........

[Farrar]

I have an old friend on FB who has struggled with health and weight to the point of needing hospitalization yet posts a lot about fast food being eaten. It's... confounding to me. I can only hope that every fast food post is every time it's being eaten because it's such a treat. I can't decide if it's a lack of awareness or a lack of willpower or what.

[Jasperstone]

Sounds totally legit.

You can believe what you want. I know that's what he did for 6 months or more.

 

Your body is created to heal itself. .... you just need to support it with nutrition.

[Guest]

I do totally agree with you. Absolutely yes, for the first part quoted up there. And the second.

 

A coworker was an ovarian cancer survivor. Seven years later, she had breast cancer. When she returned to work following her double mastectomy, she was there with her usual Mountain Dew and Pop Tarts. I think she may have a death wish--or else she's just that stupid. I don't get it at ALL.

She should try juice.

[Jasperstone]

She should try juice.

No, Maccas and chemo are the only answers. Eyes rolling....

[catz]

Honestly, sometimes when people have been ill and haven't eaten for a while, what sounds good and what will go down well is what is safest to try.  Sometimes your body just needs calories. 

 

A family friend's child had leukemia and was on high dose steroids.  She wanted junk - mac and cheese, hot dogs, etc.  Her mom was a whole foods eater, almost vegan, and a gardener.   She took her in to see the hospital nutritionist to see how to get this child fighting cancer's diet cleaned up.  The nutritionist gently said your child's body is letting her know she needs lots of satisfying calories right now and not much is tasting good to her since she is on chemo.  Find a way to make that happen.  She helped her invent smoothies that would taste good, be high fat and protein, and she could sneak a little veg in there.  She started buying "clean" meat, hotdogs, etc etc.  This child has now been cancer free for years.

 

I agree if this is the long term diet for a child with digestive issues and a heart patient, that is a problem.  But if they're just trying to get their digestive systems jump started, I get why they might be accommodating to whatever the patient was willing to try at that point.  With the elderly, it's often hard if not impossible to make huge changes.  I hope the hospital would schedule each of them for a visit with a nutritionist, but I don't think that happens nearly often enough.  We are a family that tries to lean towards a whole food diet to the best of our ability

[hornblower]

No, Maccas and chemo are the only answers. Eyes rolling....

 

seriously? Seriously? There are people on this board now undergoing cancer treatment & having surgery & radiation & chemo & you're going to roll  your eyes at this?

 

Cancer survival has been improving for the past decades & sorry, it's not been because of the Hamilton Beach juicer on every counter.

 

I'm vegan for 3 reasons & one of them is that I'm convinced the evidence for the health benefits of plant based diet is quite strong.  Good diet is important. When you have cancer though, so is that oncologist & the team of researchers behind her who developed your chemo drugs....

[SparklyUnicorn]

I'm reading a book about food storage up in ground freezing in the winter places. It's terribly exciting, but it sounds like a full time job that needs a 20 year apprenticeship to get right, and all you've got is this book.

 

Anyway, not-food items containing neuro-toxins aren't the answer.

 

I'm sure this assumes someone has space though.  Where do you put stuff when you have no space?

[Lolly]

If it's mainly vegetable juice I doubt that was the cause. I never said fruit only.

 

Doesn't have to be fruit only. Most people can't stomach pure/plain veggie juice. And, the veggies that people tend to use make veggie juice palatable are just as sugary as fruit. The fiber and fat involved in food is what keeps blood sugar even. Juice doesn't tend to have a whole lot of those. But, yes, if you were drinking straight vegetable juice (not from root veggies), it would be less of a problem. 

[Jasperstone]

seriously? Seriously? There are people on this board now undergoing cancer treatment & having surgery & radiation & chemo & you're going to roll your eyes at this?

 

Cancer survival has been improving for the past decades & sorry, it's not been because of the Hamilton Beach juicer on every counter.

 

I'm vegan for 3 reasons & one of them is that I'm convinced the evidence for the health benefits of plant based diet are quite strong. Good diet is important. When you have cancer though, so is that oncologist & the team of researchers behind her who developed your chemo drugs....

I'm not mocking those people.... I was rolling my eyes at those mocking juices when I have seen it work etc.... I was saying that Maccas and chemo aren't the answer.. It doesn't take an Enstein to work that out. Seriously.

[mamaraby]

What's wring with juice? A lack of fiber for one.

 

You can believe what you want. I know that's what he did for 6 months or more.

 

Your body is created to heal itself. .... you just need to support it with nutrition.

