recovery and when Conor and I wake up we will hear all about it from Ellen and David. I will wish that I was there to witness Danny’s progress first hand, but I know that there will be many more opportunities to witness Danny’s strength and resilience in days, months, and years to come. I look forward to being there for those moments. For now, I will continue to enjoy these moments. I will find joy in Danny’s attempt to smile.

-Michelle