Date:    Wed, 19 Mar 1997 08:55:40 -0800
From:    Hazel and Ray Green <[log in to unmask]>
>I am severely lactose intollerant but alot of people do not look at that
>seriously until you are doubled up in pain in front of them. I had a
>c-section therefore I was already in alot of pain and couldn't move very
>fast and I told them I have to eat foods with no milk. They never paid
>much attention to that fact, and when I asked if there was milk in say, a
>muffin, all they said was I don't think so. Good thing I was already on
>demerol!!
        Wow!  So in other words, I'm lucky (which also mean, everyone else
should start insisting on the same care in their community)!  My dad is
really severely lactose intolerant too.  This past year he was hospitalized
for a heart attack and had a rather lengthy stay due to the surgery he
needed to place a shunt.  He told them at admission that he was lactose
intolerant and his doctors called the nutritional staff to notify them.  The
RD on staff, came to his wife and to me to get the information while he was
in surgery.  The staff even went so far as to place an order for the type of
milk he needed to drink.  The really worked with him too in establishing a
heart-healthy diet plan he could live with after the hospital stay.
        I think it is time that the lactose intolerant, dairy allergic,
gluten allergic and those who suffer other food intolerances & allergies to
contact their health insurance companies and local hospital(s) and begin to
voice their concerns over their health care!  If they don't hear from us
they don't know they need to accommodate us.  I must admit, before this list
taught me that I'm not some "freak" of nature, I don't think I would speak
up at all.  I know pregnancy isn't typically a life threatening
situation--but any one of us could be hospitalized from an accident and need
to know we are going to be fed safely.  We can't always plan the ahead or
bring food with--unfortunately accidents do happen.
        I'm my own experience, the only health care professionals that
understand what I am talking about when I mention food allergies are the
Registered Dieticians.  They can really be supportive and I'm really glad
that my HMO supports them (I understand many insurance companies do no pay
for nutritional therapy counseling).  I know it is profitable for my local
hospital to keep Registered Dieticians on staff as part of the hospital team
of health care professionals...so it has to be profitable for other
communities as well.

>I took my daughter into hosp. while on holidays for hives and wanted
>here seen by a doc. because of her anaphylaxis and I didn't know what
>the hives were from and the nurse at the front desk didn't know what
>anaphlaxis was!!! Their question what happens to her!!
        I get the same reaction, until they realized what truly happened to
me when I went into shock...then the look on their face says it all:  they
look like they just seen a ghost!  I guess medically speaking I shouldn't be
here.  Guess too many people don't go that far into shock while sleeping
alone in a dorm room and live to tell about it.  I've always had the
impression, not so much that they don't know what anaphylaxis is..but that
they think people assume their allergic condition is far worse than what it
is (medically speaking.)  I've worked in a hospital before and I know there
are MANY, MANY patients that come in trying to get medicine and lie in
attempt to receive medication they don't need. I understand why the doctor's
learn they need to be a little skeptical--but perhaps they go too far. :-)