Old Age Question About Rural Living Alone

[Patchouli]

 

[Meerkat]

I wouldn't so much mind a nice home but not a low income one at all.

 

[Swing]

I told my oldest daughter I would call her up every morning at 3 AM to ask why she doesn't visit me then hang up. She said if I did that, then she would just change her number. I told her the old folks home would have her new number "in case of an emergency" so I would have a crony distract the nurse while I get the new number and start calling again! Now I wonder if that's why she moved out of the country?

The 3 am call. I've had it 3 times with Dad. Once he was hurting at home with pains in his replaced knees. Hospital said it was nothing they could find and gave him something for pain anyway. But there was about a 20 mile drive to the hospital with him yelling from hurting on the way. About 5 am. Not great.

Then a 2;30 am he was in nursing home and he had gotten up to check on his room number to make sure it was still the same, then he turned to go back in room and fell and shattered his left thigh bone. More than 3 good breaks. I met him at hospital in the morning for him to have a rod put in the leg.

I don't like 3 am or thereabout phone calls.

 

[The Lazy L]

Dad called me long distance from Sebring Florida. Keep in mind he was in his 80's at the time and had never called me before plus it was long distance (dad didn't spend money if he didn't have to). Dad asked me what the weather was like in Indiana (he new before he called) and I told him. Then I asked him how the Florida weather was (I knew) and he told me. Then I asked him why did he call? I'm thinking mom's bad health, hospital, fallen, dead or dad's health. You know why he called. My mom made him call just to chit chat. About gave me a heart attack!!!!!!!!

 

[Swing]

Dad called me long distance from Sebring Florida. Keep in mind he was in his 80's at the time and had never called me before plus it was long distance (dad didn't spend money if he didn't have to). Dad asked me what the weather was like in Indiana (he new before he called) and I told him. Then I asked him how the Florida weather was (I knew) and he told me. Then I asked him why did he call? I'm thinking mom's bad health, hospital, fallen, dead or dad's health. You know why he called. My mom made him call just to chit chat. About gave me a heart attack!!!!!!!!

I can relate to that. I'm glad it was nothing more than your Mom prodding him to get in touch.

 

[The Lazy L]

I can relate to that. I'm glad it was nothing more than your Mom prodding him to get in touch.

On my side of the family, no news is good news. We don't call each other for idle chit chat.

 

[Amish Heart]

I just got off the phone with my mom. She called right when I was walking in the door from being at the school cleaning all day. Trying to explain all that was interesting. She knows we're coming to see her for reunions soon, and I was impressed that she remembered the date. Last week she was forgetting everything. I talk to mom often, but it's hit or miss on what she's remembering each day. Today she said she went to a "meeting" at the Menno Manor where she lives. They talked about upcoming events. BUT most importantly, they had pop and cookies. She ate lots. She is getting ready to make instant mashed potatoes for supper and then ice cream for dessert.

 

[backlash]

If the phone rings after midnight it is never good news.

 

[Spikedriver]

If the phone rings after midnight it is never good news.

It was good news when I was a younger man!

 

[Supervisor42]

It was good news when I was a younger man!

I remember those days!
Nowadays, if mine rings at night, it gets a callback in the morning.
If people are going to die, they can damn-well do it during the day.

 

[Meerkat]

The 3 am call. I've had it 3 times with Dad. Once he was hurting at home with pains in his replaced knees. Hospital said it was nothing they could find and gave him something for pain anyway. But there was about a 20 mile drive to the hospital with him yelling from hurting on the way. About 5 am. Not great.

Then a 2;30 am he was in nursing home and he had gotten up to check on his room number to make sure it was still the same, then he turned to go back in room and fell and shattered his left thigh bone. More than 3 good breaks. I met him at hospital in the morning for him to have a rod put in the leg.

I don't like 3 am or thereabout phone calls.

Bless your heart you really have a time at it,huh?. We women have so much to deal with. Our children then our parents. No wonder God made it a Commandment to care for us or we would be left alone. But it doesn't make it any easier just the same.
We re still contemplating what to do with ourselves to take as much off the kids as possible.

 

[Meerkat]

If the phone rings after midnight it is never good news.

True. Our oldest granddaughter called us at 3 am. We didn't hear the phone so when I got up and checked caller ID I freaked knowing she would never call at that time she gets up early for work!
So I called her and she said she was having a panic attack and I was the only one she wanted to talk to when she had them.
Late calls here just don't happen.

 

[Meerkat]

It was good news when I was a younger man!

:lil guy:

 

[backlash]

I always knew if it rang around the time the bars closed I would have to get up, get dressed and go drive some drunk buddy home. I didn't like it but I never refused to go.
Better than having someone killed. Seems like I got a lot of those type of calls and I made a few myself. Good old Navy days.
It was never a booty call, my wife would not have liked that.

 

[Meerkat]

I always knew if it rang around the time the bars closed I would have to get up, get dressed and go drive some drunk buddy home. I didn't like it but I never refused to go.
Better than having someone killed. Seems like I got a lot of those type of calls and I made a few myself. Good old Navy days.
It was never a booty call, my wife would not have liked that.

How nice and thoughtful.. No telling how many lives and fines you saved.

 

[LadyLocust]

Around here, if someone calls after 8pm or before 4 am if they aren't dying, they're gonna wish they were! I have a friend (who is actually still a friend) who used to call about 9:30pm and wake me up - to chit chat! She's a night person. Luckily, I've not had to deal with middle of the night calls very much.

 

[Swing]

@backlash Your bar story reminds me of something that happened about 12 - 14 years ago.
I've always told my daughter that sometimes parties hardy that if she ever needed me to drive her home regardless of the time of day or night to give me a call. I'll not get mad and I'll come get her as I prefer her alive.
One night about 1 or 2 am she called me to come get her from her friend's home where a party had been. I jumped into clothes ( had been asleep) and went and got her. We went to her town home as it was closer. I did have to pull over once or twice to let her open the door and barf out side the car. We got home and I slept the rest of the night at her home.
Next day, we went back and got her car.
I was so proud of her calling me.

 

[lonewolf]

if the phone rings after we go to bed we don't answer it(phone is downstairs, bedroom is upstairs), we check to see who rang in the morning.

 

[The Lazy L]

I'm a morning person and usually in bed by 9 PM. SIL had a habit of calling after 9 to chit chat with for sister. We have a phone on the bed stand. I ask the wife to let her sister know that I'm sleeping when she calls and she's wake ng me up. Wife says her sister can call whenever she wants!

Few years later the SIL marries. Husband works s cond shift and The tells me not to call them after 9 PM...

 

[jimLE]

unless it's important or a emergency. Folks that has my phone number don't call me Between 10pm and 6am..a person called me twice after i had gone to sleep the other night.they didn't get a answer.on account I'm a deep sleeper.and don't wake up easily to a phone ringing.and that's with my phone on the nightstand next to me and the bed.