She woke Wednesday morning feeling better than she had in months. The nurse came in with her pills. She wrinkled her face when she counted the prednisone. “Can’t I quit taking them?”

“Withdraw is nasty. You were on fourteen a day, seven two times. We cut you yesterday to six and seven. Today it is six and six. We cut it one a day. It will take two weeks but you should be feeling better as you get off of them. I had a friend who was on five a day, she messed up and missed a day. She nearly went nuts.”

“OK. But let’s work to get me off. What else am I taking?”

“We are putting you on oral antibiotics so we can get the IV out today. If you don’t spike a fever in a couple days you can quit them.”

“Good. What else is there?”

“You have your calcium supplement to counteract the prednisone. The doctor wants you to continue that for a while till your body is back to normal.”

“Good. I’ve had too many drugs.”

“You needed them. Now you can start getting off them. But do it like the doctor says. If you try too fast it will be hard. Take it from your nurse, you really need the calcium for a few months.”

“I will. Thanks.”

She had her breakfast finished before the doctor came in. He checked her stump. “I would like you to stay one more day. You had a low grade fever last night. It’s down now but I want them to watch you today. If it stays down you can go home tomorrow. I will have them take out the IV when that bag finishes.”

“I want to get better. If it takes one more day here, so be it.”

“I have some other news for you. You will be going down to therapy today. If they got in the parts for your arm you will get it today. It will be the hook, the cosmetic will be a couple weeks. Follow all the instructions. Take it easy. The implant in your arm feels good but we want it to have some more time to heal before you try to lift with it. Nothing heavier than what they teach you to handle. Practice with that for a couple days.”

“I promise to really try hard to listen.”

She got out and walked several times after he left. On a trip just after noon the nurse told her someone from transport would be up for her soon. They would be taking her to therapy.