Eating Raw in the Hospital

Recently I had to stay for two nights in the hospital for observation and testing when I had abdominal pain. It proved to be...well...and interesting experience. I brought along a bunch of bananas and apples in case of "emergency", and thank God I did.

The first night, the dinner was ridiculously small, and all full of refined carbs. This was their idea of healthy food for a pregnant woman with gestational diabetes. I looked over their diabetic menu choices for the following day, and was appalled...potatoes, muffins, white toast...pure garbage for anyone, but for diabetics?! Sheesh! And the amount of food they gave was less than I feed my five year old...and he's not a big eater.

After being promised a visit from the nutritionist (who didn't show up til the next day) I was so starving, I spent the night constantly snacking on the only food available in the snack kitchen on the floor...saltines, graham crackers, peanut butter and jelly, bread (white and "wheat"), refined cereals, and ice cream. I've seen healthier food choices at McDonald's! When the nutritionist finally showed up the next day, she promised to order me two big, extra snacks every day, and put in the computer that my carb counts wouldn't be as limited (otherwise fruit would be out of the equation, and fruit and salad were my only choices there). That day I had enough food, and it was all raw.

The third day, I was served one orange and a teeny tiny bowl of rice krispies. Hello? I ordered two oranges, two bananas, and a salad! My one year old eats more than they brough me. I wanted to cry. I called my nurse, who never came, then called down to the kitchen. By that time I was so hungry, I just wanted to be full, so I ordered pancakes, an orange, some juice and milk, and some yogurt. They said that the yogurt would put me over on my carb limit. I was irritated...I wasn't supposed to have a low carb limit anymore!

After waiting over an hour and a half, they finally brought me ONE SINGLE small pancake, some milk, and some yogurt. I broke down. I was SO hungry and stressed out, I cried my eyes out. I ended up, once again, eating peanut butter crackers and ice cream from the snack kitchen. I was so frustrated, I forgot I even had the fruit I brought with me, and just ate junk.

The next week, I mentioned my frustration to my o.b. nurse at a check-up. She gave me the number of a coordinator for the maternity ward, and suggested I speak to her. I may do that, but at this point, I'm not taking any chances. When I go in for the delivery, I plan to take a plug-in cooler full of food.

I thought ordering meals ahead of time from the raw food restaurant might be a good idea, but I don't know if they'll taste old the next day, and it would be outrageously expensive. I think I will get some pre-made salads from Wal-mart (not organic, but big, cheap and better than hospital food), some cut-up food in containers, that I can mix into fruit salads, and some pre-blended smoothies and fruit juices, for immediately after the surgery when I can't have solids yet. I may have my husband pick up some fresher juices and some wheatgrass juice from the health food store on the second and third day when he visits.

Moral of the story: no matter what they promise, don't trust hospital staff to care enough to get your requests right. They're more worried about leaving for home on time, and may forget to do what they've promised. Meanwhile, the kitchen will close down and you will go hungry. Be prepared and bring your own!!