40. Chapter 40

Carina looked up at the door as Meredith, Maggie, Amelia, and Link walked in.

“What is going on?” Maya asked, looking around the room before looking at her wife, “Carina, what’s going on?”

“Just listen to them, ok?” Carina said, grabbing Maya’s hand.

“Is this why I needed all those tests today?” Maya asked, “Is something wrong with me?”

“Shhhh,” Carina said, squeezing Maya’s hand as she caught Meredith’s eye, nodding at her. “Alright,” the general surgeon said, “Dr. Lincoln, why don’t you start?”

“Alright,” he said, nodding, “So I reviewed the x-ray of your arm and it is healing well. It’s healing a bit slower than I initially anticipated, probably because of all the infections you had, but it is healing. I am going to say you need another 6 weeks in the brace and then we will do some follow up x-rays to make sure it is all healed. Your ribs are also healing nicely as well. I want you to continue to rest them for the next 6 weeks as well, but as long as they aren’t hurting, you can do as much as you can. That’s all I have.”

“Ok,” Meredith nodded, “Dr. Shepard, you next?”

“Your head CT is perfectly clear and typical,” Amelia said, “I did drill into your skull so you need to be careful with it for a little while, but I have done plenty of neuro exams on you and you are back to normal…or back to your pre-accident self at least. If you have any pain or headaches that don’t go away or are really bad, let me know. That’s all I have.”

“Dr. Pierce,” Meredith said, looking at her sister.

“Your lung is healing beautifully,” Maggie said, “As it has been since after surgery. I have no worries there. Your aorta is still looking good. No ballooning, no evidence of strain. I want to keep you on your blood pressure meds and do another scan in about three months just to check, but I am very pleased with it now. That’s it for me.”

“I guess it’s my turn now,” Meredith said, looking at Maya and Carina, “Your kidney is continuing to improve. I am going to want to draw labs weekly for the next month, but as long as things keep going like they have, you are golden there. Your abdominal area is still healing and I want you on rest for that for the next 6 weeks. No lifting heavy objects stuff like that. You have been responding very well to your new meds for your gastroparesis, and while I’m not comfortable taking out the NJ tube just yet, I think that will happen soon if things keep going how they are going. And your wife is a doctor so I am fine sending you home with it because she will know how to help you with it…”

“Wait, what did you say?” Maya said, having been listening intently, hearing a word she hadn’t heard from any of her doctors, “Did you say home?”

“I did,” Meredith nodded, smiling as she watched Maya’s face, “We are all here to clear you because, Captain Bishop-Deluca, are officially released to go home.”

“What?” Maya said, tears immediately streaming down her face, “I…I can go home?”

“You can,” Meredith nodded, “Congratulations Maya. You are finally discharged.”

“Did you know about this?” Maya asked, noticing Carina didn’t seems nearly as surprised as she did.

“I may have mentioned something to her while you were in CT earlier,” Meredith said, “Just so she could make all the necessary arrangements.”

“I didn’t want to tell you just in case something came up,” Carina said, “I didn’t want you to be upset if it didn’t happen today.”

“But it is happening?” Maya said, “I am really allowed to go home?”

“Maybe I do need to do another neuro check,” Amelia teased, “You seem to be struggling with your comprehension.” Maya shook her head, wiping at her tears that wouldn’t quit.

“We will give you guys a little bit to get everything together and ready to go,” Meredith said.

“And Teddy and I are gonna come and help you guys get everything down to the car when you are ready,” Amelia said, “Just shoot me a text and let me know, ok?”

“Grazie,” Carina nodded as all of her wife’s doctors shuffled out of the room, “Bambina, are you ok?”

“Yes,” Maya nodded, still in tears, “Yeah, I am more than ok. I am so happy. I can’t believe we finally get to go home.”

“I know,” Carina said, feeling her own tears welling up, “I can’t either. You have worked so so hard for this, and I am so happy for you.”

“I’m happy for us,” Maya said as she leaned over carefully, giving Carina a kiss.

“Alright,” Carina said, pulling away, “I need to get our bags packed. We have accumulated a lot of stuff.”

“And we had more, but Vic and Travis took dirty laundry yesterday when you were in therapy,” Maya said, carefully moving herself so she could help her wife.

“Bambina, do not even think about getting up and helping with this,” Carina said, looking at her, “You are going to have to do a lot of moving today to get into our apartment so for now, just rest.”

Maya was going to argue, but she knew Carina was right.

“I don’t have any shoes here,” the blonde said, looking down at her feet, “How is that going to work?”

