Anonymous Doctor

Sometimes the family members provide even better stories than the patients.

My attending told us a story. He goes into one patient's room to tell his wife that visiting hours are over and unfortunately she needs to leave for the night. They're very old-- they've both got some degree of dementia, neither one is in very good shape. She's sitting at the bedside, stroking the patient's leg.

"I don't want to leave," she says. "My husband needs me, he gets very anxious when I'm not here, I need to calm him down, won't you please let me stay?" as she continues to stroke his leg.

"Ma'am," says the attending, "your husband is in the other bed."

Oops.

Merry Christmas.