Michigan's Juwan Howard overcame his biggest challenge in return. Now, another begins.

Even now, more than three months removed from open heart surgery, it takes Michigan basketball coach Juwan Howard a bit longer to fall asleep than it did before his procedure.

When he shuts his eyes and lays down next to his wife Jenine − whom he frequently referred to as his second doctor when he spoke with the media for the first time in nine months Saturday afternoon − he can still hear a faint beep in the recess of his memory.

For 15 days, that beep wasn't a figment of his imagination, but very much a reality, adjacent to his bed at the University of Michigan hospital. In his darkest hours, he wondered if an afternoon like Saturday, when five players scored in double figures to help Michigan top Eastern Michigan, 83-66, would ever happen.

"To be there, yelling, shouting, calling timeouts, drawing up plays," Howard began. "I remember the times when I was sitting in my hospital room just thinking like would I ever have that opportunity again?... But I had so many people supporting me, I never second guess that, but that's what got me through the process, it really did."

It was the first time Howard spoke with the media since his team was eliminated by Vanderbilt in the second round of last year's NIT.

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Since that time, the Wolverines (6-5, 1-1 Big Ten) have added three transfer players and one freshman, had one transfer and another freshman commit then go elsewhere because of admissions issues, and had a stretch of five losses in six games.

But Saturday wasn't a day to dissect the ins and outs of the program.

Not for Howard at least, who used it as a day of reflection and to express his gratitude.

Among those whom Howard thanked: God, the University of Michigan medical staff, his wife, his players, the coaching staff − Phil Martelli, Saddi Washington, Howard Eisley, Jay Smith, Jaaron Simmons − the managers, the support staff, friends, family and the University of Michigan community at large.

"It's a blessing, he said. "Truly a blessing,"

'I'm not feeling normal'

Howard broke his nose as a player three times, but never really thought much of it, instead opting to wear a mask and play when he could.

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It's a common mentality as an athlete, he explained, to try and show how tough one is and gut through an injury. He admitted he's done it in the past before, but is indescribably glad that's not what he chose to do this time.

"We've been taught to really suck it up if there's pain you feel, or if you're out of breath and you take a deep breath, just keep pushing yourself," Howard said. "There was a time when I was out of breath and I'm like 'Okay, I know how I'm supposed to feel, and I'm not feeling normal.

"I asked to set up a doctor's appointment and with that, finding something that really scared me. There's another word I could use right now, but I don't want to be bleeped."

Sure enough, after a check-up, it became clear Howard was going to need to go under the knife, and was assigned his surgeon, Dr. Himanshu Patel.

Saturday, Patel, along with members of his family, celebrated with Howard and the team in the locker room postgame.

In a video from the locker room posted on social media, Howard recalled how he asked Patel to delay the surgery, originally scheduled for Sept. 8, to Sept. 15 because he had an important recruit scheduled to visit campus that weekend. In fact, Howard had half a mind to ask Patel to postpone it all the way to April, once the season was over, or in Howard's words, "after we win the national championship."

That wasn't going to happen.

"He said 'my man' − he didn't say my man, but he said 'I don't think you'll be here in April'," Howard recalled. "So, we all have our angels, we all have people who say they impacted our lives in some kind of way...doc, with your beautiful family, this is your day, so we give you the game ball."

Come up with a plan

As soon as it became clear Howard, 50, was going to miss a significant portion of the season, he had one question that immediately popped into his mind. When can I come back?

Patel initially estimated December, when Howard laughed to himself.

"He must not know who I am," Howard remembers thinking.

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Turns out, Patel was right, and the team of doctors introduced Howard to the idea of a phased return.

As they explained, (which almost goes without saying) Howard has a high-stress job. That meant it would not be wise to simply jump back in, even if a rehabilitation timeline has been met, so they put in benchmarks along the way.

It began with watching practice from the player development center suite level for two-and-a-half days, then sitting courtside for the first time. Howard admitted he felt "fatigued" after his first practice back, but after a few weeks when he got his wind under him.

That's when it was time to take the next step, helping run the drills.

"Being back in the gym felt like a reward," he said. "I really embraced that."

Just before the team left for the Battle 4 Atlantis, Howard took over running practice full-time and returned to the bench. Though he technically was not an active coach at the time, that didn't stop him from getting the coaches juice flowing with a pair of technical fouls during halftime of the final game against Texas Tech.

"Welcome back to basketball, baby," Howard joked. "That was like part of my stage of returning. That was part of it, stuck to the plan."

'Continue this journey'

There were only two steps left from there.

Return as an assistant, which he did for three games against Oregon, Indiana and then Iowa, and finally, as head man, which he did on Saturday.

That said, his return to the top post was in question as recently as two days ago, and not only because of his health. Late last week, Howard and head strength and conditioning coach Jon Sanderson got into a reported altercation in the training room.

Sanderson, one of the lone longtime holdovers from the John Beilein era, filed an HR complaint against Howard to the university and has not been with the team since, which includes last weekend's game at Iowa, this past week of practice and Saturday vs. EMU.

When asked about Sanderson's status with the program, Howard said, "I'm not sure" but instead directed people to the statement released by athletic director Warde Manuel on Friday night. The statement, in part, said Howard was cleared to return after an internal review determined, "nothing was found to warrant disciplinary action for anyone involved."

"I will refer to (Manuel's) statement," Howard said. "It was clear, it was precise and there's still a review happening at this moment."

Beyond that seemingly fractured relationship, Michigan basketball is back close to 100%. Only Jace Howard − who told the Free Press Saturday that his injury was originally misdiagnosed as a stress fracture − is unavailable, and even he said the hope is to be back around the New Year.

The Wolverines stayed afloat at .500 without their head man, but players like Olivier Nkamhoua said Saturday was a perfect example of how they missed their coach. In the locker room pregame, the team was blasting Many Men by 50 Cent, when Nkmahoua looked up and saw Howard bobbing his head.

"It was really dope to see him start us off," Nkamhoua said. "It brings everybody's energy up."

Howard wasn't sure if his coaching career was over six months ago. Six days ago, his tenure at U-M also seemed in question. Now, he's back in both regards, right where he says he belongs.

"Something that I love doing, being head coach of the University of Michigan men's basketball program," Howard said. "I just love maize and blue... I look forward to continuing the journey."

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: 'Truly a blessing': Michigan's Juwan Howard relishes return to bench