If I'm not sure who the call is from, I will answer it if I can. I'm very glad I did this last month. My dad was in a rehab facility recovering from a broken hip. My cell number was first on the contact sheet. A nurse called me early on a Saturday morning to tell me he was having chest pains and that she had called 911. I usually recognize numbers from the facility, but the nurse must have grabbed her own cell phone to call me. My DH and I raced to the hospital, while calling my mom, sister and brother. We arrived first to find my dad had gone into cardiac arrest but was being revived. The charge nurse started asking me about his history and anything else that could help the doctor treat him. I also had to authorize them to place a central line and other procedures. The rest of my family started arriving about 20 minutes later. In this case, I was very glad I had answered that call. Over my dad's hospital stay, the nurses used cell phones to call with updates or questions. All of the numbers were different, so I continued to answer every single call I received. One morning, he was confused and refusing to wear a high-powered oxygen mask that was necessary for his recovery. His nurse called and asked if someone would come and sit with him and convince him to wear it. I was just arriving at work, but veered off to the hospital instead.
So yes, unless my screen says "Scam Likely" I answer my calls. It ended up working out for the best in this case. I'm very happy to say that a month later, my dad is back in the rehab facility, doing well in therapy and hoping to be home before Christmas. My job is to bring him the two things that make him the happiest: his grandsons and cookies!
