Day 4 was, sorry to say, rather like 2 and 3; but today things seem to have turned a corner. Ivan feels better, and has shed the most aggravating of his various tubes; he took a shower, read the papers, and plans to watch the debate (maybe a bad idea?). Tomorrow he'll begin a liquid diet. It remains for his innards to begin functioning fully again. This is taking a little longer than expected, so the ETA for his homecoming is now Friday.

He still can't talk much without hiccupping, but will have lots to say--on the sociology of hospitals for starters--once he's posting his own blogs again. Looking forward to it!