Rehabilitation Center

Several days later, Rosemary receives a call from Georgia who is now at the Pine Cone Creek Rehabilitation Center.  Georgia tells Rosemary that she will be staying there for about 2 weeks so she can heal, get back on her feet, and complete her physical therapy for her hip fracture.  Georgia reports that her daughter Jillian went home yesterday and she would love to see Rosemary.

Rosemary finds Pine Cone Creek Rehabilitation Center in the phone book and writes down the address and telephone number.  Rosemary calls the rehabilitation center to get directions but cannot understand the person who answers the telephone, so she finds an old map that she has not used for years.  On the kitchen table Rosemary unfolds the limp map to find the street she is looking for.  Once she finds it she circles it with a pen so that she can easily find it while she is driving.  Rosemary carefully folds the map so that she is able to just see the circled area.  The map is so big it takes up most of the table and she would not be able to see out of the windshield if she leaves it completely open.  One second thought, Rosemary feels that she should pack the phonebook too, just in case she loses the piece of paper with Pine Cone Creek’s address on it.

Rosemary packs up some magazines for Georgia to read, her phone book, her map, and gets into her car.  Rosemary finds Pine Cone Creek Rehabilitation Center without any difficulty, partly due to the billboard-sized wood sign near the front gate.  Rosemary inquires about Georgia at the main desk and she directed to her room.  Georgia is not in her room so Rosemary asks a very young looking employee about Georgia’s whereabouts.  Rosemary is told that Georgia must be in the group dining room.  Rosemary is directed to the dining room and as she is about to enter, there is Georgia using a walker and being directed by another very young attendant, to purposefully place her walker ahead of her before every step.  Georgia is so happy to see Rosemary, she is laughing and crying at the same time.  Rosemary makes a mental note that Georgia looks very well and happy.  Rosemary was worried about Georgia after the conversation she had with Georgia’s daughter Jillian.  But her fears are relieved by the cheerful mood Georgia seems to be in.  Back in Georgia’s room, Rosemary learns what it has been like to be in a rehabilitation center.  Georgia states that she would rather be home, but does not mind the food and the people seem nice.  Georgia tells Rosemary that she is enjoying meeting new people here and there is always something fun going on.  Georgia does not seem to be upset to be here as she states that she is receiving daily physical therapy to get back on her feet.  Georgia tells Rosemary that she expects to be here at least a month, which is two weeks longer than Georgia had originally told her.  Georgia tells Rosemary that she is learning to use the computer and her daughter set up an email account for her so that they can keep in touch.

Rosemary sits at home that night after watching the evening news, she thinks about her day, about Georgia, and her own future.  Rosemary writes in her Hello Kitty diary from her granddaughters.

Dear diary,

I had a chance to visit Georgia in the rehabilitation center today.  I did not tell Georgia about the conversation that I had with her daughter, Jillian.  While I was visiting Georgia I was thinking about Jillian’s worries about where her mother should live when she gets out of the rehabilitation center.  Her daughter does not want Georgia to live alone at home and was asking me what to do.  I don’t know what they should do.  On the drive home today I was wondering what if this happens to me?  What would I do, what would my son and daughter do?  Maybe I should talk to them both.  I am healthy now, but what happens if I am not?