02 October 2013

New Gadget in my life

Well, I got one of those handy dandy Smartphones, a gift from my son.  I've been happily pushing buttons, sliding screens and trying to remember where I saw this gadget or that gadget.  Settings are the main thing.  I received the phone yesterday.

Today, an emergency trip to the ER with my father.  Of course, I had to learn how to message, call and add contacts.  Good thing my sister was with me.  She had her trusty phone and did the majority of the calls.  I managed four out of the 26 notifications we usually send.  Of course, before I could do that, I had to charge the battery.  Still hadn't taken the charger and ear phones out of the plastic.

So, during the time immediately after the ambulance departed with my father, I was tearing open the plastic to charge the phone.  Was able to charge it enough to get it turned on.  Then Sis shows up and we head out.  Lucky for me, I'd bought a car charger.  Unfortunately, it wasn't needed as Sis had one of those handy dandy dual chargers.  So, I'd wasted precious time and energy tearing the plastic off the car charger.  We arrived in time to get the pertinent info to hospital staff.  Then, I made the trek to the waiting room to finish charging the phone, and start the adventure of making phone calls on the handy dandy smartphone.

Yesterday, when my phone was being set up, I was shown the instruction book.  It was carefully packed inside the box along with the other essentials I'd need.  I was duly informed that I'd not need that book as the phone was designed for on the job training.  So, I was sitting there, greeting people who hadn't yet answered their phone.  Why?  Cause I'd forgotten to swipe it to the left; or was that right? Finally broke down and used my old phone to make a couple calls.  Then began the arduous process of finding the phone numbers, transferring them to my new phone, then trying to call or message.

By the time I managed to answer a couple of the messages coming in fast and furious, Sis comes to let me know I needed to call everyone and tell them Father was being held overnight.  I sighed.  She stood there, gave me the look, sat down and proceeded to make a few calls, send text messages like a madwoman, give cheerful greetings to passing people we knew who were also making a trip to the ER.  So, I duly picked up my phone, managed a hello to one person as three were on their way out as the patient was being transferred and proceeded to make one call home.

Still, one out of 26 wasn't bad.  By the time we left, my phone was fully charged, had a few more of the contacts added, and was at least finding the screen where I could call.  Was I happy when Sis came to tell he was in his room and I could leave off trying to call.  We arrived to find him eating, wondering where the TV was.  Relief flooded my frazzled brain.  At last, something I could easily handle.