I have really cool neighbors. They always check on me to make sure I haven't fallen and can't get up. Bob, who is my age, would do anything for me that I can't physically do. I do not mind living alone but knowing they are there is a comfort.
His wife of 61 years, Mary Lou calls everyday she doesn't see me out and about to make sure I am OK except Sunday. Sunday is her church and family day. I'm kind of on my own that day:)
Now she might be in weaker health than I but she knows Callie can't dial 911 so she calls just to make sure I'm OK. She does like to talk so she gets some benefit also and we do laugh a bit.
She has been dealing with a respiratory problem for about a month and had been to several doctors. Then for a couple of days she didn't call. I knew she was up and active for I'd see her and Bob head out in the car.
Finally she called and told me the doctor said she had a bad sinus infection and she was back on antibiotics. Then she said, because of the infection, she had lost her hearing. Evidently she could no longer understand Bob. Even his getting in her face and yelling didn't help.
She was grateful to recently learn that when the infection clears up, her hearing should return. This might take weeks and she said, " I just wish we could communicate now."
Puzzled, I asked her if she could hear me? "Oh yes," she said, "I have the phone volume turned all the way up. I can hear you fine."
"Well," I suggested, "when you want to talk to Bob, just call him on his cell phone. Then you should hear him fine also." They live on top of a hill and actually have spotty cell service where I have none.
"Oh good grief, you are right," she said. "Hang up right now. I want to call Bob."
It has been quiet since Monday with no calls from Mary Lou. Guess they are sitting on the couch or in the Walmart parking lot in town (best cell service around) talking on the phone to eachother. So glad I could repay their kindness just a little bit.
Update: I wrote this before Christmas and lo and behold, there was a Christmas miracle.
Mary Lou said she went to sleep on the 23rd still unable to hear Bob except on the phone but awoke on Christmas eve morning, hearing him snore. Just like that, her hearing was completely back. I am pretty sure it was just a coincidence but the timing was really cool.
Coincidence or miracle?
Happy to know that Mary Lou's sinus infection came to an end and she can hear again. My Mom's deafness got very bad in her later years and her hearing aid no longer helped. We used to write our messages on a blackboard for her. Glad you have good neighbours to look out for you! (and vice versa)
ReplyDeleteFlorence,
DeleteI was all set to mention a dry erase board when it dawned on me that we were having a normal conversation. They are dandy neighbors.
Sounds like a middle ear infection with fluid that cleared up. Glad it wasn't covid. What an amazing solution. I'm having trouble envisioning a town where the upper level WalMart is the communications spot. You all could return to party line telephones.... Linda in Kansas
ReplyDeleteLinda,
DeleteLand lines work great but cell service is the terrain here. There is a church on a hill about 4 miles from me that has a good signal. We locals call it the phone booth.
"Hang up right now. I want to call Bob." Patti, I hope I didn't wake up Lonnie (the guy in the apt next door to mine) you really had me laughing here! I'm very happy for Mary Lou, but her loss was our gain. If I lived nearby I'd be calling you everyday too. ;^)
ReplyDeleteDoug,
DeleteGlad you enjoyed it also. I laughed out loud and hung right up. Hey, we would call just for the fun of it.
What a great Christmas miracle! I enjoyed hearing about Mary Lou and how much she cares about you. You have that effect on lots of your admirers (me too). :-)
ReplyDeleteDjan,
DeleteSo glad it had a happy ending. Thank you. She and Bob have being a good neighbor down to an art.
Having someone who checks on you is a huge deal as we age. I didn't have it until now and it gives you a sense of peace.
ReplyDeleteIf only everyone with earring problems could get a "miracle" like Mary Lou's....
Jean,
DeleteI sure feel badly for those who can't cure it with some antibiotics. I had a friend with severe hearing problems and it was such a loss for them. I would hate not being able to communicate.
I love that your neighbor checks in on you regularly and that she has gotten her hearing back. It was a great idea to have her call her husband on his cell phone. Really glad that her illness was not covid. Yay! A lovely story of neighborly kindness.
ReplyDeleterobin,
DeleteThat is one of the pleasures of rural living. People seem to care about their neighbors more. Me too glad it was just a temporary condition.
That was good advice. I must remember it. Anyway, Happy Holidays!
ReplyDeletegigi,
DeleteIf you can hear on a phone but not in person, give them a call. You and Dave have a great New Years. Know you will celebrate in style.
That is a wonderful Christmas miracle. Though if it had been my parents, my mother would have been just as happy to lose her ability to hear my dad permanently. On the other hand, my Dad was mostly deaf and he either couldn't hear her or ignored her most of the time.
ReplyDeleteBelated Merry Christmas!
Eileen,
DeleteI have known people like that who will just turn off their aids for a little quiet.
Hope you had a good Boxing Day.
The story is lovely regardless and has such a happy ending. A Christmas story for sure.
ReplyDeleteInger,
DeleteI was just as delighted as she was when her hearing returned.
A nice coincidence, I think. I know how she feels. I'm getting my ears checked again on Wed., and I hope they can remove the wax in my ears.
ReplyDeleteJudy,
DeleteKnow what you mean. Think I need mine cleaned again. BTW, I leave messages on your blog but they never show up. Sorry,
I tried.
It's wonderful you have a friend like that ... and that you ARE a friend like that. Glad she can hear again, tho' wouldn't it be great if you could dial out the snore?!?
ReplyDeleteTom,
DeleteHa I am pretty sure most often the snore would not be so welcome but she was thrilled to hear it.
