Hospital Meal from H*%@

[jenb]

My Dad is in the hospital to treat a number of problems and in the course of it all one of his doctors determined that he's a T2 diabetic. (Welcome to the club, Dad).

During my visit last night the nurse brought in his dinner: A 2 ounce piece of sad looking turkey slopped on two hugh slices of bread -no lettuce or tomato-, a big serving of rice pudding and a carton of milk. Not a piece of produce to be found, just starchy carbs from stem to stern. Dad ate dinner late because he'd been undergoing some testing and treatments earlier, so the nurse blamed that ridiculous meal on the kitchen being closed. I went to the cafeteria and there were salads available. The nursing staff really was not on the ball last night.

I took the nurse (who is really very sweet) aside and told her he was NOT to eat that kind of meal again, and to forego the starches in favor of salads and small pieces of fresh fruit. I also asked her to check his BG at two hours so she can see what such a horrible meal does to his blood sugar. Hope she did it. We'll see....

Jen

[sumi]

Good for you, Jen! One person at a time!

[ramon]

Thank God for daughters, we fathers would be nowhere without them. You are Gods reward to a good man. Sneak pops in a few of his favorite snacks and reminisce the good times you had, ITS THE BEST MEDICINE. A family photo on the nightstand will help. With you around I know he will be OK.

[poodlebone]

During my visit last night the nurse brought in his dinner: A 2 ounce piece of sad looking turkey slopped on two hugh slices of bread -no lettuce or tomato-, a big serving of rice pudding and a carton of milk. Not a piece of produce to be found, just starchy carbs from stem to stern. Dad ate dinner late because he'd been undergoing some testing and treatments earlier, so the nurse blamed that ridiculous meal on the kitchen being closed. I went to the cafeteria and there were salads available. The nursing staff really was not on the ball last night.

That does sound like a nasty meal for anyone, even those without diabetes. However, I think the hospital cafeteria and kitchen are two different things. The nurse probably isn't allowed to take food from the cafeteria to give to patients.

It sounds kind of like the meals they give a Type 1 after you've been to the ER for a bad low, minus the turkey. Twice I was brought a big bowl of pasta, bread, milk and probably some other white food. I'd refuse to eat it.

[Dis-N-Dat]

I'm so glad you were there! Seems so sad and puzzling that you have to educate hospital staff. Who designs these "diabetic"menus for sick patients??????

Hope your dad feels well again soon.

[notme]

jen, this seems so sad to me. My Mom was in a nursing care facility and I helped her with her meal one day. I opened the top and it was mac and cheese, roll, a horrible looking rice pudding and a piece of cake and milk. My Mom was not diabetic, but she was overweight and her Mother had diabetes. I cried when I saw what they were feeding her. Her room was at the end of the hall and she was always the last to get her meal, so if they ran out of things, she got what was left. Her meal was always cold.

I had the nurses bring me the head dietitian and I gave her HE-double toothpicks. I was truly angry at how they fed the people at this very nice hospital. I asked the dietitian what they fed their diabetic patients and she said they altered the meals very little. Just made sure they got proper nutrition and no sugar. I left there in tears. My Mom's meals were better in the future, but barely.

This makes me so incredibly sad.

[cyberus]

I'm so glad you were there! Seems so sad and puzzling that you have to educate hospital staff. Who designs these "diabetic"menus for sick patients??????

Hope your dad feels well again soon.

Check out the ADA website if you want to see who is recommending these carb-a-licious menus.

Now while I'm low carb and other people aren't, and whatever works for you is the right answer, I don't think I've seen too many testimonials around here supporting the ADA low fat high carb diet.

[foxl]

I'm so glad you were there! Seems so sad and puzzling that you have to educate hospital staff. Who designs these "diabetic"menus for sick patients??????

Hope your dad feels well again soon.

Not sure, but have a friend in med. who has quite a few pts who are incidentally diabetic, she wonders the same thing about food service, and since knowing me is quite vocal about it!

I wanna know WHY they scrimp on food for patients, of all things ... and on pay for the staff who prepare it! It need not be that way ... really. They simply have a captive audience ... and they take advantage of it.

