Progress

My father left the cardiac intensive-care unit yesterday and is now in a "step-down" unit down the hall. Visiting hours are much less restricted, and we are allowed to bring in outside food in the hopes of tempting him with something other than the mysterious offerings from the hospital kitchen.

Still no beverages, though, other than bizarre "thickened liquids" that have the consistency of honey. This has not deterred my dad, who begs every doctor, nurse, technician, companion, orderly, and visitor he sees to bring him a Diet Coke. If the folks over at the Coca-Cola Company are in need of a new spokesman for their caffeine-free diet line, I'm pretty sure he'd work cheap: just a few free cases a month and he'd be very happy.