"Can I go home today?"

Dad was doing all right today. He was more alert, and writing notes for mom and I. He asked us what the date was, where he was, and when I was leaving (in the span of like 30 minutes, not one after the other). When Uncle Murray and Aunt Deb got to the hospital, Uncle Mur and I were up visiting, and he wanted to write for us. His note started out with "When will I be able to..." and petered out. So he rested for a minute, and then finished it with "can I go home today?"It was so hard to tell him that he has to stay longer. His nurse Sarah came over and explained that she's happy with his progress, and told him that he may get the ventilator out sometime tomorrow. Still didn't make dad feel any better; he seemed kinda defeated after we told him he had to stay. Just breaks my heart. Boo :(