Whom do I ask about hospital details?

[ponygirlmom]

I will probably be having my surgery this summer. I have other medical problems that affect my what I can eat. I want to have everything in place so that when I can eat, I'm not faced with a choice of poison #1 and poison #2. Whom do I contact about this?

 

[Susan BAV]

You could probably start by talking with your surgeon and/or your surgeon's office staff about it. They'll probably know what you should do. I actually got a really helpful packet of information pre-op from my surgeon's office that covered all kinds of things. But you're probably not going to have much of an appetite anyway though.

By the way, welcome to the site; glad you found it. Take care .

 

[ALCapshaw2]

Have you selected a surgeon yet?

If so, start with his office. He will want to know EVERYTHING that could affect your recovery and the Doctors 'run the show'. Once he's 'on board', he, or his staff, will see that you get what you need or put you in contact with whoever you need to advise of your 'special needs'.

'AL Capshaw'

 

[Jkm7]

Keep in mind that most Cardiac Care Units serve heart healthy meals. The food service carefully follows the type of diet your doctors order for you. The same as they state your medications, they state what form of diet you should be served...... low salt, low saturated fat etc Of course, if you have food allergies etc, you should make that known at your pre-op workup in the hospital and to your surgeon. Food allergies can sometimes indicate potential for certain medication allergies.

 

[Philip B]

Food & Menus

Food & Menus

At some point in the admissions pocess, I remember being asked about food allergies. I can't remember if anyone in my surgeon's office asked about it.

Hopefully, your hospital operates like the one I was in. I ordered my meals from a menu every day. Initally, the wanted me to order from a special cardio diet menu; however, that lasted about one day. I was ordering from the regular menu on day two.

The downside to eating after surgery is that your taste sense will be screwed-up.

-Philip

 

[ponygirlmom]

The surgeon orders the type of diet you are to be given, so talk to him.....

I hope you're right about that! That would definitely be the easiest way to go, having the doctor give nutritional orders. Someone else mentioned an emphasis on "heart healthy" meals. That would be good because it sounds like fresh food -- I could get things without the artificial flavorings/sweetners/colors that make me sick. That's what worries me the most, because those things are hidden everywhere. I also can't have nuts and dairy, but I'm pretty sure a hosptial would be VERY careful about nut allergies because for some people they are dangerous.

I'm sure that whomever said I probably won't be interested in eating is right! However, I assume that I'll be eating SOMETHING during the entire week I'm supposed to be in the hospital. This hospital's cafeteria has a good track record with food I'm fine eating, so I'm hoping the patient food is the same.

When my daughter was in the hospital we found that there was plenty of food choices.... if the foods you choose to serve your child are all junk. And this was in a CHILDREN'S hospital! It was okay for a few days, but when a kid goes on strike against "fast food" you know you have a menu problem. We ended up bringing in our own healthy food from home. (She was there for a while.) There was a fridge on the floor for that purpose. Did any of you do that while you were in the hospital?

 

[Bryan B]

I remember during my pre-op visit any and all possible issues after the surgery were discussed including food and drug allergies, current and past medical conditions, current medications, allergies to certain products like adhesives or latex that they may use, pretty much everything. If they don't ask bring it up with your surgeon or his staff. Most of my pre-op I was talking with his staff and hospital staff...then my surgeon came in at the end and we sat and talked about everything that was going to happen. It's always helped me to make a list of questions or concerns I have so I won't forget to bring them up when I'm speaking with a doctor, or in this case a surgeon. I do this because when I'm in that situation I usually look like a deer in the headlights.



I just thought of one more thing. I also remember being visited by Clinical Dietitian as soon as I was transferred to the step down unit to discuss the diet the surgeon ordered and make sure there wasn't any information they were not aware of.

 

[ponygirlmom]

I just thought of one more thing. I also remember being visited by Clinical Dietitian as soon as I was transferred to the step down unit to discuss the diet the surgeon ordered and make sure there wasn't any information they were not aware of.

Cool! I hope the dietitians at my hospital are as caring as the ones at yours.