Naturalistic fallacy or Appeal to Nature (sorry, had to be precise)

 

Sorry, you had my sympathy right up until you claimed that you could treat cancer with juice. I'm glad my dad had radical surgery first and radiation therapy ten years later. It's why my children have their grandpa. It's why I still have my dad.

 

My dh has a coworker who had pretty serious throat cancer that he was lucky to survive. The only thing post treatment that tastes even remotely good to him is a double cheeseburger from McDonalds. As in it's the only thing he can eat that doesn't make him feel ill. I'm not going to judge him for that.

[Farrar]

Because it's always good to be less ignorant about cancer:

http://www.iflscience.com/health-and-medicine/don%E2%80%99t-believe-hype-%E2%80%93-10-persistent-cancer-myths-debunked

[Jasperstone]

Just like when you take a mango off a tree when its small... it doesn't keep growing. ...Why? No more nutrition for it to grow. So too, our bodies need healthy foods to grow and renew its cells.

 

Also, how healthy is a plant grown in bad soil?

[mamaraby]

Oh boy.

[Guest]

Just like when you take a mango off a tree when its small... it doesn't keep growing. ...Why? No more nutrition for it to grow. So too, our bodies need healthy foods to grow and renew its cells.

Yep. We need healthy food to be healthy. No amount of juice will cure cancer.

[mamaraby]

No, but my stress level has greatly imporoved just by venting here :) It was in my head, because I would never say it out loud to the offending parties, and now it's out. Problem solved.

You'll notice that in my post, the bolded part said "letting it get to you" wouldn't be good for your stress levels not "venting about it here."

[Jasperstone]

Yep. We need healthy food to be healthy. No amount of juice will cure cancer.

 

Though it happened to someone I know. So, should I ignore that?

[Guest]

Though it happened to someone I know. So, should I ignore that?

I would.

[Jasperstone]

Okay, sorry for mentioning it.

[Elisabet1]

I know how you feel.

 

I never feed my children fast food. I come from a long line of obese people. But, I am talking a farmer during the depression who was legitimately doing hard farm labor all day long and only ate what she could grow in the garden, being over 300 pounds. We never eat fast food. I never do fried foods and am not really in to meat and such. I go to an endocrinologist where I am on medication (just Synthroid right now, and Metformin) and have an autoimmune problem that attacks my thyroid. I am overweight, but my weight has held steady for 15 years. Meanwhile, my birth sister will not stop eating fast-food and soda. She gets angry that the doctors just don't "get" that she shouldn't be gaining weight. She goes from doctor to doctor trying to "prove" that it is not her fault she is overweight. While she eats fast food for almost every meal and nurses on sodas the entire day long. Multiple times a day, she goes through Sonic and gets a "Route 54, easy on the ice." She is angry the doctors won't give her the mediation they gave me, even though I had actual blood tests that show I have an actual metabolic issue. 

 

Good thing I do not have to speak to her anymore and she is not on my FB for me to see that junk.

 

Did you mention on those pages that perhaps fast food or soda pop is not the best way to nourish someone back to health?

[Jean in Newcastle]

I'm with all the people who said "Wonderful" and other nice things when they heard that two very ill people were now better.

 

 

FWIW, I haven't had applesauce or canned fruit with HFCS in probably 20 years.  I get unsweetened or fruit packed in natural juices.  I wouldn't automatically assume that it was unhealthy.

 

 

[foxbridgeacademy]

First, I totally agree with U.  The food we eat is killing us in so many ways.  We don't have to give up all the fat, salt, sugar (or even HFCS, I like a coke once in awhile) but we need to moderate them and make sure we're eating healthy whole food diets, especially when recovering from an illness.

 

 

My only issue with what you posted is that is was all on FB. Hospital pictures? What an old guy had for lunch?? Is nothing private anymore??

:iagree: People think I'm weird that I'm on FB but don't give daily status updates on EVERYTHING or take a weekly (or for some daily) selfie. Somethings are only meant to be shared within the relative anonymity of TWTM chat forum. 

[ErinE]

After I gave birth to my second I asked DH to go out and get me a double cheeseburger. The kitchen at the hospital was closed so the best they could offer me was a peanut butter sandwich on white bread. That's not going to cut it after giving birth. :laugh:

My "request" was a box of Godiva chocolate. And no, I didn't share them with anyone.

 

ETA: I'm normally a fairly healthy eater, I just wanted fat and sugar ASAP after having a baby.