“Well, they will push you in a wheelchair to the car,” Carina said, “And then when we get home, I can run upstairs and get you some shoes if you want. Or you could just walk in your socks. It’s not gonna be that far.”

“Ok,” Maya said, watching as Carina tucked their blankets and her teddy bear into a bag, “That sounds good. I can’t believe we are going home.”

“Well, believe it,” Carina said, smiling at her, “I can’t believe it’s been over two weeks since either of us have been there.”

“The food in the fridge is going to be gross,” Maya said.

“Oh, I am not looking forward to dealing with that,” Carina said, shaking her head, “But I am just happy we will be at home.”

“Me too,” Maya nodded, “I can’t wait to sleep in our bed, and not have to worry about nurses or doctors or anyone else just randomly walking in.”

“I am going to text Teddy and Amelia,” Carina said, looking at the bags, “I think I’ve got everything together.”

“Ok,” Maya said, looking at her arm, “Oh, I still need my IV out.”

Just then, there was a knock at the door and the nurse walked in with a bag.

“I hear someone has been discharged!” the nurse said, smiling at Maya and Carina, “Congratulations.”

“Thanks,” Maya said, “As nice as you all have been, I am very ready to go home.”

“I’m sure,” the nurse nodded, “I am just here to give you the feeding tube supplies Dr. Grey wanted you to have to take home. I know you are working on eating by mouth, but you are still going to need to use the tube until everything gets regulated and you are taking in enough calories orally.”

“Yeah, the dietitian explained that earlier,” Maya nodded as the nurse handed the bag to Carina.

“Good,” the nurse nodded, “Dr. Bishop-Deluca, I’m sure you know how to use all of that, but if there are any questions, you are always welcome to call.”

“Grazie,” Carina nodded, adding the bag of feeding tube supplies to their pile of things.

“Ok,” the nurse said, “Now, we also need to get that IV out, and then you are free to go whenever you are ready. I have a wheelchair all ready for you right outside.”

“Dr. Shepard and Dr. Altman are coming to help us get everything to the car,” Carina said, “As soon as they get here, we will be ready to go.”

“Alright,” the nurse nodded, looking at Maya’s IV as she put on her gloves, “Well, let me just get this off.”

Maya winced as the nurse pulled off the tegaderm that was over her IV site.

“Sorry,” the nurse said, “I know it pulls. I’m almost done.”

“This is one of the least painful things that has happened since I got here,” Maya shrugged as the nurse pulled out the cannula, putting a piece of gauze over the site.

“Alright,” the nurse said, taping on the gauze, “You are officially free from your lines and ready to go home.”

As the nurse left the room, the door didn’t even have time to finish closing before Ty walked in.

“Hey,” he said, walking in with a packet of papers, “I hear someone is getting discharged?”

“Yeah,” Maya nodded, “I get to go home.”

“Congratulations,” Ty said, smiling at her, “I just stopped by to drop off some paperwork with the exercises we have been working on in PT and then to let you know that as far as outpatient PT, you are welcome to continue working here, though you would get new therapists because everyone you have worked with here only does in patient PT, or you can pick your own PT office and we have a list here of some we recommend.”

“SFD actually has a few physical therapists on staff who work with firefighters who need any kind of PT after injuries,” Maya said, taking the packet, “Can I go there?”

“Of course,” Ty nodded, “Yeah, they will probably be the best for you considering they will know exactly how to get you healthy again so you can go back to work. Just give them our office’s contact info and we will get all your records transferred over to them so they can treat you.”

“Ok,” Maya nodded, “Thanks.”

“Well, it has been an honor working with the one and only Maya Bishop,” Ty said, “And I hope your recovery continues to go well.”

“Thank you for everything,” Maya said, smiling at him.

“Of course,” Ty said, “And if anything comes up before you are able to get in to your new PT, feel free to call us.”

“Ok,” Maya nodded, “Thank you.”

“And Dr. Bishop-Deluca, do you still feel comfortable helping your wife with everything?”

“I do,” Carina nodded, “Thank you.”

“Alright,” Ty said, “Well, hopefully, I will not be seeing you back any time soon. Good luck with the rest of your recovery.”

Ty left, Maya looking over at her wife, both of them smiling a little bit. Before either of them could say anything, Teddy and Amelia both walked in.

“I hear we are discharging a very important patient today,” Teddy said, looking at Maya and Carina, “Congratulations.”

“Thanks,” Maya said as the nurse brought in the wheelchair, “I am so ready to be home.”

“I’m sure,” Amelia nodded, going over to Carina, “Ok woman. Give me your car keys and I will go pull the car up.”

