Hello, Hello? Anyone there?

My dad is in a nursing home in Chicago. Although I try to go out and visit him at least four times a year, my main contact is via phone. Dad has a cell phone and a phone in his room. So, in the past, it hasn't been too difficult to track him down. However, things have changed over the last several months.

He often gets confused about using his cell phone. Forgets to charge it - and sometimes how to charge it! Tries to see a missed call and winds up calling that person back, but doesn't know he's called them so he doesn't say anything - while on the other end the person is saying, "Hello, Hello!" - all the time listening to him fumble around trying to turn the phone off. His room phone has been having problems with volume, and with working in general. So it's been frustrating.

Last Thursday, I spent the entire drive home trying to talk with my dad. It had been several days that I had been calling, and he wasn't answering either phone. Finally on Thursday he answered his cell phone (I had called his room phone again but no answer), however the volume was so low that I could barely hear him and he could barely hear me.

Me: Hey dad, finally got through to you!
Dad: Sandi? Is that you? I can barely hear you.
Me [talking much louder]: Yes, it's me. Can you hear me now?
Dad: Sandi? Is that you? I can barely hear you.
Me [screaming]: Are you in your room? I'll call on that phone.
Dad: Yes, I'm in my room

I dialed his room number, it rang 10 times, no answer. So I called on his cell phone again.

Me [still screaming]: Hey dad.
Dad: Sandi, you called me on my cell phone again.
Me: I know, you didn't answer the room phone
Dad: It didn't ring - damn thing must be acting up again. Let me look at it. Oh, there's a different phone number printed here. Maybe they changed my line. Call this number.....
Me: Alright, I'll try.

Dialed the new number. After five or six rings, a very nice little old lady answered and I said I was sorry, I had dialed the wrong number. Called my dad back on his cell.

Me: Dad?
Dad: Sandi, you called me on my cell phone again.
Me: I know, the other number was wrong - some woman answered.
Dad: Damn it, I can hardly hear you.
Me: Hang up, I'm going to contact the nursing station for help.

Now I called the main number and asked to be connected to the nursing station. Asked the nurse if she knew the exact phone number for my dad's room. She said she didn't but the person at the front desk would.

Called the front desk again and asked for his number. Turns out the original number I had was still correct. So I called the nursing station again and told her the issue. She said to give her two minutes and she'd go to his room and listen for the phone. I waited, and I dialed. Nothing. No answer. Called Dad's cell again.

Me: Dad?
Dad: Sandi, you called my cell phone again!
Me [trying not to laugh maniacally]: I know, you didn't answer the room phone. Let me talk to the nurse.
Nurse: The phone didn't ring. What? I can barely hear you. There's another number on this phone, try dialing it.
Me: That's the number my dad gave me before and someone else answered. But I'll try one more time.

Dialed the second number. This time no answer at all. Called back on dad's cell.

Me: Dad?
Dad: Sandi, you called my cell phone again!
Me: Just hang up. I love you. I'll talk with the nurse again.

Finally, throat raw from screaming, I called the nursing station one more time and asked that they get his phone fixed. She agreed that there was a problem (!!). Now I need someone to show my dad how to work the volume on his cell phone and I may actually be able to talk to him again.

Funny thing, when I got home my husband innocently said, "Have you talked with your dad lately." After he picked himself up off the floor, he listened to my tale and gently poured me a glass of wine......