[Joker]

This thread reminded me of my diabetic grandmother. She followed all the rules for years and years. Then, she just got tired of them. She was in her 80s and told us she was done. She was old, tired and was going to eat what she wanted. She lived several more years and my mom always laughed after the doctor appointments because the doctors would say how impressed they were with her progress (she had been in a wheelchair for a few years but now had more energy) and for us to keep doing what we were doing. What we were doing was let her eat her whatever she wanted which was usually Blue Bell ice cream right out of the carton. People are all so different and what's right for one isn't always right for another.

 

 

[LucyStoner]

When I was a child I had bladder surgery. I recall being really excited because my mom bought me a slurpee afterwards. That was a good slurpee.

 

I'm a pretty healthful eater, anyone seeing the dinner threads may have noted that. But sometimes you just want a slurpee. And that is ok.

[hornblower]

You know, I wanted to say something more because I think my post on p 1 was not as nuanced as I'd like. 

I do think diet is important in prevention of illness and in maintaining health.

I do wish hospitals focused on more nutritious fresh foods.

But when people are seriously ill, getting them to eat anything at all is a struggle. If someone is going through chemo & losing weight & can't keep food down due to endless nausea & suddenly has a craving for donuts & a root beer float, their caregivers damn well better hop in the car & get that food pronto & hope the feeling doesn't pass before they make it back. Yes, provide lots of healthy options but also consider the need to just plain eat.

Also, consider that comfort foods are well, comforting. Someone who is fearful and in pain sometimes needs food that is associated with feelings of safety & comfort. That's ok too.

[*lifeoftheparty*]

.

[AimeeM]

Mmm.

When DS5 was hospitalized for his surgery, one could say he was certainly "sick", or at least "ill".

We turned cartwheels when he was able to keep down any food - even crap food. He wasn't allowed to leave the hospital until he was able to keep something... ANYTHING... down. We were also told, by those people who go to medical school for these things (lol), that then wasn't the time to be picky about WHAT our 15 lb eighteen-month-old son was eating.

[Tanaqui]

Though it happened to someone I know. So, should I ignore that?

 

If it's only one person? Yeah, you should. Maybe it's a fluke. Maybe they were misdiagnosed. Maybe they had other treatments you're not privy to. Maybe they got better because of some other reason neither they nor you know about.

 

[LucyStoner]

After my first son was born and I was cleared for solid foods I wanted pizza and salad. I got neither because my MIL and parents left to get them and came back with sandwiches I didn't like. My husband got me the pizza when they left. After my younger son was born my husband went down to a nice restaurant and brought me back crab cakes, over easy eggs, grits, greens and stopped at a bakery for a chocolate croissant. I had experienced almost 8 months of hypermesis and was finally able to eat. It was a zillion calories and I needed every single one.

[TechWife]

 

A few months ago, an old friend posted asking for prayers for her young daughter who was suffering from stomach troubles/illness. She had lots of abdominal pain, throwing up, etc. for days. She lost a lot of weight, they couldn't figure out what was wrong with her, she ended up having to go to the Children's Hospital for a few days. Personally, I thought it might have something to do with the Body by Vi shakes she was giving her for "added nutrition". Anyways, several days later she posts pics of her in the hospital saying that they still didn't know what was wrong, but she was getting better, and "she was able to keep down some chicken nuggets, fries and a coke!" (Pic was of girl with her happy meal.)

 

Cue all the people with "Praise the Lord!" "That's so great!" "Way to go {child's name}!" and I'm just sitting here dumbfounded. WHO THE HELL gives MCDONALDS to a child who is in the HOSPITAL for being sick????? I just CANNOT understand such ignorance. I really, really, can't.

 

I was that mom. Well, not McDonalds. But, my son was in the hospital for a GI Hemorrhage. He was critically ill. Ten units of blood, one surgery and two days on a ventilator. When he was allowed to eat, he was allowed to eat anything he wanted, per the GI doc (who knows a lot more about the GI system and nutrition than I ever will). Why? Because we needed to see if his system was going to work or if he was going to hemorrhage again. Getting food into him was more important than being picky about what that food was. He was able to order absolutely anything from the cafeteria (he wanted pancakes for his first meal, by the way). When he ate, we celebrated. Why? Because he was alive. Because he was breathing on his own. Because he had an appetite. Because he was holding down food. Because he wasn't bleeding. Because he was alive. 

