Happy New Year--he's back in Defiance!!!!

After an exhausting 36 hours Jon arrived at Brookview at 5:10 this afternoon. We started with a call yesterday around 11:30 saying he would be leaving this morning at 10. I called Carol and we got on the road around 1:30 with the intention of helping Barb pack up and load the car. When we got there Jon informed us he couldn't leave in the morning because the wheelchair couldn't leave the facility and while the company was debating that they said that nobody had paid any rent on it in months...as in at least 6 months and why did Jon still have it? But then they didn't even realize that he still had it until they were told he was leaving the Village. Then they said he could go if Jon bought the chair--$3500, but its worth at least $17000... So then the trip is on again and I think canceled one more time. At around 1 when we were eating lunch at Barb's they called and said he was leaving at 2. I hurried over to meet the gal from the wheelchair company, wrote a check for $2500--they reduced the price after umpteen calls to get things straightened out. (The chair can be serviced by the Toledo branch) and Barb and Jon were on their way by 2:30 or so. Carol and I were left behind to finish packing--managed to leave things behind on the tray table because Jon was so insistant that it not be touched when Carol was packing last night and I never thought about checking it out. Carol and I left about 20 minutes after Barb and Jon but we managed to catch up with them about 1/2 hour before reaching home. Got him settled, fed and left him to get acquainted with his new digs. His new address is:
Jon Castanien, Rm 222
Brookview Healthcare Center,
214 Harding St.
Defiance, Oh 43512

I can only imagine the rush he had when we crossed into Defiance County--he has been waiting so long for this trip! He is aleady beginning to feel like he's ready for more independence and is looking forward to resuming old friendships. The center has no set visiting hours but he generally is in bed by 10 and if it is like most places we've been they expect quiet visitors after 9 p.m.

Hope you have a great New Year!