The Impatient Patient

Travelers often break from their dietary regimen, and I'm no exception.

At Tuesday's pot-luck dinner there were dishes that I no longer eat--or should eat--but it doesn't count when you're over 2,000 miles away from home.

I only had one-and-a-half servings, a sign of diminished capacity, further strained by the chocolate cake.

The occasion was my father's birthday. Immediate-family members who live on the Islands showed up. I could tell that Dad was pleased, though as usual he didn't show it.

Recently he has suffered from infections that have required several visits to the emergency room. He's now on the mend at a "short-stay, high acuity facility," and we're hopeful that he can soon return to the assisted living apartment.

He does look much better and keeps asking when he can leave. Not until the doctors say so; we want to have a lot more birthday celebrations with you.