 

He lost ten pounds while he was sick, and he didn't have any extra weight to loose before he was sick. When we went home, we were explicitly told he was to eat whatever appealed to him and that we weren't to restrict his diet in any way - getting him back to a healthy weight was the most important thing at that point. We chose foods that we always eat, but we indulged him as well. We ate pizza more often and he had milkshakes with ice cream more often, for example. 

 

When you have a  critically ill child, you do what it takes. It has nothing to do with ignorance and everything to do with living. 

[IsabelC]

I agree. It's eye popping!

 

But I agree with what others have said too.

 

We don't know what instructions the child's health professionals gave regarding diet. We don't know exactly how the family was feeling and how well they were coping (perhaps after no sleep for a couple of days even buying and fixing a simple salad or sandwich meal was beyond the parents' capacity). We don't know whether the kid eats junk most days or whether that was the first time they ever had junk because the parents were so darn relieved that they wanted to celebrate.

 

The best cure for Other Parents Doing it Wrong is to go hug your own children, make them a super nutritious meal if you like, and be thankful that you have both the knowledge and the means to do that for them.

 

(Oh, and you can be pretty darn sure that somewhere, somebody is venting about something you did that they think is appalling ;) )

[Tohru]

What does JAWM, JAWY, and JAWU mean?

 

I've tried googling and I don't think the content is correct for this thread.

[Tanaqui]

You know, sometimes when I'm in a grocery store I smugly compare my cart of kale and turnips to the cart in front of me which is all chicken nuggets and chubby drinks. It makes me feel good to say "Yeah, I'm better than that woman!" (I pretend she's judging me too, so I don't feel guilty about this behavior.)

 

And sometimes I'm on my period, and the girls have been fighting and squabbling all day, and it's rainy, and my cart has nothing but three bags of chips and two cartons of ice cream and I *know* it's gonna be pizza for dinner, and after I leave the store I'm stopping by the corner store for Mexican Coca-cola, and I just hope nobody sees me packing it into my reusable bags. (At these moments, I tell myself that nobody really cares.)

 

These past two months have been kinda awful. We endured a huge bout of kid headaches - bad enough that we actually went and had the older kid get an MRI. (Perfectly normal.) We had orthodontic extractions - four teeth from one child (grown-up teeth), six from the other (babies). We had braces put on. We had intestinal illness. And every one of these things impacted the kids' desire or ability to eat actual foods. The one thing we are very certain of is that not eating on a consistent schedule is a migraine trigger.

 

So, yeah, we've been eating Chef Boyardee and Jello and Chinese food and more McDonald's than I care to admit, because the kids cried at the prospect of more soup or lentils and we thought cheeseburgers might be soft enough for them to eat if they were cut up small. We've spent a small fortune on box cereal and yogurt for breakfasts. I'm not very proud of it, but you know, at a certain point it's junk or nothing, and I'd rather have the junk.

 

You can't change other people. It is very possible that they're just doing the best they can, because any food is better than no food.

 

Or maybe they don't know better. That's frustrating, but that's not their fault. People aren't responsible for their own lack of education. Our whole society doesn't help people learn how to feed themselves.

[Tanaqui]

I believe it's Just Agree With $PRONOUN.

[IsabelC]

You know, sometimes when I'm in a grocery store I smugly compare my cart of kale and turnips to the cart in front of me which is all chicken nuggets and chubby drinks. It makes me feel good to say "Yeah, I'm better than that woman!" (I pretend she's judging me too, so I don't feel guilty about this behavior.)

 

I believe that there's no need to feel guilty about making snap judgments. We all make them sometimes. (I have more than once caught myself thinking unkind and unfair things about mothers who deliberately wean their babies before age two. Go on, flame me!).

 

The important thing is that we can apply our 'higher brain' attributes of logic and empathy and then make a good choice either to respond kindly and respectfully or to keep out of other people's business, whichever is appropriate to the situation. 

 

Ps - assuming that by chubby drink, you meant a drink that will make me chubbier if I drink it, but I am visualizing drink in a Venus of Willendorf shaped bottle 

 

pps - I hope your family is feeling better now after all the headaches, toothaches, etc

[SKL]

Well, here's an example from my life.  My friend had a chronic cough and I was concerned.  She went to the doctor and he tried this and that.  He specifically told her that her lifelong smoking habit was NOT the problem and she need not consider quitting.  After several rounds of this antibiotic and that antibiotic, she was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer.  She died on my 40th birthday.

 

She was an intelligent woman and very close to her mother who was A NURSE.  She and her mom used to exchange cigarette cartons at Christmas.

 

She wasted away and died in her mom's living room.

 

Lotta SMH going on that year.

