Curse of email, social media, etc. & loved ones

[westtexas]

I usually call my mom once a day. If I don't call her, one of us usually sends an e-mail and I'm almost always reachable that way. Yesterday I worked from 7 a.m. - 9:30 p.m. (I hate being on call) and was just too tired when I got home to check e-mail or call her. Today I was working from 7-6 and by the time I got home, rode 12 miles, showered and started dinner, I had a panicked voicemail on my phone and three e-mails wondering about my whereabouts.

I really like it that my mom is thinking about me all the time. Gives me comfort that if I am hit by a vehicle or have some other kind of accident/misfortune, help will probably come sooner rather than later. This is nice too, being a woman, and having personal safety always at the forefront of my mind (owning a big gun helps with this too, LOL).

I would be panicky too. Like I said, I call my mom almost daily and on those days I know she is travelling I always make sure to call to make sure nothing has befallen her. It's definitely a nice thing about having this "constantly-connected" culture nowadays.

[shootingstar]

My dearie has a GPS unit..which he takes on certain trips. Not sure if he did for this one. He did get lost several times in a minor way in Spain (half hr. detour or so), but he seems to have good wayfinding skills to quickly catch onto the right turn, etc. He doesn't read Spanish.

We don't have a need to know where the other is several times per day as long as we each have a vague idea in advance, if the person is going to be cycling a piece to do something by bike, etc in the city or away for several hrs. longer than normal.

But most definitely we do keep in contact in some high tech way at least once per day. It's just cheaper than phone for overseas long distance.

I'm so glad that he and I have similar preferences for how we communicate with one another. He talks the right amount on difficult stuff at times...whereas this might not be true for some other guys.

[OakLeaf]

My dad is in the hospital right now. My mom (who pretty much never turns her phone on anyway ) forgot her charger at home when she went to stay with him, and the hospital strongly discourages patients from bringing laptops or other communication devices.

So the only way to contact either of them is to call the room phone, with its un-mutable ring, not knowing if my dad might be sleeping or just not up to talking on the phone. And although at the moment he seems to be too tired and weak to keep up with the news, or friends outside his most intimate circle, anyway, he's almost totally cut off from the outside world.

The hospital he's at seems to be top-notch in many ways, but they need to at least move into the 20th century as far as patient communications. Moving into the 21st century is probably too much to ask for.

[shootingstar]

I'm sorry to hear your father is very sick. It is a terminal disease or temporary?

At the very least, the hospital should allow communication devices in common meeting/recreational areas for patients. And have a computer or 2 permanently installed.

[OakLeaf]

It is a terminal disease or temporary?

Well, among other things that make his life chronically very painful, he has emphysema, but he's expected to recover from whatever it is that put him in the hospital now (they're not entirely sure, which is true for more than one of his chronic and recurrent conditions). I'd be headed that way for sure if they thought his death was imminent...

Thanks for your good wishes.

[Crankin]

Oakleaf, my dad has been in and out of the hospital (pancreatic infection that had complications) for the past month, in San Diego. He had his cell next to him at all times, but I did call the room phone a few times when he didn't answer. It's been frustrating to communicate with my brother, who lives there, though. He has no computer or email. Because of the time difference, and the fact he works weird hours (he's a kitchen designer for Home Depot), we hardly ever can talk. And, it's complicated, obviously, by the fact that I can't keep my phone on at work. For some reason, my brother doesn't call my home phone, where it might be easier to catch me.
A few years ago, DH had to spend the weekend in the hospital, before his stent surgery. They said they didn't have wireless for patients, but DH was able to quickly tap into their network. The hospital he actually had the surgery at, had bedside computers, which DH thought was the best invention, ever.
We communicate by Skype when he is in Europe, but sometimes a day goes by where I don't hear from him. It's always because of his busy schedule/time difference. I don't get overly concerned. We don't talk during the work day, unless there's some real reason to communicate, i.e. plans change, etc. So, he knows that if I call, there's a good reason. Neither of us text and I don't even have a data plan on my ancient flip phone, nor do I know how to text.

[shootingstar]

Oakleaf, my dad has been in and out of the hospital (pancreatic infection that had complications) for the past month, in San Diego. He had his cell next to him at all times, but I did call the room phone a few times when he didn't answer. It's been frustrating to communicate with my brother, who lives there, though. He has no computer or email. Because of the time difference, and the fact he works weird hours (he's a kitchen designer for Home Depot), we hardly ever can talk. And, it's complicated, obviously, by the fact that I can't keep my phone on at work. For some reason, my brother doesn't call my home phone, where it might be easier to catch me.
A few years ago, DH had to spend the weekend in the hospital, before his stent surgery. They said they didn't have wireless for patients, but DH was able to quickly tap into their network. The hospital he actually had the surgery at, had bedside computers, which DH thought was the best invention, ever.
We communicate by Skype when he is in Europe, but sometimes a day goes by where I don't hear from him. It's always because of his busy schedule/time difference. I don't get overly concerned. We don't talk during the work day, unless there's some real reason to communicate, i.e. plans change, etc. So, he knows that if I call, there's a good reason. Neither of us text and I don't even have a data plan on my ancient flip phone, nor do I know how to text.

Well things get backs to normal when he returns to Canada next wk., meanwhile he's fuming away not having hotel Internet access in his Madrid hotel because it's me, and business reasons he needs it alot.

The hospital patient need situation will only grow ...big time. I can fully appreciate not to allow in-room cell phone conversation for patients because if one shares sleeping room with others, then it's highly disruptive.

But at least for common eating areas, etc.