hospital advice.

Personal circumstances have helped me remember a piece of classic Mother Rabbit advice: Never leave a loved one alone in a hospital. Not that you can't trust medical care or caregivers today, but you can't trust medical care or care givers today. Smile. It is best to always have an advocate with you. It is best to have two sets of ears to listen, and helpful when the advocate can take notes about what the doctor is diagnosing or suggesting.

Medical news can make you emotionally flooded and it takes a lot of energy to sort through what you are hearing. Mike and I were surprised recently when we both heard the words coming out of the doctor's mouth at the same time in the same room, but we heard two different things. (So ideally one should employ an unemotional scribe as well?) Hey, if you can't laugh through this stuff I don't think that your chances of survival are as good.

Anyway, do not leave someone you love alone in a hospital. Period.