[Tanaqui]

No, by Chubby Drinks I mean this, but even cheaper. They come in translucent plastic barrels, and they're banned in this house not because they're horrifically gross (which they are) or even because of the food coloring (all things with food coloring are banned, but this is the one ban I'll get upset about), but because they're just soooooo tacky and declasse and NO. So it's irrational. Whatevs. Adult privileges.

 

pps - I hope your family is feeling better now after all the headaches, toothaches, etc

 

Well, today we managed some real solid food after the braces, so I think we're on the upswing. I just hope that it's not this bad every time the bands get tightened.

 

 

[IsabelC]

OK, I have never seen Chubbys before. Maybe we aren't "lucky" enough to have them here yet.

 

Yay for resumption of solid food.

 

 

Re smoking, I have noticed that nurses seem to smoke a lot as a group compared to other professionals. Maybe due to the stress of their jobs?

 

[Rosie_0801]

I'm sure this assumes someone has space though.  Where do you put stuff when you have no space?

 

Under the kitchen table.

 

They did say that in the book, but that's where I kept my books when I lived somewhere big enough for a kitchen table. :p

[SparklyUnicorn]

What's wring with juice? A lack of fiber for one.

 

 

I might get flamed, but I'd actually rather my kid drink a diet soda than juice.  Lot of calories and sugar in juice.  And not enough nutritional value to cancel that out.

 

I buy juice once in a blue moon.  I consider it an indulgent treat.

[SparklyUnicorn]

Under the kitchen table.

 

They did say that in the book, but that's where I kept my books when I lived somewhere big enough for a kitchen table. :p

 

Under the kitchen table?!  LOL  We do have a basement, but it's like a dungeon.  Not the sort of place you want to store anything.

 

When it's cold enough I store some stuff on the front enclosed porch.  It's like a fridge in winter. 

[Laura Corin]

You all need to come to Mexico when you're sick.  Best hospital food ever.  

 

When I gave birth to Calvin in London, I signed up for the Halal food, which came from a local restaurant.  Anything rather than eat the hospital food.  And at least it had some fibre in it and some flavour to it.

[Okra]

Personally, 

I have been shocked at what the hospital calls "diabetic meals".  I have to wonder about the nutritionists that work at the hospital.

 

 But, yes, I completely agree with you!

 

Another aside is parents who have kids that "are so picky and won't eat anything but……"  What the heck?  It seems that their kid doesn't eat something once, and then they never encourage the said child to try again.  

 

Do parents not accept any personal responsibility for if their children only eat junk, that the children will eventually later in life (or earlier in life) have health issues related to diet?

 

 

[scootiepie]

 

A few months ago, an old friend posted asking for prayers for her young daughter who was suffering from stomach troubles/illness. She had lots of abdominal pain, throwing up, etc. for days. She lost a lot of weight, they couldn't figure out what was wrong with her, she ended up having to go to the Children's Hospital for a few days. Personally, I thought it might have something to do with the Body by Vi shakes she was giving her for "added nutrition". Anyways, several days later she posts pics of her in the hospital saying that they still didn't know what was wrong, but she was getting better, and "she was able to keep down some chicken nuggets, fries and a coke!" (Pic was of girl with her happy meal.)

 

 

It sounds like a Happy Meal was the least of her concerns.    She could have been on the verge of needing a feeding tube or TPN.  

 

You can't get a more refined diet than that.....  yet it is a lifesaver.

[Spryte]

You know, I wanted to say something more because I think my post on p 1 was not as nuanced as I'd like. 

 

I do think diet is important in prevention of illness and in maintaining health.

 

I do wish hospitals focused on more nutritious fresh foods.

 

But when people are seriously ill, getting them to eat anything at all is a struggle. If someone is going through chemo & losing weight & can't keep food down due to endless nausea & suddenly has a craving for donuts & a root beer float, their caregivers damn well better hop in the car & get that food pronto & hope the feeling doesn't pass before they make it back. Yes, provide lots of healthy options but also consider the need to just plain eat.

 

Also, consider that comfort foods are well, comforting. Someone who is fearful and in pain sometimes needs food that is associated with feelings of safety & comfort. That's ok too.