“Grazie,” Carina said, handing over her keys, “I have no idea if there is even gas in the car.”

“I’m sure it will be fine,” Amelia said, grabbing a few things to take down with her, “Give me like ten minutes and then come down and meet me out front?”

“Ok,” Carina nodded, “Thank you.” “Carina, how can I help you?” Teddy asked, “Do you need help packing anything else?”

“No,” Carina said, looking at their bags, “I think I got everything.”

“Did you get everything out of the bathroom?” Maya asked, looking around the room.

“Oh, no, I forgot,” Carina said, “I’ll go grab it.”

“What about these lights around the bed?” Teddy asked.

“I completely forgot about those,” Maya said, “Those are ours.”

“I’ll get them down,” Teddy offered, moving to get the lights.

Within the next ten minutes, Maya was in the wheelchair and ready to go.

“Alright Bambina,” Carina said, putting a backpack of their stuff on before getting ready to push her wife as Teddy grabbed their last two bags, “Ready?”

“So ready,” Maya nodded as Carina pushed her towards the door, “I can’t believe this is really happening.”

“Well, believe it,” Carina said as they left the room they had basically been living in for the last 14 days, “We are free.”

As Carina pushed her past the nurse’s station, the nurses all clapped and cheered for her, Maya waving shyly at them as they made their way to the elevator.

“This is going to be the first time I have been outside in weeks,” Maya said as they went down in the elevator.

“I’m sure that has been hard, especially for you,” Teddy said, knowing how much the blonde loved the outdoors.

“I didn’t even think much about it until right now,” Maya said, “I guess there’s just been a lot of other stuff going on.”

“Understandable,” Teddy said, smiling a little, “Well, I bet this is still going to feel really good.”

“Here we go,” Carina said as the elevator doors opened and she pushed Maya toward the front door, “Are you ready?”

“More than ready,” the blonde nodded as the doors opened and for the first time in two weeks, Maya was outside of Grey Sloan.

She felt tears pricking her eyes as she felt the coolish Seattle air on her cheeks.

“Alright Bishop-Delucas, your chariot await…” Amelia said, stopping, when she saw both Maya and Carina in tears, “Are you guys ok?”

“Woah,” Teddy said, looking over at her friends, “What’s going on?”

“I don’t know,” Carina said, wiping at her tears, “I just…I feel a little…”

“Overwhelmed?” Maya said, reaching her good hand back, getting Carina to take it, Amelia quickly grabbing Maya’s wheelchair so it didn’t roll as Carina walked around the chair to see her wife.

“Come here,” Maya said, reaching for her wife as the Italian bent down, careful not to hurt her wife as she hugged her.

Both of them just hugged each other and cried for a minute before Carina stood up, both of them wiping their eyes.

“Good?” Maya asked, looking at her wife.

“Si,” Carina nodded, “Are you?”

“Yeah,” Maya nodded, “All good.”

“Alright,” Carina said, “Let’s go home.”

Carina helped her wife into the care carefully as her friends stood by, making sure they were all good.

“Are you comfortable?” Carina asked, “The seatbelt isn’t hurting your stomach?”

“I’m good,” Maya said, “Promise.”

“Ok,” Carina said, stepping back.

“Bye Maya,” Teddy said, walking over to the car, “Congratulations on going home. I’m so glad you are getting better.”

“Bye Teddy,” Maya said, “Thank you so much for everything you did while I was here, for taking care of Carina when I couldn’t.”

“Of course,” Teddy smiled, “I’ll come by and see you guys soon.”

Maya nodded as Teddy stepped back and Amelia stepped up.

“Bye Maya,” Amelia said, “As much as I will miss being able to come up to your room and bug the crap out of you, I am very happy you get to go home. I’ll just have to stop by so you don’t forget about me.”

“Thanks Amelia,” Maya said, laughing a little, “Thanks for everything you have done. I don’t know how we would have gotten through this without you.”

“You’re family,” Amelia said seriously, “Now, Carina, take this beautiful wife of yours home. You have been here long enough and I know she always complains when you spend too much time at the hospital.”

Carina rolled her eyes as she gave her best friends a quick hug before getting into the car.

“Let’s go home,” Carina said, looking at Maya.

The blonde nodded as Carina reached across the center consul, grabbing her wife’s hand. They started driving, Maya feeling very weird all of a sudden.

“Car,” she said, feeling like her chest was heavy, a cold sweat breaking out on her forehead.

“What?” Carina said, looking over, seeing how bad Maya was looking, “What’s wrong?”

