I went into the hospital and talked to them about Celiac

[glorya]

I got gluten I even talked to the head of cooking. I was bad
with a whole new knee and bloody runs, they did not think I got it from them, and would not let me leave untill I ate their dam food. I have to go into the saMe place the end of Jan.08 The next knee. I have to be their three days. I need to see if the doctor call pull strings? Just came home Friday evening. I am just starting to feel a little better. Mad as hell!
I know everyone here can understand this. My bottom feels like a razor.
glorya
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I am a celiac, and am glutenfree, and I enjoy the forum, I love reading new sites, all the time. I would love have comments also.Forgive
me for asking alot of questions? You are all very helpful. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.

[mrsppmrxky]

The hospital I was in was really pretty good about the food issues. However, there were a few mistakes and they corrected them IF I brought it to their attention.

My room had a box of food that my husband I took to the hospital. I had packed meals and had them in a cooler. They were frozen in those Rubbermaid 4/$2 boxes. that have a division in them. The nurses station had a refrigerator and microwave that they told us to use.

We even had to take drinks for MrP to have, so We had our water bottles, snacks, fruits and meals.

I now with the knee, that might not be possible, but if you could freeze ahead some safe foods and then have a family member to help you get the food items it might help prevent the problem.

I even kept asking about any meds that were delivered if they wer GF. My dr. was very helpful in this area.

I pray that you get well soon!
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[ostrich]

I would simply refuse to eat the food until you knew it was safe. I suppose you could always threaten them with legal action if they don't make sure your food is GF.
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Ostrich :>--O==={

I lie below, you float above
In the pretty white ships that I am dreaming of

[The Edifying Conscience]

There's no way one can know if the food is perfectly safe until after its eaten. Even with the best precautions accidents happen.

I would prepare meals in my home and freeze them as Mrs. P suggested. Then have a visitor or the nurse warm them up for me in the microwave on the nurse's floor.

[forinajoy]

When Ina was in the hospital for a week a few years ago....a very sick little girlie...she had chicken pox, cellulitis, scarlet fever, strep throat and a fever of 105.4 Upon learning of her CD, they sent a dietician to talk to me and I felt really good about her understanding of Ina's dietary needs (GFCF) .....BUT when the first meal came there was a piece of toast right on top of her poached eggs.....I became very upset to say the least...but I somehow managed to keep my cool (a little) and asked to speak to the dietician again...she profusely apologized....and from there on out she personally delivered all of Ina's meals...prior to each meal, she called to ask exactly Ina wanted to eat...she said "forget the menu, just tell us what she is hungry for and we will try to fix it"...I was very pleased with her efforts... Ina's appetite was poor and the only thing she was really hungry for was baked cod....lol...so she had baked cod at least two meals a day...they put it in it's own individual casserole dish, seasoned it with salt, pepper, garlic and fresh parsley and Ina said it was good....I couldn't bring Ina's meals, b/c this was not a planned hospital visit and once I was in the room I was not allowed to leave as we were quarantined b/c of the chicken pox....I guess the best advice that I can give is to try to make friends with the head dietician...don't know if that will work, but you can at least try...and you really need your Dr. on your side...with STRICT orders as to your diet
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Connie, mom to Ina, 13 y/o with CD

[GFPolarBear]

Is it possible to have the doc prescribe the GF diet specifically? (I know we are already pretty much in that status anyway, but having a specific script on file for it *might* help?) Do you have an official DX, and would the GI who did the offical DX be willing to do that or otherwise work with the hospital?

Otherwise, I'd follow TEC's advice keep a stash of GF food and refuse to eat the hospital food.

That's just horrible.

[cultureslayer]

Talk with the dietitian ahead of time. Explain what happened, and that things will have to be different this time. Offer to bring your own food next time, and if they refuse make sure then know the level of care that will be needed when preparing your food.

It's way easier to deal with people before hand, when you aren't on the good meds.
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Lauren
Pain is inevitable; suffering is optional.

[WestWalker]

In the hospital stays over the past several years, I didn't have success until I had several people being an advocate for me and insisting on action. This last stay, the dietician met with me everyday and went over meals with me. The first meal was glutened by cook staff etc but the dietician profusely apologized and really started knocking heads in the kitchen. The meals were bland but they even bought organic and made special runs to the store to get GF products.

I had a harder time tracking down the gluten status of medications and the pharmacy staff were frustrated because they could not get straight answers from the pharmaceutical companies. So they made adjustments to meds as needed or just didn't give them to me (which actually saved money in the long run)(they always try to over medicate).

Have a friend or family member be an advocate for you and watch like a hawk. Make friends with everyone - because they can become nasty enemies very easily. And demand to work with the dietician and pharmacist. My doctors ignore my Celiac issue as always with a nod and a u-huh etc. I wouldn't depend on them at all.

[Ghost_Hunter]

I spent a few days in the hospital a few years ago and I think they glutened me a couple of times. At the time I was naive about just trusting them to know what was safe and I didn't think to be real proactive about it.

One instance I caught before eating it because they delivered me a meal with a yummy looking, very fluffy piece of cake, which I just knew was not GF. When I brought it up they were very apologetic, but it really opened my eyes.

I think if I have to spend time in the hospital in the future I will try and have my husband bring me food to eat. Just to be on the safe side.

[plain_old_donut]

I agree that you should talk to the dietician and kitchen manager ahead of time, but that will only work if they care and are willing to learn about the gf diet.

Dad's last hospital stay was wonderful. The dietary staff had just received training on the gf diet, and were very excited to talk to someone with some practical knowledge.

But...on prior hospital stays (same hospital, different staff), the gf diet was a completely foreign concept, and no one had any interest in learning about it. At that time, we were not as knowledgeable ourselves, especially about cross contamination. (That was before we discovered this wonderful resource.) We brought in a little food, and trusted the hospital to do their best, and Dad suffered the consequences.

If you don't get a good reception from the dietician and kitchen manager, or if you still feel like they don’t “get it”, speak to the CEO of the hospital. Let him know what happened last time, and that you expect to receive better treatment next time. (When I had to write to the hospital CEO for another reason, I first listed some of the things that the hospital did well, and that I knew the hospital wanted to give the best service to its patients. Then I went on to explain the problems that I faced during my visit, and closed with another compliment and assurance that I knew they would give prompt attention to my situation, because of their commitment to continually improve their service. My situation was handled quickly, and I had a favorable outcome.)

Good luck. And my prayers are with you for a quick recovery.
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Donna - Daughter to Eli, diagnosed with CD in 1968,
and wife to Jim, self-diagnosed with corn allergy in 1977.