Roommate is at least 100 lbs overweight. For breakfast he ordered: 3 milkshakes, linguini, two orders of pancakes, extra syrup, and two cans of Sierra Mist. Lunch: Lasagna, three milkshakes, extra bread and butter, and two cans of Sierra Mist. Dinner: You guessed it—3 milkshakes, 2 orders of linguini with extra sauce, 2 caramel sundaes with extra caramel sauce, and “as many candies as can fit on the tray.”
The roommate is here for heart problems they are unable to diagnose. I listened to the Drs. tell Roommate of the numerous tests they were planning, and the nurses gave him medicine for his acid reflux. He also drank more than the floor’s share of water and every nurse commented on this. But nobody commented on his food intake.
Roommate didn’t walk. He laid in bed all day breathing with an oxygen mask to awaken only to his food. They did get him out of bed once, as he leaned on a walker with three people assisting, as they changed his sheets. Dinner to 1 a.m., the television blared.
Obese. Heart Problems. They are allowing him to gorge himself on food that is killing him. Not only quantity, but type. Do you think this man needs tests to know what is wrong with his heart? I think not.
Nightfall came and rolled toward the midnight hour. The nurse said, “Mr. Roommate, it’s time for your Ambien.”
Ambien? Ambien? Are they kidding? They weren’t kidding and at 2 a.m. I got to experience first hand what this sleeping drug can do. Pilots and Flight Attendants don't take this stuff on the road, and only at home if you have a responsible person with you, when you do.
Enjoy the Journey… until tomorrow.
XOX Karlene
Wow, this is unbelievable! Aren't nurses required to do a nutrition course in school? This is scary, Mr. Roommate doesn't know any better, and that's when the doctors and nurses should let him know that this sundae is killing him slowly... Scary.
ReplyDeleteHave a nutritious week!
I think they are required to, but they don't say anything. Yes... they should let him know. It's really sad. The lack of believe in nutrition in the hospital is scary. I think they try not to correlate the truth of health and food because it might cut them out of business.
DeleteHow unbelievable and how disgusting to eat that much food. I always (wrongly, I guess) thought that cardiac patients were provided with some nutritional counseling so they could possibly help themselves avoid another situation.
ReplyDeleteHope your husband is getting better. Many hugs to both of you. :)
Denise (aka Stealthy Melroy on FB)
Thank you so much Denise! We are all doing better. And this is disgusting. I so wanted to go tell him. But maybe I'll write him a get better card with a message of love to his heart.
DeleteI must save this blog and give it to our Dutch docters to read..hey will shake their heads ans scratch begind their ears...
ReplyDeleteSo much ignorance...
Far too much ignorance. But it is job security if they keep their patients ill. So sad to think that way, but I don't think the specialists focus on what nutrition does for the body. The focus is on how to fix once it's broken. But without optimal nutrition, there is no health.
DeleteFor all the GOP's mis-informed criticism of the British NHS; there's absolutely no way this would be allowed to happen in a UK hospital. It beggars belief and is an extraordinary waste of resource and money.
ReplyDeleteOh Simon, so true! They are way behind the times. They even had my husband eat white bread! This clogged him up and set us back three days of health. No nutrition and just clogged his intestines. Which... we need the inflammation and swelling to go down and keep things moving.
DeleteFortunately today, we have change of shift Doctors and this lady is brilliant!
Ahhh one of the "joys" of hospitals: roommates. I agree that he shouldn't be eating those foods and that he should be taken off as soon as possible. But with his size and heart issues, if they did take him off that meal regiment cold turkey his body may go into shock and may be fatal.
ReplyDeleteActually, his brain would go into shock. I find it interesting that hospitals don't look at good nutrition, or lack of, for health issues. Actually, food is the one thing that can be changed for the better without shock and fatality. Yes... roommates. I have the best. :)
DeleteThey would probably offer him a cigarette and light it for him if he was a smoker!
ReplyDeleteSo stupid.
No doubt. Quite honestly, I think next hospital stay will be at the University of Washington. Hopefully there won't be one! :)
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