Recovery from serious illness is rarely totally linear. Last night Keith didn't sleep very well and that is bad news when you have Parkinsons. He saw the SALT lady today, but unfortunately his swallowing isn't up to scratch yet, and when she gave him a drink with only one measure of thickener, he coughed a lot afterwards which apparently shows that his swallow reflex is still weak. Not surprising, since he has hardly been swallowing anything due to the wallpaper paste drinks and he's back on a drip again too to build his fluids up. He said that the Dr this morning was an arrogant barsteward too, so that wasn't a good start to the day.
Anyway, a positive with the food after the SALT lady suggested he tried eating a banana - we had some small ones I'd bought in. He ate one with no problems and a good swallow reflex, so is now off the hideous pureed meals (think stiffer wallpaper paste, with colours and shapes) and allowed to eat soft food again. Hopefully he can have scrambled eggs regularly to help sustain him. I ordered him a jacket potato with cheese for his tea - it was the least offensive (to him!) of what was on offer as no way would he eat Spag. Bol. or Curry!
I stayed 3 1/2 hrs but wanted to stay there to comfort him till teatime but he desperately needed to sleep. I hope he will be better tomorrow. He wanted to hear he could go home soon so is very disappointed that he can't.
Those ''foods'' are weird and so nasty. The molds are ridiculous, as if that would make the glop acceptable. Have you considered jarred baby food? It is pureed and quite tasty. I hope he does well w soft foods you bring him. Curry and Spag Bolognese may be too spicy on a more or less empty stomach so maybe that's good. What about things like mashed potatoes, w some cheese maybe--or shepherds pie?
ReplyDeleteMy mom finally lost the swallow reflex and had to have the surgically implanted stomach tube. It was awful, she really suffered; they offered us no alternative tho. Let's pray Keith is stronger. [my mom did not have Parkinson's, was just frail, depressed, etc]
You'd think a person in hospital , so hungry, would eat anything offered, but I recall having a real angry set to w a dietician, where I asked for applesauce and instead every day they sent a banana. I told her I'd starve before I d eat a banana ---or fish, they'd sent tuna salad often. No, just no. So I do understand Keith's refusals. [my family had to bring in food and drinking water there, so awful.]
Take care of yourself. Your gardening adventures sound lovely. I so envy your early spring.
lizzy
Nothing would make these foods palatable to my mind. Keith is a very fussy eater so anything with rice/onion/garlic/pasta/tomato/unidentified green bits (!) etc in is a non-starter. All my married life, 90% of the time we have eaten different meals. He likes very plain food. No flavourings. He wouldn't even have a stew if he saw me make it up with a vegetable stock cube!
DeleteI haven't been eating well either, from anxiety, so know that once you have shrunk your stomach a bit, appetite is easily conquered. Hospital food in the main is pretty abominable but this plastic food is just beyond. I am going to cook things up at home to take in now he can have the soft foods.
Sorry to hear about your mum. I think if Keith got to that stage he would just let go.
It's still one step forward...
ReplyDeleteYou have no idea how much those five words have helped me tonight gz. Thank you.
DeleteI keep telling that to Pirate..and myself!
DeleteThose pre-shaped plates of "food" are awful. I don't understand how hospitals draw up their menus. Having curry and spag bol on offer together is just bizarre. Years ago I was served up a dish of plain steamed cauliflower for no other reason than I was a vegetarian and they couldn't cope with it.
ReplyDeleteI concur wholeheartedly that Keith needs his sleep. I am lucky if I sleep three hours at night but then I sit down in the day and wake up an hour later either drenched in tea or face down in my art work or on the computer. Last week I went to sleep during my Zoom Tai Chi class.
Let's hope they send him home soon. All you can do is just keep swimming.
Oh the memories of hospital food when I was in hospital when no1 son arrived...after so many egg meals the sister marched back to the kitchen herself...and came back with veg and bean curry...bliss!! The following nappy was "interesting"...and he still likes curry 43 years on...
DeleteWell, they were separate meals! Or you could have a sandwich (for a main meal?) or jacket spud, which is what Keith had and probably didn't eat as he doesn't like them microwaved . . . Poor you and the "veggie option".
ReplyDeleteI am sat here quietly fuming tonight as I know (from Keith's description of him) that the Dr upset Keith this morning. I will ask K what he said tomorrow. Meanwhile, I just want to be there with him all the time, fighting his corner.
Gz said it. Every step forward counts.
ReplyDeleteYuch, that moulded foods just do not look appetizing at all. I do not blame Keith for not eating them at all. Hopefully his swallowing reflex comes back quickly. Glad that he could eat the banana at least.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
I'm praying for two steps forward today for Keith and a calm time for you.
ReplyDeleteThat food is abhorrent, how dreadfully sad the most important thing for our health is reduced to that. As another has said on here, organic, I used to use Hipp if it’s still around , baby food would be far better and at least have nutrients in it. Pick the labels off, K needs fuel for strength it’s not the time for him to nitpick about what might be in it. How sad too the Dr has been offhand with him. Dearie me J x somehow you must keep going, time outside will be worth its weight in gold for you at the moment, even a snatched cup of tea stood under a tree in the (if it’s like here ) drizzle will work a little of the magic that being back in the natural world does to us. Enormous hugs dear friend x xx Danette
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