Hi Anna,  It sounds like you got a clear priority of the rehab centers.  I am sure that she would be very comfortable in the JK center and I am equally as sure that the last place on the list would appear very chaotic to her.  It sounds like you did a good job of sorting them out.

I guess we will just have to wait and see what is available when the timing is right.  I definitely had good vibes from the second place on your list (no opinion at all on the third as it was just a drive by.)  So it sounds like we got some really fine choices for Mom and we will just have to see what develops.

As for the finances of them I do not see that any of them are a problem especially with the insurance.  It sounds like insurance will cover a large portion of the cost for the initial time that she is in (if not all) and even if they did not cover it all M+D can certainly supplement it.  So i would say this is a good time to spend the rainy day fund as the more rehab she gets the better she will be.

I had a talk with my boss to tell him that I would be missing a meeting on Monday and he was very understanding. It seems that a very similar thing happened to his father when he was 81.  An "elective" surgery on his carotid artery to prevent "the big one". His father had the stoke in the recovery room and my boss said it looked bleak.  He could not move his left leg or arm.  He was able to speak and he swore he would be living on his own in 3 months.  My boss said he worked very hard and his motivation was to live in his house without any help.  My boss said that he didn't think it was possible, but he was home in 6 weeks.

I can see that Mom would have a similar motivation of living at home on her own again.  I would say that we should do nothing to tell her otherwise.  I think we need to be careful and describe any assisted living centers in TX, or staying at Mary + Jerry's as temporary. The desire that she will be living on her own may very well be what allows her to do exactly that.

So i guess we need to "hope for the best and prepare for any eventuality".  Not quite ready for the bumper stickers yet.

So Anna, it sounds like you did a good job arranging for the next step out of the hospital.  Keep up the good work.  Hang in there and don't let yourself get run down either physically or mentally. 

Tom