Rained all day and it was a quiet one--until later. Had a delightful time at J.s birthday party, eating two helpings of meat loaf, salmon, scalloped potatoes, cake and ice cream! Ha--all I didn't pile on was the salad I had brought myself. Why eat healthy when you've lost seventy-some pounds and can afford to splurge once in a while?
Got home about 8:30, had my wine, and went to bed. I was awakened a 2:30 with Pat groaning loudly, thrashing his arms and legs around, and sweating profusely. I jumped up, called his name over and over, shook him hard, but after ten minutes, still couldn't wake him. Called 911 and two police officers were here in a few minutes, followed closely by four EMTs.
I won't go into details, but it was a diabetic seizure caused by low blood sugar. They stabilized him with an injection and he became calm and coherent. They were going to take him to the hospital, but he decided against it. They were here for more than an hour, but finally left when he had recovered. The bed was soaked and I took off the top sheet and settled him in. He fell asleep and is still sleeping. I had trouble getting back to sleep, but finally did and awoke after 7:00.
Wider: There's a picture on the front page of my paper--and presumably, just about every other paper in the country--of the sitting president, the president-elect, and the three surviving former presidents. "Presidents Club convenes," it says, and the caption includes O.'s assurance that he's "very grateful" for "the opportunity to get advice, good counsel and fellowship with these individuals...." All five men are smiling broadly, of course.
Now what is this picture intended to convey? Of course, it's meant to emphasize the peaceful continuity of U.S. government--hey, we're no banana republic, the other guys haven't been shot--and the sacred suggestion of by-partisanship. That, we dreamily assume, signifies that our elected officials all work together for the common good. In fact, the caption informs us that the men "came together...to hash over world's challenges." Lucky world!
Now, the cynics among us might see these fine gentlemen as a gang of cutthroats who have systematically led us down the path to ever-accelerating war. The torch of aggression is being passed to the new boy (oops--sorry) man on the block and he's ever so grateful for the chance to develop more venues to kill people.
The cynic might also ask, "Hashing over the world's problems? Who died and left them boss?" But hey, the joke's on them: Lots of people died, millions and millions, including the old, the sick, the women frantic to save their babies, the children screaming in terror--.
Just skip all that, spoil sports. Let's swell with pride to see what we have wrought. All hail to our leaders, past, present and war lords to come!