 

I liked this so much, it needed to be said again.  Of course people should eat healthful food, but if someone is seriously ill - this kind of seriously ill - there are times we just need to feed them anything they will eat.  When my best friend was dying, and I was her primary caregiver, you can bet that if she craved a Starbucks stale chocolate croissant, I was the one in the car grabbing that treat.  And sometimes she even ate a bite or two before it was too much.  Sometimes she only ate a bite or two to be kind because I'd gone and gotten it, but the craving had passed.  That Starbucks treat was packed full of junk calories and bad nutrition, but her team of specialists didn't care - they just wanted her to eat *something.*

 

I will agree though, that hospital food is terrible.  And they have no clue how to feed a child with multiple food allergies at our local hospital, which completely blows my mind.  How can that kitchen not understand the concept of cross contamination??  

[SparklyUnicorn]

Personally, 

I have been shocked at what the hospital calls "diabetic meals".  I have to wonder about the nutritionists that work at the hospital.

 

 

I've been shocked at what some dietitians call a diabetic diet.  My sister is under the impression she can eat whatever she wants so long it's not too much of it.  So pasta, rice, fat free sugary yogurt comprises much of her diet, but in small quantities.  No wonder she can't control her sugar levels at all. 

 

I do get that sometimes dietitians work within the reality that a lot of people aren't going to always follow their advice so they probably figure go with the lesser of two evils and emphasize "not too much", but hello I can't see how stuff like rice, pasta, and sugary yogurt in any quantity is going to be great for a diabetic. 

[Spryte]

I've been shocked at what some dietitians call a diabetic diet.  My sister is under the impression she can eat whatever she wants so long it's not too much of it.  So pasta, rice, fat free sugary yogurt comprises much of her diet, but in small quantities.  No wonder she can't control her sugar levels at all. 

 

I do get that sometimes dietitians work within the reality that a lot of people aren't going to always follow their advice so they probably figure go with the lesser of two evils and emphasize "not too much", but hello I can't see how stuff like rice, pasta, and sugary yogurt in any quantity is going to be great for a diabetic. 

 

Yes, we've got diabetics in our family who tell us that they've been told they can eat "whatever they want" as long as they do it in small amounts.  

 

When we mention not eating pasta, white potatoes or bread (along with sugar, of course) was how my mother got her diabetes under control to the point that the doc says she's no longer diabetic... they look at us like we have two heads.  

 

Then they wonder why they are having severe issues due to uncontrolled blood sugar.   :001_huh: I think they are simply in denial.  It's sad.

[SparklyUnicorn]

Yes, we've got diabetics in our family who tell us that they've been told they can eat "whatever they want" as long as they do it in small amounts.  

 

When we mention not eating pasta, white potatoes or bread (along with sugar, of course) was how my mother got her diabetes under control to the point that the doc says she's no longer diabetic... they look at us like we have two heads.  

 

Then they wonder why they are having severe issues due to uncontrolled blood sugar.   :001_huh: I think they are simply in denial.  It's sad.

 

I honestly think some people don't know and don't realize that carbs can be as bad as sugar.  My mother would buy sugar free cookies, etc. and assume that's fine and she isn't contributing to being unable to control her blood sugar levels because she isn't consuming sugar.  This was awhile ago and I hope things have changed for the better, but she was  advised to eat stuff like a sandwich on white bread with fat free mayo.  The focus was fat.  Fat was the enemy.  Sugar was the enemy.  But not carbs.  Carbs are fine.  Good grief.

[unsinkable]

I liked this so much, it needed to be said again. Of course people should eat healthful food, but if someone is seriously ill - this kind of seriously ill - there are times we just need to feed them anything they will eat. When my best friend was dying, and I was her primary caregiver, you can bet that if she craved a Starbucks stale chocolate croissant, I was the one in the car grabbing that treat. And sometimes she even ate a bite or two before it was too much. Sometimes she only ate a bite or two to be kind because I'd gone and gotten it, but the craving had passed. That Starbucks treat was packed full of junk calories and bad nutrition, but her team of specialists didn't care - they just wanted her to eat *something.*

 

I will agree though, that hospital food is terrible. And they have no clue how to feed a child with multiple food allergies at our local hospital, which completely blows my mind. How can that kitchen not understand the concept of cross contamination??

I am very sorry to hear about your best friend. And it is lovely how tenderly you cared for her at the end of her life.

 

I have no doubt that lifeoftheparty and the vast majority of the people in this thread would understand there are circumstances where nutrition concerns go out the window.

[Luanne]

We have three hospitals near us.  Two of them my mother stayed at earlier this year and one of them I stayed overnight at in July.  The two my mother stayed at had awesome food.  We would go down to the cafeteria at both of them just so we could eat their food.  It was that good.  The one I stayed at had awful food.  I was glad I was only there overnight and could go home and eat something edible.