[ljjhouser]

I agree with Nancy - It is sad. And very dissapointing. I think the worst part of this is that we all (at one time) made the assumption that everything done by medical professionals in a hospital was acceptable and best for us. I now believe that most dietitians should work for a school or convention center where they may feed healthy people - not hospitals where people are there for care because of something not healthy. I was in a VERY NICE, Large top rated (whatever that means) hospital about 3 weeks ago. Heart blockage - 5 stents. My first meal was a breakfast with malt-o-meal, 2 packets of sugar, orange canister (16g sugar) regular smuckers jelly, and white bread toast. I reject it and ask for just a scrambled egg. The nurse called the kitchen, and after she argued with them, the complied.
An hour later - the lady with the computer cart scheduling lunch and dinner - for dinner you can have breaded chicken with french fries. Again, an argument - I asked for a simple hamburger patty. THEN - the threat - "Do you want me to sent the dietition up here???" I said "send anyone you want, but they had better have something a diabetic can eat." She then said, let's move on to you dinner tonight. You will have mashed potatoes and gravy and roast beef. (now remember, at that time I was in the ICU for stents. mashed potatoes and gravy???
I then realized it was not worth the argument. My wife was kind enought to bring food - I had baked brocilli and salmon for dinner and was happy.
CYBERUS is absoutely right. I did visit later with the dietition (who never appeared in the room). She saw no problem with that combination of food, siting again and again the ADA accepted recommendations. I am convinced that she would do very well feeding nutrition to healthy people, but wonder how many diabetics she has convinced that they can eat that stuff without checking BG. I was somewhat suprised when I was brought to the ER and the doctor checked my BG (since they knew I had diabetes) and immediately said - that is the lowest blood sugar I've seen in week. It was 94, not particularilly low. While there, a person appeared four times a day to check my BG. EVERY TIME they said - that is really good. NO Wonder - feed everyone sugar and then test for BG. Ha! Before I left, I made the statement - I don't know why you are checking BG since you feed diabetics sugar. I learned - tell them, stand up for what you have learned is good for you to eat. I hope others are aware of what really goes on. Later, Larry

jen, this seems so sad to me. My Mom was in a nursing care facility and I helped her with her meal one day. I opened the top and it was mac and cheese, roll, a horrible looking rice pudding and a piece of cake and milk. My Mom was not diabetic, but she was overweight and her Mother had diabetes. I cried when I saw what they were feeding her. Her room was at the end of the hall and she was always the last to get her meal, so if they ran out of things, she got what was left. Her meal was always cold.

I had the nurses bring me the head dietitian and I gave her HE-double toothpicks. I was truly angry at how they fed the people at this very nice hospital. I asked the dietitian what they fed their diabetic patients and she said they altered the meals very little. Just made sure they got proper nutrition and no sugar. I left there in tears. My Mom's meals were better in the future, but barely.

This makes me so incredibly sad.

[jenb]

All your stories amaze me! There is so little real understanding of nutrition among medical professionals. Considering the worldwide stats on diabetes, one would think that organizations like Joslin that emphazise a lower-carb approach would be getting much more serious consideration from hospitals and care facilities. It really doesn't seem like too much effort. The dietary guidelines are available literally at the click of a mouse.

The ADA needs to come into the 21st century. I am coming to the opinion that their recommendations are dangerous; I know they are keeping people sick and uncontrolled.

Jen

[jenb]

THEN - the threat - "Do you want me to sent the dietition up here???" .....I had baked brocilli and salmon for dinner and was happy...... I did visit later with the dietition. She saw no problem with that combination of food, siting again and again the ADA accepted recommendations.

Larry, your story almost (but not quite) made me laugh. When I was in the hospital having just been diagnosed with T1, I was given two meals similar to the ones you describe. Having been on the Zone diet for two years, I was already lower-carbing and would not eat the starchy carbs they gave me. I did get a visit from the dietician. He was wonderful. I made the case for the lower carb approach. He said he was going to "school" me on ADA guidelines. Then he closed the door, smiled, and said "don't say you heard this from me, but toss out everthing you just heard about the ADA; stick with your guns and you'll be healthier".

I am so saddened to think that others did not have my experience and could not advocate on their own behalf, AND that the dietician was forced to prescribe a diet that goes against his own experience and logic. What a sorry situation.

Jen

[Granny Shanny]

And so VERY sad that he had to close the door, before he could even confide to you what you both knew to be true. Oh my . . .

[jenb]

That does sound like a nasty meal for anyone, even those without diabetes. However, I think the hospital cafeteria and kitchen are two different things. The nurse probably isn't allowed to take food from the cafeteria to give to patients.

Hi Liz. I would have thought the same thing, but the nurse did, in fact, get the meal from the cafeteria. Tsk, tsk. Maybe I should run a low-carb workshop for nurses.

Jen

[fgummett]

I've seen the same "door closing" with my Doctor... much as she may agree with my approach, she is professionally constrained to be seen to be working within the current official guidelines or risk losing her licence.

[foxl]

My endo seems intent upon schooling me in the ADA way, but ended up resigned to my way of eating ... and she is the person who sees my bloodwork, after all!

I will repeat again, particularly if you are a T2 (or a loved one of a T2) who has been put on metformin, which addresses liver spewage, ASK the high-carb advocating health professionals: "Okay, so I am on this medication, because my liver converts too much protein into carbohydrate, and makes my blood sugar high. And NOW you want me to eat MORE carbohydrate? You are concerned what might happen if I do NOT?"