Be Honest

[peg2001]

Since it has turned cool, I've been having trouble waking up in the morning. Could you add me to your call list at 7 am?

Thx,
Peggy

 

[tlgoblue]

HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA!

ROFLMBO!

 

[Sandy V.]

Hey Trish, just a note to ask you to please let us know how you handled this with your dad. I'm curious as to what you did and what his (and your brothers') response was!

Thanks!

 

[Serena]

I'm curious too to what you do and what they say.

 

[tigercat]

My Mum has either my dh or I call her when she needs to get up. She has to get up for sure 2 days a week and then every so often there is another time. I don't mind and usually my dh is up anyways. She has a hard time with anything mechanical (she can't change her clocks either or set her radio) and is a little hard of hearing so I'm not even sure she would really hear an alarm clock. It isn't long distance for me though but I really don't mind doing it for her.
tigercat

 

[Trish5768]

UPDATE: I talked to my brother who said it would be no problem at all for him to set his clock for 7 so my Dad could get up. (brother leaves for work at 5:30) However, my Dad does not want him to because as I posted before he does not like the way it sounds. (garbage truck) My DS 16 overheard the conversation and told me that when he stayed there over Christmas break my Dad tried to take his alarm clock, said he liked it. Its just one of those wind up ones that DS bought at the dollar store. So, I'm going to get him a wind up clock so I can give it to him this weekend. Everyone should be happy-I can only hope. Cross your fingers. Thanks for all of your replies and help. Have a great day!

Trish

 

[Pin Wizard]

Sounds like more than just an alarm. Perhaps he misses you and enjoys hearing your voice each morning. I remember when I moved out of state not long after I was married. I talked to my parents every weekend, but it killed me to not talk to them during the rest of the week. I REALLY missed them!

 

[Boo'sMom]

I agree with Robin...

life is too short to let it get to you.....enjoy the fact that you have a father who wants to hear from you....someday he won't be ther to answer the phone.

 

[Robinrs]

Glad this has been resolved, Trish.

Sandy, that is my stand and I'm glad I stuck with it until I lost both of my parents recently. I don't see aiding a parent as being used as much as I see a parent taking care of a child or a spouse doing what they need for another spouse. I see it as love and responsibility. There, of course, is a line to everything, but I see this as a way of communicating, not a big thing.

Good for you, Trish! Give Dad a hug for me!

 

[Sandy V.]

Robin, I understand exactly where you're coming from on this. And I'm sorry about the recent loss of your parents. I'm glad you were able to help them and keep in daily contact.

I didn't get that chance to take care of my own parents in this manner, and I regret it. My dad died in a car accident when I was 9, and my mom was bipolar since I was 7 (they called it manic-depressive back then), such to the degree that she was in a foster care facility until she passed away.

But I have been and still am on the giving end of care to aging parents. My 81-year-old father-in-law has been rendered a quadriplegic by Parkinson's-like symptoms, and family members have pitched in to help my mother-in-law. He is now in a wonderful veteran's nursing home and is receiving wonderful care. The nurses spoil him to death!

After watching my father-in-law’s body deteriorate over the past 10 years, and then comparing his TRUE need for family care with this man's need to be awakened in the morning by a daughter who already talked to him daily on the phone, was fully ambulatory, had all of his mental faculties, and had others in the house and nearby, I just had to respond because I did think that what he was asking was TOO MUCH for her to do.

Trish, I'm glad it all worked out. Thanks for updating us. Thanks for the response, too, Robin. I appreciate it.

 

[disykat]

If this new clock solution doesn't work, I'd be talking to his physician. It sounds to be like a HUGE problem if he's unable or unwilling to get himself up in the morning. If he is unwilling it could be depression, if he's unable he probably needs a higher care level. I would worry about leaving him unsupervised.