Today is one of those magnificent days you wait for all year long. Sunny, high of 75, only a zephyr of wind.

The Saints won. I couldn't help but be aware of it, since the nurses and orderlies could pay attention to nothing else. If I hadn't been there, my husband would have spent several hours without water, hands tied down to the bed to keep him from ripping out the IVs.

In fact, the nurses disappeared for a while altogether (lunch?) and when they came back, all they could seem to do was visit and chat. I'm not impressed with the day shift.

But perhaps they are so used to very sick ICU patients, they are no longer so much on the alert. And I suppose they have their monitors at their stations to observe, when they are actually sitting at their stations. And paying attention to something besides the game.

And I was there with him, giving him sips of water and talking / listening to him, so perhaps the nurse took that as an opportunity to take a break. I'm probably being too harsh. I had her release his hands and I promised to watch him.

In a way, I can't blame them. The patient was argumentative, combative, vitriolic, threatening--all those fun attributes that just make you warm and fuzzy all over (translation: hot under the collar and your hair stands on end).

I thought tying a patient's arms down was illegal, but I guess not.

Back to the hospital now this morning, enjoying the beautiful weather on my way. I have my copy of the Advance Directives with me, in case we need them.