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Itzl Alert Network: Tuesday, 1st of July, 2025: The Respite Care Facility [1]

['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.']

Date: 2025-06-30

On Thursday, the 29th of May, I was released from the hospital.

I was given back my clothing and my belongings, including my phone.

I was taken back to my apartment, back to my home.

Then I got a call suggesting that I could go to a respite care facility for the weekend.

The little dog is named Itzl. As you can see by Itzl's concerned look, this group is for us to check in at, to let people know we are alive, doing OK, and not affected by such things as heat, blizzards, floods, wildfires, hurricanes, tornadoes, power outages, or other such things that could keep us off Daily Kos. If you're not here, or anywhere else on Daily Kos, and there are adverse conditions in your area (floods, heatwaves, hurricanes, etc.), we are going to check up on you. If you are going to be away from your computer for a day or a week, let us know here. We care! IAN is a great group to join, and a good place to learn to write diaries. Drop one of us a PM to be added to the Itzl Alert Network anytime! We all share the publishing duties, and we welcome everyone who reads IAN to write diaries for the group! Every member is an editor, so anyone can take a turn when they have something to say, photos and music to share, a cause to promote or news! This is our current schedule of regular IAN diary writers: Monday: Youffraita Tuesday: bigjacbigjacbigjac Wednesday: Pam from Calif Thursday: art ah zen Friday: FloridaSNMOM Saturday: FloridaSNDad Sunday: loggersbrat

I was afraid of going from the hospital back to living at home.

The change seemed too sudden.

Maybe that is true for many folks, and that is why they suggest the respite care, as a halfway house concept.

So, I said yes.

A different minivan with a different driver came to get me.

The driver was a nice young lady named Lori.

She took me to the Mount Hope Nursing Center, located in the tiny town of Mount Hope, Kansas, about 30 miles from Wichita.

Think of the Andy Griffith show, and Mayberry, RFD, and you get the idea of the tiny town.

The nursing center is surrounded by wheat fields.

Kansas is the wheat state, so not a surprise.

After I got settled in at the respite care place, I think that is when I contacted you here at the IAN.

I normally do not use my phone for IAN contact, but I truly did then.

The following day, Friday, the 30th of May, Lori came to get me and take me to the senior center.

Then, after my day at that center, she took me back to Mount Hope.

The nursing home atmosphere is relaxing, and it is familiar to me.

You see, my father was a nursing home administrator, back in the early seventies.

I met my first wife, Pam, in 1972, at the nursing home where my father worked, in Hays, Kansas.

But this Mount hope facility was nearly empty, compared to the one where Pam lived.

There at Mount Hope, there were only 7 folks living there full time, plus me, temporary.

I was not locked up, but the staff did not give me permission to go outside.

Oh well.

I just wanted to look at the wheat up close, but I was not allowed outside.

So, I settled into the full days of Saturday and Sunday.

The staff was very small, just two or three young folks.

They prepared good enough meals.

The nurse who passed out meds went home at 6 PM, so I got my bedtime meds at 6 PM.

I spent some time talking with some of the other folks living there.

I had my own thermostat in my room, so I could finally stay warm enough in my room, at least.

There was a room with a jigsaw puzzle, and that room was cold.

There was a big cooler with room for lots of bottled water, but only a little bottled water in the fridge.

After I drank the last bottle, I realized they were not getting any more.

So, I refilled my empty bottle with tap water from my bathroom faucet.

I stayed with the same schedule as I had in the hospital, up in time for 8 AM breakfast, lunch at noon, dinner at 5, bedtime pills at 6.

I used up the time at the jigsaw puzzle table, or interacting with you here.

They had Little House on the Prairie on the TV.

I got to bed before midnight, about ten or eleven PM.

The staff was careful to come by my room and assure me that they would check on me later.

Maybe that was to assure me I was not alone, and no need to think of harming myself.

I really felt good when they came by to say that.

I made one phone call to my nephew, Bill.

Bill is goofy, but he is family, and he was willing to talk with me for a while.

Finally, Monday, June 2 rolled around, and Lori came and took me to the senior center, and then later back to my home.

Next week I can write about my routine at home and at the senior center, since I got back from the hospital and the respite care place.

Thanks for reading.

Hugs.

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