There’s an end in sight, and today’s the beginning of it. This morning I transport my hospitalized friend to a couple of strategic appointments, and one tomorrow, although tomorrow could be interesting.

Depending on when the next surgery is scheduled, he’ll probably be discharged tomorrow. That means he’ll be coming here, because where else would he go?

I’m generally in favor of this, although it’s stressful a little to think of the possible complications. On the other hand, he’s very mobile, moving around the facility yesterday fairly easily with just a cane. He’s been tested by physical therapy on stairs and passed those particular tests, and specifically the indoor stairs (he can enter the basement through the garage and avoid the main stairs into the house). With his independence and my help, he may do OK.

Or he may be a patient that needs fairly constant attention. This is so unlikely that I’m not even considering it. At that time, other things would move into motion, most beyond my control.

But I’m positive. After nearly a month (he left on Feb. 23, when there was still a bunch of snow on the ground; yesterday it was nearly 80 degrees F. here), I suspect it will do him a lot of good to get back to familiar surroundings, where he can sleep undisturbed by the sounds of the hallway and eat what he wants to eat.

I spoke with another family member yesterday for a long time, an interesting conversation with someone who seemed to want to talk about his family and relationships. I was all ears. I heard nothing new about my friend, although we shared some laughs about him and his ways.

And there was some concern on this person’s part that it was time for my friend to return to the family homestead back east, although that’s not a decision in my hands and definitely way too early to consider, unless my friend wants to consider it, and he won’t.

This is where we are, then. After a month of this, of near-daily trips to downtown Seattle and then this facility 5 miles away (sometimes several times a day), this will relieve some pressure and create a whole new pressure, cool.

I’m relieved, in many ways. Today I take him to some appointments and with luck I’ll be able to glean some answers from these brief visits.

And tomorrow, with the right answers and questions, he’ll come home, at least for a few hours before we head off to another appointment downtown in the afternoon.

That’s part of the new pressure. He will have appointments, 25 miles away. I am his only way to get there outside of professional services (or the bus, should he be so mobile, which is questionable). Some days I don’t have a car here. Some days I’ve actually rented a car to make this more manageable. I’m trying to keep out of pocket to a minimum, but it’s adding up.

Again, we’ll see how this goes. Kind of a mixed-feelings situation. Better than not feeling, I think.