“I…I can’t…I…panic attack,” Maya said, struggling to get the words out as her breathing got faster and shallower.

“Ok,” Carina said, looking for a place to pull over, “It’s ok. Hey, breathe with me Bambina. In for four ready? One, two, three, four. Hold for four…”

By this point, Carina had managed to pull over, moving so it was easier for Maya to see her as she coached her through the panic attack. It took a few minutes, but Maya eventually calmed down.

“Sorry,” the blonde said, taking a tissue from her wife, “I…I think something about being in a moving vehicle…I don’t know.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t think about that,” Carina said, mentally kicking herself.

Her wife had been in a car accident of sorts. Of course, being back in a car wasn’t easy.

“It’s ok,” Maya said, “I think…I think it was all just a lot.”

“Are you ok to go?” Carina asked, hoping the answer was yes because they had to drive home.

“Yeah,” Maya nodded, “Can you just…Just hold my hand and talk to me?”

“Of course,” Carina nodded, glad they lived less than ten minutes from the hospital because she could tell Maya was still extremely anxious and they were going to be doing this drive a lot in the next few weeks for Maya’s various appointments between PT and follow up appointments with various doctors.

“What are you looking forward to most about being home?” Carina asked as she pulled the car back onto the road.

“Sleeping in our bed,” Maya said, “And not having people just walk into our room all the time. And maybe trying some of your homemade pasta. I haven’t really missed eating very much, but that is one thing I have missed. What about you?”

“I think just knowing that your doctors think you are healthy enough to be home is the thing I am most excited for,” Carina said honestly, “I mean, I am ready to sleep in our bed and have all the comforts of home again but knowing that you are medically ready for this makes me very excited. I am going to probably have to do a lot of cleaning when we get home though. I’m sure it is very dusty. And the bedsheets needed to be changed before your accident so that will probably also need to happen. Oh, and we will need to order groceries. Let’s see, we will need milk, and probably eggs.”

“And applesauce,” Maya joined in, the idea of making a list helping to keep her brain from panicking, “And cottage cheese and bananas.”

“Potatoes,” Carina said, “And maybe some zucchini and carrots? I think those were on your list and I know how much you love vegetables.”

“Yeah,” Maya nodded, “And maybe some crackers and bread. And you need food too.”

“Si,” Carina nodded, “I probably need to get things to make pasta sauce and maybe pasta. I can’t remember if we needed flour or not. And I need to get chicken too probably and maybe some other vegetables. We also probably should get some white rice since I think we only have brown rice and you are only supposed to have white rice.”

“This is going to take a lot of adjusting,” Maya sighed as they pulled into their apartment complex, “I’m not going to be able to eat most of what I am used to eating. Nor more green smoothies or salads or anything like that.”

“We will figure it out,” Carina said, knowing Maya struggled with food always because of Lane’s strict control on her diet as a child, “It is going to take some time, and you might have to deal with some upset stomachs, but I promise we will figure out what works for your stomach and how to make you feel comfortable with all of it.”

“I know,” Maya said as Carina parked the handicap spot in the parking lot, “I don’t have the tags to park here.”

“I know,” Carina said, “We will have to sort that out at some point, but you cannot walk from our normal spot. It’s too far. I will help you upstairs and then come back and move my car. Did you want me to go get you shoes?”

“No,” Maya said as Carina got out of the car, “I think I can do it in socks.”

The Italian grabbed one of their bags out of the car before going over to Maya’s side of the car, opening the door for her wife, handing her her cane.

“Ready?” Carina asked as she helped Maya out of the car.

“I think so,” Maya nodded as she and Carina slowly walked into their apartment building.

Maya had never used the elevator in the building, but now, she was extremely grateful for it.

“How are you feeling Bambina?” Carina asked as Maya leaned against the side of the elevator.

“Um, a little bit tired,” Maya admitted, “But good so far.”

“Good,” Carina smiled, leaning over and giving her a kiss.

As the elevator doors opened, they made their way out, slowly walking to their apartment.

“Ok,” Carina said as they got to the door, “Here we go.”

Carina slipped the key into the lock, opening the door, letting Maya in.

“We’re finally home,” Maya said, carefully stepping over the threshold.

“We are,” Carina nodded as she quickly put the bag she was holding down before going to her wife, carefully wrapping her arms around her, giving her a kiss.

“It smells really…good in here,” Maya said, a little bit confused.

Carina noticed it too, going over to the kitchen, eyes wide when she saw a plate of cookies sitting on the counter and a crock pot plugged next to them, clearly on. She walked over to it quickly, seeing a note on the counter.

