Dana’s treatments were hard and it was taking her longer and longer to recover from, she was snappy and sore and permanently exhausted.  The only highlights were seeing her own little ray on sunshine.  Alice was doing well but between therapists, doctors and chemo they had barely had ten minutes together in two and a half weeks and that just made Dana more depressed.

Alice’s recovery was surprising all the doctors. She was mobilising well for someone with a broken leg, had broken her back and who had had some fairly major surgery to remove parts of her windscreen from her skull little over 8 weeks ago.

“So when can I go home Doc?” Alice chirped

“You said you’d consider it when I could walk down the hall.  Well I can do that with a cane and my leg still in plaster.”

Dr Morgan sighed “Alice, I know you are keen to get home but you need to understand the risk if you push yourself too soon.”

“Doctor Morgan please, my headaches are manageable, my dizzy spells minimal, I can walk and talk and my back isn’t too bad either. I just want to go home and sleep in my own bed with my girlfriend who I haven’t really seen in 2 weeks. I swear I won’t overdo it.”

The doctor sighed again

“You really are something you know that Alice?” he smiled

“Is that a yes??”

“If you promise to phone me if you have ANY problems or new pain at ANY time and to take it easy, meaning no accompanying Dana to treatments or shopping trips and you promise to use the chair if you are going out..” he hesitated, enjoying the smile he was receiving from Alice

“Done!”

“Ok well I suppose I could organise your paperwork and have you out of here this afternoon.”

“This afternoon!?”

“Yes.”

“I would jump up from this chair and kiss you right now but I think that might violate your taking it easy rule!”

“Yes it would. Ok you phone one of your friends and have them over here; you’ll be ready to go by 4pm.”

“Wow.”

Alice phone Shane immediately and together they waited for the longest 2 hours in history. It did however give Alice a chance to prepare herself for going home.