There's Just No Place Like Home!

If you have read my previous posts, you know that we have been very occupied with caring for my dad at the hospital or rehab facility for the last 6 weeks... through his heart surgery and recovery.  When An Emergency Strikes

The facility was beautiful and the pictures in this post are from that facility.

 We have been in other nursing homes or rehabilitation centers and this is the nicest one we have ever seen.... the decor is lovely and the community areas are spacious. The chapel was pretty and the sidewalk next to it (see the curb in the picture?) provided another place for rehab to take place... to help people learn to use a curb again.

The dog is not real, but they have a few scattered around and they lend a nice touch to the overall atmosphere.

 This is a rehab place and they have done a good job of incorporating rehab areas into a beautiful part of the whole scheme. The bookshelf in this picture has foods on the shelves and the grocery cart next to it show it as a place for someone to learn to shop again.

The picture below shows that around the corner is a fruit and vegetable stand area complete with a hanging scale. The oranges and some of the foods are weighted, making them seem even more real.

 Another dog, near the theater room..... and the fancy coffee machine, which isn't shown in the picture. The machine had espresso, hot cocoa, coffee, hot water for tea, and more. My husband and children loved that machine and used it often. :)  There is also a popcorn machine (near the theater, of course) and my kids ate a bag of it most days.

 The bird cages add interest and I talked about the birds in  Birds....and A Busy Life. There are pictures of the birds in that post, if you are interested.

Our first few trips to this place found us gawking at everything and pointing out all of the wonderful features. We had lots of fun discovering so much detail.

 They did a great job of making this seem like a small city... but it is all indoors... and very nicely done.

Dad didn't get to enjoy any of this until the last couple of weeks or so, since he was so weak and spent most of his time in bed. He loved the bed, though. It was electric and could go up and down, raise the head.. or the knees and he found it quite comfortable.

The baby grand piano that my daughter enjoyed playing. :)  My dad and others enjoyed listening to her play also.

A hair cutting salon, right on site... although the prices were rather high. :) 

 This picture shows the stained glass window in the top of the chapel. There are also rooms tucked in around the place that are offices for the people who work at the facility.

All in all, it was beautiful.

This is in another part of the building where my mom received physical therapy... this is over the front door...

It as all so pretty... so beautiful... but after several weeks of being there every day, we were all tired of it..... and just wanted to go ... "home".

 The rehab therapy room.... it is a very busy place all day, but I was able to get a picture of part of it when it was empty.


The picture below shows a  sitting area and hallway.  Like I said, it was lovely and such a blessing, BUT when it was time to go home, my dad couldn't wait to get out of there! Even the last week and a half, he was so glad to come to our house for a meal and just get away from there for a while.


Yesterday, Dad was released... and there was no desire to stay in the beautiful surroundings. He didn't yearn for "just a little longer"... he was ready to go (and he actually tried to get them to release him the day before, but they wouldn't. :)

My husband picked Dad up early in the morning and took him out for a quick breakfast and then brought him home.  We enjoyed a couple of hours with Mom and Dad before they left with my brother and sister in law to head back to their own home, which is about 3 hours away. The evening before and the time that morning were spent trying to get things as organized as possible for Mom and Dad.....  medicine schedules, charts for exercises... and more and we have already been on the phone helping to explain a couple of confusing things, but they are at home... and they are so glad to be there. :)  No matter how nice the rehab center was, it wasn't home and there is no place like home!

I am reminded that here on earth, we see and experience some beautiful things.... trees, mountains, sunsets, children, fun times.... and yes, hard times also..... but someday, we will leave this world and if we know Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior, we will go to our home in heaven. Just like my dad's leaving the beautiful facility, we will leave this earth, and not yearn for it... we will go home .....in God's timing.

After six weeks of taking care of Mom and Dad every day, we are tired.... and are glad to get our home and schedule back... and the kids are glad to get back to their beds, BUT  it also seems very odd not to have Grandma living here... or to have to run to the rehab center several times a day. Now, we have to rest up, do all those chores we have been neglecting... and more.  Hopefully, things will slow down for a while. Thank you for all who have prayed for us... you have been a blessing... and we would appreciate continued prayers. Thank you for visiting. :)

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