Home is where the heart is…...

Matt is getting settled in to the nursing home. 
Bellevue Care Center
1 Aldrich Sq.
Bellevue, OH 4481
(Corner of Flatrock and Gardner Roads)
He would love visitors!
It reminded me tonite of how social Matt has always been.  Our brother Paul was leaving when I got there, his neighbor across the hall a young girl (29) came by and I got to meet her and then our old neighborhood and one of our dad’s closest friends Jim Yantz came by to visit. Matt thoroughly enjoyed that!  They talked about people they know and life in Bay View! (Where we grew up) It’s amazing the names he remembers when I can not! 

More importantly…..we had ice cream! Butter Pecan - Toft’s the best!  He loved it!
And he took a selfie with me :)

Matt said everyone at the care center has been so nice and he’s getting to know people and know his way around.  He said he knows life as he once knew it is over, but he will make the best of this. He likes the stimulation it provides and it’s motivating to keep moving. He said again how he didn’t ask for this disease, and he can’t help how much has been taken away from him (vision, ability to walk and be independent)… 
We don’t understand the “why” but can’t dwell on it, it is what it is. Acceptance would be a good word for it. The “new normal” is something he will adjust to. He does love seeing people and talking to them. He’s getting to know people and I saw signs of Matt O from high school - caring and compassionate to the other residents, chatting, listening to their story and sharing his own. If you knew Matt in high school, he was super popular and I can totally see that happening here!
He also said he’s feeling good and he was very upbeat! 
He was very excited about seeing all his kids last night and is really looking forward to the grandchildren that are due in July and October! One of Matt’s tag lines “It was pretty cool!”  He’s very proud of his kids and he gets a little spark when he talks about them. 

When I left he was watching the Indians and we left each other with a “Go Tribe”
He loves hearing the comments people people leave… a LOT and he’d love for his friends to visit him! He’s in room 107.

The MS Walk is coming up May 7 - if you haven’t donated or if you want to walk….. Info is HERE 
and if you aren’t on our Facebook Group - it is here