Wednesday morning (March 12): Dr. Nawaz visits. He shows me X-rays and says “let’s give the pneumonia time to resolve.” White count is 18,000. I watch Laura do physical therapy. She remarks on “how strong my father’s legs are.” At my suggestion they help my father off the bed to a portable toilet. I see how weak he has become. Dr. Schneider comes by to talk with me. He also recommends against intubation should it be needed. “Wasn’t your father diagnosed with Alzheimer’s?” he asks. “It usually doesn’t have more than a 5-year course. Age itself is a major killer. I lost two people in the ER just last week. F Halacha. No, I take that back but if you put him on a respirator you’ll be stuck halachically. Just promise me you’ll know when to take him off.”

Dr. Kariya introduces himself and talks with me about a peg tube for my father. I express surprise that he would need one; he’s been eating and drinking with no problems. Dr. Kariya says “think about it, you don’t have to make a decision yet.” He suddenly changes the subject, telling me that his mother “died in the next room, no, it was two rooms down. It was so peaceful.” This struck me as odd and out of place. In the evening Dr. Shah (a resident) put the Foley back in, saying it would help keep accurate track of urine flow. My father had no food this day other than a half can of Boost in the morning that a nutritionist watched him drink.