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Hospital Food Two
Since Friday my Mom has had an infection, a fall and a stroke. Her life has turned upside down and mine along with it. Last week she was cooking her own meals, doing her own grocery shopping and talking about finances and the grandchildren. Now she cannot move her right arm or leg. She cannot speak. But she can think. She is very much aware of what is happening to her and there is a frantic look in her eyes.
I have been with her since Friday. I spend the days in her hospital room. The timing on starting my own business was providential. I can sit here with my laptop on the hospital’s wireless network working just as hard as if I were at home. Later this week we will be moving her to a nursing home/rehabilitation center near where I live. She is not going to like this one bit.
I wrote a blog about hospital food nine months ago when my Dad was in this same hospital. This time around is even harder because I am alone. Last time Mom and I went to the hospital cafeteria together. Last time we went home together after a day watching him.
The first night I went to the cafeteria confident that I could get a good meal because there were so many vegetables when Dad was here. What a disappointment. They had baked chicken. But the vegetable choices were fried jalapeños, rice, mashed potatoes, fried corn and broccoli. I took the chicken and broccoli. How can that many starchy, fried items pass for vegetables?
Since then the vegetables have been much better. I have been able to get plenty of beneficial food. My stress level is high. This is more responsibility than I want, but it is a labor of love I am willing to bear. I get up in the morning and exercise first thing. Then I have breakfast, do my Bible study, and get a shower. I’m as ready for the day as I can be.
Lunch and dinner are meats and vegetables - as many beneficial as possible. I have a bottle of green tea that I sip throughout the day. Sleep is the hardest. When I get back to the house there are chores to do. The chores are therapeutic, to tell the truth. I need the comfort of routine things that have a predictable outcome. But that sometimes means I’m late going to sleep. I told DD to hold me accountable and call me to make sure I’m getting ready for bed at a reasonable hour.
I wrote a minute that I was alone. That is not really true. God’s presence is very real in hard times, perhaps even more than in good times. Jesus said, “I will never leave you or forsake you.” The Psalmist wrote that the Lord, who is our shepherd, would walk with us through the valleys of shadow. Don’t let the sun go down today without calling someone close to you – father, mother, son, daughter, brother, sister. Tell them you love them, especially if there is anger or estrangement between you. I will hug my Mom and tell her I love her before I leave her room tonight.
6 comments
Jane
Nan
You and your mom are in my prayers.....I have a little inspirational book called "God Calling" and today's scripture quote was the exact one about "I will never leave you or forsake you" and it went on to talk about what we have in Christ....
As for the hospital food, last summer my Dad was have an operation and we took a meal or two in the cafeteria also. Can concur with you that it's pretty tricky to get simple, healthy meals there. My sister who is an RD in a Florida hospital said I should go to school for becoming a nutritionist. I feel like it's kinda late in the game, but maybe not......Hope your Mom has a good recovery!
Paula

http://www.hbot.com/the-oxygen-revolution-book
http://www.hbot.com/
Hart: http://www.oxyhealth.com/images/noncovered.pdf
UCP HBOT study http://www.ihausa.org/newsletters/newsletter/pdf/2004_Oct_Nov.pdf
I totally understand your situation. Five years ago my mom went through a similar sudden medical crisis. As I sat with her through the beginning days and nights, she spoke very little. I wondered what to do. Then, one night, she turned to me and told me that she wanted help to live; that she still had things to do and was not ready to die. Her second grandchild was soon to be born. We got to work using chiropractic (specifically, Sacro-Occipital Technique), Dr. Batman's Water Cure, exercise, parasite cleansing/colonics, alternative medicine and the Blood Type Diet. She made a miraculous recovery from what was a near death condition. In addition, I used the same methods on myself and greatly improved my health.
I realize I put Blood Type Diet last, but I know we couldn't have gotten the results we did without it. We realized that for decades we had been giving our bodies building materials that were detrimental to ourselves. Essentially, every cell of our bodies were made with toxic materials. It's a testament to the persistence of life, that we were still up and about functioning in life. What the blood type diet did for us was direct us in the proper materials to eat to give our bodies healthy materials for use in the replacement of all our cells.
We later learned that she was a NON SECRETOR. Once we made that change, she improved even more. MAKE SURE YOU CHECK THAT FOR YOUR MOM.
You are right that this is a lot of responsibility, but there are many tools which have been given to us to be very successful in helping our loved ones. I hope things go well for you and your mom.
I'd love to hear how it goes.
Tamara

http://www.oxyhealth.com/images/noncovered.pdf
http://www.ihausa.org/newsletters/newsletter/pdf/2004_Oct_Nov.pdf
Suzanne,
I hope things are going well with you and your mom. It is apparent through your extensive efforts to help her, that your mom did a great job in raising you. Mine did, too. I agree with you that it is good fortune to be able to support our moms in their time of need. It may be tough, but it is a joy to do. Love is that way. Keep up the good work.
Much Love,
Tamara
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