“We didn’t want you to have to worry about dinner on your first night home,” the note said, “In the crock pot is Michael’s famous chicken noodle soup (according to Amelia, Maya should be able to eat it?). Amelia texted us and told us you were coming home today. There is also a loaf of bread rising in the pan on the island. Pop it in the oven at 350 about half an hour before you want to eat it. There is also other food in the fridge that Maya can eat if she can’t eat the soup. Welcome Home Bishop-Delucas! Love Vic, Travis, and Emmett. P.S. We didn’t just leave the crock pot on with no one here for hours. Amelia texted us when you left the hospital and that’s when we left so it was only a few minutes. We aren’t stupid Captain.”

“What is all this?” Maya asked, walking up next to her wife.

“Travis, Vic, and Emmett left us food,” Carina said, “Soup and bread that just needs to be baked and apparently a fridge full of food.”

“Really?” Maya said, “Wait, they left the crock pot…”

“They left here when we left the hospital,” Carina said, “So they only left it for a few minutes. They included that in the note.”

“Wow,” Maya said, yawning a little bit, “That was so nice of them.”

“Si,” Carina nodded, “It was. Now, I am going to go change the bedsheets and then you need a nap.”

“I would argue, but I am pretty tired,” Maya said, rubbing her eyes.

Carina headed into the bedroom, finding a vase of flowers and another note. “We changed the bedsheets and washed everything. You two just get some rest…or whatever it is you want to do in you bed….”

Carina chuckled a little bit before going to find her wife.

“They also cleaned our room,” Carina said, “So if you are ready, you can go lay down. I need to finish emptying the car and…”

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Carina walked over to the door, opening it and seeing Teddy standing outside.

“What?” Carina said as the cardio surgeon walked in, carrying some of the bags from the car.

“Well, I figured you probably needed a little help getting everything up here,” Teddy said, shrugging, “So I decided to swing by and give you a hand.”

“Thank you,” Carina said, “You didn’t need to do that.”

“But I wanted to,” Teddy said, “I’m gonna go grab the rest of it.”

“I’ll come with you,” Carina said, “I need to move the car.”

“I can do that,” Teddy said, “Just give me your keys. You two go relax.”

“Grazie,” Carina said, still feeling a bit overwhelmed by everything everyone had done for them.

“Thank you Teddy,” Maya said. Carina walked back over to her wife, noticing Maya looked even more exhausted than she did just a few minutes ago.

“Ok Bambina, you need to be in bed,” Carina said, brushing a piece of hair off her face, “You look very sleepy.”

“I probably should eat something,” Maya said, yawning again, bigger this time.

“I think it will be ok if you wait,” Carina said, “If you eat, then you are going to have to wait to nap and you look like you need some sleep.”

The blonde nodded, slowly making her way to the bedroom.

“Can you help me put on some pajamas?” the blonde asked.

“Of course,” Carina nodded, going over to the dresser, pulling out some pajamas she knew her wife loved.

Just as Maya finished getting into her clean pajamas, they both heard the door open.

“Go see Teddy,” Maya said, seeing the torn look on her wife’s face, “I’m going to get into bed.”

“Ok,” Carina nodded, “I won’t be long.”

Carina went back into the living room, finding Teddy putting down the last of the bags.

“Grazie mille,” Carina said, smiling at her friend.

“Of course,” Teddy said, “Is there anything else you need? Do you need groceries or anything?”

“Travis and Vic got us some things,” Carina said, “And Maya and I need to figure out what she needs to be eating and what we need for that, but I think we have enough for now. But thank you.”

“Of course,” Teddy said, giving her friend a hug, “Amelia mentioned she had texted them and told them you were coming home. Now, go enjoy being home. And text any of us if you need anything, ok?”

“I will,” Carina nodded as she walked Teddy to the door.

“Congratulations on being home,” Teddy said, smiling at her friend.

Carina smiled back as Teddy left, locking the door before going back into their bedroom. She stopped in the doorway, feeling tears filling her eyes as she just looked at her wife laying in their bed.

“What?” Maya said sleepily, seeing her wife staring.

“I just…I wasn’t ever sure I was going to get to see you laying in our bed again,” Carina said, wiping at her tears as she went over to the dresser, pulling out her own pajamas, “I’m just…I’m so happy.”

“Come here,” Maya said, reaching her good arm toward her wife.

The Italian climbed into bed, moving toward her wife.

“I love you so much,” Maya said, leaning over and giving her wife a kiss, “And I promise I will always come home to you.”

“I love you too,” Carina said, stealing one more kiss, “Welcome home Bambina.”