Food In The Unit?

[iKAZ3D]

Can you bring food into your guys' units? At Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City MO, the are ranting and raving about not bringing in food because "they can't watch out diets".  Wut? Like, do yuh like monitor our diets when we're at home? O_o Don't answer that.  LET ME BRING SOME FRIGGIN STARBURST IN FOR GOD DAMN SAKE. (Yeah, not even starburst).  >> Hospital policy   << ME         



 

[frankswife]

Frank has a bag of jolly ranchers in his locker that he's encouraged to have because of his diabetes and potential hypoglycemia. The head nurse has bowls of candy on her desk she shares with the patients.

[Rerun]

People need to eat a snack especially if they are diabetic.  Our unit has tried that from time to time but people end up "choking" because they are trying to sneak it.  We don't have an ice machine because they say it encourages us to take in fluid.  So they sit and drink in front of us.  It is just a control thing plus if someone eats and pukes they have to clean it up.  It is all about them!  Not us.

         

[chiromac]

I bring food in everyday, I guess I'm lucky, I'm at a clinic that lets us do what ever we need to make the 4 hour stay a little more bearable.   

[smcd23]

My husbands clinic allows food and drink - he usually goes in with a small snack and a Rockstar. When he was still on the Nepro protein shake he didn't bring anything because those would be filling enough, but they stopped those for now.

The last time he was in the clinic (before he tried PD at home) there was a guy there that used to order take out to be delivered while he was in the chair. I have to give the clinic my husband goes to credit - they seem very friendly and with the exception of one awful old nurse very patient focused.

The nurse has given him a hard time for some snacks that were high phosphorus or whatnot, so he just asked for suggestions for things he could have - I think he was taking protein bars that the dietitian approved. Good luck trying to get them to change their minds, I am sure it's challenging.

[iKAZ3D]

I bring food in everyday, I guess I'm lucky, I'm at a clinic that lets us do what ever we need to make the 4 hour stay a little more bearable.   

You'd think a Children's Unit would do the same.

Blasphemy.

[tiredandthirsty]

my clinic allows the patients to bring whatever they want.  they can't get something for us, but the patients can bring whatever.  i take some grapes and light stuff just to avoid drinking during the treatment.  i do carry an iced up bottle of water just in case.  and i drink a protein shake at the start of the treatment.  for which i add another 100 to the goal.

[iKAZ3D]

A nurse "assured me" that the reason you guys have food and we don't is because we're #6 in the world and you're not in Dialysis Units.

[galvo]

Here, at my Unit in Aus, we are provided with a sandwich, biscuits, and a cup of tea/coffee. You can also bring in and consume anything you like. Cakes for birthdays and special occasions are regularly provided. When I was doing evenings HD at my former Unit, people often had dinner delivered such as Chinese, Thai or Pizza.

[geoffcamp]

I've heard about this issue a few times. I guess I'm lucky. I have a great unit (evening shift) and a few of us actually bring dinner in with us. No one has ever given us any grief about it. I do believe they are much stricter in the first 2 shifts. To qualify for our evening shift we have to be stable and have very little issues, most of us on this shift have been in dialysis for many years and tend to be younger patients. I'm totally against the across the board rules some of these units have. We are all individuals and everyone has different needs. Best bet is probably to speak to the unit administrator and plead your case. I always try to have some grapes or something to munch on when I get hungry. Good luck I hope you find a way to meet your needs. G.

[tiredandthirsty]

I've heard about this issue a few times. I guess I'm lucky. I have a great unit (evening shift) and a few of us actually bring dinner in with us. No one has ever given us any grief about it. I do believe they are much stricter in the first 2 shifts. To qualify for our evening shift we have to be stable and have very little issues, most of us on this shift have been in dialysis for many years and tend to be younger patients. I'm totally against the across the board rules some of these units have. We are all individuals and everyone has different needs. Best bet is probably to speak to the unit administrator and plead your case. I always try to have some grapes or something to munch on when I get hungry. Good luck I hope you find a way to meet your needs. G.

i have read too many things about eating heavy on the machine not being a good idea because blood rushes to the stomach area and may cause bp issues.  isn't that correct?  i am too scared to eat anything "heavy" while i am on the machine. 

[KatieV]

When I was doing short daily with the NxStage, because of timing, I always ate dinner while on dialysis.  I never had issues with eating a big meal.  I routinely found myself with a bad case of "the munchies" on dialysis - I would sometimes snack all the way through dialysis, until my husband would cut off the food supply despite all my begging.     Now with Nocturnal, I eat dinner before dialysis.  Even though I'm usually up for a couple hours after hooking up, I don't find myself with the munchies anymore.

[geoffcamp]

I don't eat big meals anymore. Usually something small and fruit. That's about it. Snack on grapes when I'm feeling hungry.

[tiredandthirsty]

Snack on grapes when I'm feeling hungry.

this is my go to item when i feel thirsty.  thank you God for creating grapes. 

[lmunchkin]

John was not allowed to eat when In-Center unless his BP or BS dropped.  They would give him chips for BP & something sweet for BS.

With NxStage, he normally eats before, but if some time restraints, he will eat while dialysising.  He is very good with his intake.

God Bless,
lmunchkin

[Swamp Gator]

Our unit has a rule no food but we can have ice, water or ice water. Most of the patients bring in snacks and eat them and refuse to allow the staff to stop them. I try to follow the rules to the letter but one time I didn't have time to eat before going on so I brought a sandwich with me to eat. I never brought food or snacks with me before. They wouldn't allow me to eat my sandwich. After coming off the machine I had them test my sugar and I was very low and dropping fast.

Now I eat crackers an hour before I come off the machine and they don't say a word about it. Davita's rule is no food, but many of us have to eat a little and legally they can not refuse a diabetic to eat something if they need it.

SG

[Hazmat35]

I got to my in-center treatment right after work!  I get to the center about 2:00 PM and I ALWAYS have a my own cup of ice that I bring with me; one bottle of water (just in case I need it); and some sort of snack, like a Turkey sandwich or something....!  I always take my pills accordingly; and they have NEVER said anything to me! 

Our 'village greeter' goes out quite often; to the local restaurants and gets sandwiches; egg rolls; salads and such for the patients and the staff! 

[thegrammalady]

The only person responsible for watching what you eat is you. Your not 5. I've been on dialysis for 9 years and have always eaten breakfast or dinner. I leave for dialysis at 3pm which is to early to eat and get home around 9pm which is too late.

[kristina]

Half way through my "you know what" a lady usually walks through our unit and she offers each of us a cup of tea or coffee
to a vegetarian salad-sandwich or a meat-sandwich and/or an egg-majonaise-sandwich plus biscuits to go with the tea or coffee.
She is very popular in our unit and I think it very kind and considerate, because after about two hours of "you know what"
I begin to feel a bit "peckish", because it just coincides with my usual time for an evening meal...

[iolaire]

Half way through my "you know what" a lady usually walks through our unit and she offers each of us a cup of tea or coffee
to a vegetarian salad-sandwich or a meat-sandwich and/or an egg-majonaise-sandwich plus biscuits to go with the tea or coffee.

I've seen this in the four non US centers I've visited.  Its a nice perk or me who has/is able to bring my own snacks... 

I have to think the US is too cheap and lacks the staffing to do that.  Most non US centers have many more levels of employees, i.e. someone to map, someone to help setup machines, versus my center were its Techs and a Nurse, then some rotating councilors and dietitians that show up a few times per month.