I had to laugh that she heard him snore and that is how she realized her hearing was back. I would think that part she didn't mind missing. :-) Glad you have your check in calls back. It's so lovely that you have that person to check on you. I just got an email from a neighbor that we checked on to tell me she misses Rick coming over with baked goods and helping her around the house. I told her I missed that too. She was such a lovely woman and her family lived 3 miles away and never visited her.
ReplyDeletePeg,
DeleteShe was so glad to hear anything that wasn't garbled that I am sure it sounded like music to her.
I've said it before, Rick is a keeper. Not only good looking with a fun sense of humor but such a kind heart. I'll bet she does miss him. Glad you are keeping in touch with her.
I'm so glad she got her hearing back; that would be frustrating for everyone. It's great to have such nice neighbors. I am younger but also alone and my cat can't dial 911 either. The people around me look out for me and help me out when I ask.
ReplyDeleteMargaret,
DeleteSo glad you have such a helpful network also. Means so much doesn't it?
What is with these animals not knowing how to dial 911. We need to work on that:))
I suspect there are times when Mrs. C wishes she had that malady.
ReplyDeleteJoeh,
DeleteHa ha, somehow I don't believe that for a minute:) Some of your best posts come from the lively back and forth you two get into. I get the feeling she enjoys them as much as we do.
What a wonderful story, and such kind neighbors!
ReplyDeleteLinda Myers,
DeleteThank you so much. Yes, I have always been lucky with my neighbors and these might be the best.
You are fortunate to have such caring neighbors. It pays to have good relationships with those nearby.
ReplyDeleteLinda Reeder,
DeleteWell I had back to back Margarets now back to back Lindas. I really have been lucky with my neighbors through out my life and feel so lucky to have them in my life
I'll say coincidence, because she was taking antibiotics for an infection. If she had been truly deaf and woke up hearing, that would be a miracle.
ReplyDeleteRiver,
DeleteOr you could really go for a stretch and say that the antibiotics actually worked was a miracle.
Great story, Patti. Glad your neighbor got her hearing back. I will look at it as a Christmas miracle as it is Christmas and I do believe in miracles. I actually think they happen more often than we realize. As for the snoring, DH snores, but I've never found it a problem... kind of comforting really.
ReplyDeleteRian,
DeleteThe more I think about it and the timing, I am leaning towards the miracle.
Interesting how your find DH snores comforting. Djan feels the same way about SG.
There are so many unexplained things around us. I am not religious but I agree with Einstein who is quoted as saying:
ReplyDelete“Try and penetrate with our limited means the secrets of nature and you will find that, behind all the discernible laws and connections, there remains something subtle, intangible and inexplicable. Veneration for this force beyond anything that we can comprehend is my religion."
Ginnie,
DeleteI am a huge fan of Einstein's intellect so I could accept that.
WOW! A Christmas miracle!! It IS nice to have a check in every day with someone. Even if they don't live close, chatting does wonders for the soul.
ReplyDeleteTAW,
DeleteI know and I am grateful. My friends and family do check in but not every day. My neighbors easily see my house at the bottom of the hill and know when I don't go out.
What an awesome story. It sounds like you hit the jackpot with your neighbors.
ReplyDeleteSue,
DeleteI have always been lucky with my neighbors but these are special.
I love that idea of calling and actually my situation is not far off. I have headphones to watch TV and it is run by an app on my phone. So if someone calls while I am watching TV the app will interrupt the TV. On the other hand, I can turn the app on without the tv being on and just talk on the phone as I regularly would but hearing through the headphones. I love it. Especially if I have to call a business and go through a big bother.
ReplyDeleteBarbara,
DeleteDidn't know you could do that with headphones. My sister is hard of hearing and also has headphones so I will mention it to her. Thanks.
Now you have another Linda. I'm so glad that your neighbor's hearing has returned. I have an inherited form of hearing loss, and my granddaughter is profoundly deaf. Advances in hearing aids and, in my granddaughter's case, cochlear implants are miraculous themselves, but, still hearing is not equal to natural hearing.
ReplyDeleteMy late brother lived alone and had a fear of dying and being in the house several days without being discovered. He owned a funeral home, and his experience made his fear vivid. Although he was a prickly man and didn't always like me, I promised I would call him every afternoon. And, I did, the last three years of his life except when I was in ICU after a brain surgery. He was intensely interested in politics. When something happens, I still have the urge to pick up the phone and call him to discuss it.
Happy New Year!
Linda P,
DeleteThanks for stopping by and commenting. One can never have too many Lindas.
That was so sweet what you did for your brother. I can tell you that is such a comfort to get that call.
A lovely and fascinating look at a slice of your life. Great post and followup! May your 2022 be full of blessings.
ReplyDeleteA special Christmas present?
ReplyDeleteI wish I had such good neighbours. Not only do I live alone, I also live at the end of a long drive through a field and nobody ever passes randomly.
My nasty neighbours wouldn't dream of checking up on me.
You are so lucky to have such wonderful, caring neighbors, but I know you are a fabulous neighbor too. I'm so happy her hearing returned. I wish my smell and taste would too... sigh...
ReplyDeleteI see that you're not posting. I wish you wouldn't suspend your comments because I would still want to tell you I'm having the same problem right now. I'm going to have to take a little blog hiatus again.
Patti, you always think outside the box! I laughed about Mary Lou having to use the cell phone to hear her husband! Sure glad her hearing returned - even if the first thing she heard was Bob snoring!
ReplyDelete