Monday, April 24, 2006

PLEASE HOLD

I just made a call to a business.

Every minute, an automated voice would come on and say...

Please continue to hold. Your call will be answered.

I held the phone for 10 minutes listening to the message assault my ears every minute.

The message said to me..

We are here but we cannot talk to you. Finally, the message changed after another 5 minutes and said...Please,  leave your name, number and a brief message. Thank you for calling.

Then there was a dial tone.

All of that time holding and I never got through to a person

It made me think of calling Peggy.

She is there but cannot talk to me.

I can't leave a message for her to call me back.

She is there but she is not.

All I hear when I call Peggy is the hum of the dial tone as she drops the phone.

I can't get through to her ever again.

I could leave my name, number and a brief message but it would do no good.

She will never call me back.

Alzheimer's disease sensors all of her calls and makes sure that no one gets through.

I Love You Today, Peggy!

I miss talking to you on the phone.

I miss hearing your voice.

I miss you...........Not missing me.

Mary Louise

 

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Pts with AD have difficulty recognizing voices on the phone. It can be very confusing to them. Most do better when they see the human face and can recognize , the face and the voice together, and thats when its a good day!!

Anonymous said...

God Bless You Mary Louise.
I will pray for Got to take away your pain.

Love ya,

Anonymous said...

We had a beloved neighbor who slipped away from Altzheimers. She was sitting on the porch listening to us talk once, and out-of-the-blue she suddenly joined in the conversation for about two sentences. Then she lapsed back into the silence that we had come to expect. But for about two sentences her eyes were sharp and focused. I can't help but think that she was trapped in there somehow, listening to us, and had found a way to come be with us for even a second...

Anonymous said...

You are still in my thoughts and prayers. Marrgo

Anonymous said...

    Mary Louise,  This really is an interesting analogy, and one that I had never thought of, but it is so apt.  And, like the frustration you feel at not being able to get through to somebody with a recording, I'm sure that frustration must be tenfold with your dear sister.  Tina  

Anonymous said...

thank you for sharing your journey into this very mysterious world.........you are a poet and an artist.  You have taken us all with you, and it is truly a gift and a blessing.  May God continue to bless us all with your presence.  Janet Hrbek Griffin