<<Disclaimer:  Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

I was requested to post this extract from The Celiac ActionLine, January 1995.

SURVIVING A HOSPITAL STAY from Mary Alice Warren:

Any hospital stay is less than a joyous time with the possible exception of
going to the hospital to give birth.  For the celiac, ANY hospital stay will
probably be hazardous to your health!  There are many more dangers than just
the food.  During your stay, you will be poked and jabbed, injected and
drugged, and most likely suffer many other untoward invasions of your body and
mind.  All this when you are sick and barely able to cope.  How do you keep
the
nurses and doctors from making you worse.  TAKE A LOVED ONE WITH YOU!  Many
hospitals are enlightened--they encourage a spouse, adult child, parent or
very
close friend to stay with the patient (you) 24 hours a day while you are in
the
hospital.  Put that person in charge of checking everything that goes in your
mouth or veins. They must be asserted about all medications and food items
until they are thoroughly checked out.  Don't be intimidated by unknowing
health care professionals (doctors and nurses) who tell you it is not
important
right now for you to remain gluten free; that the most important thing right
now is to treat the problem that brought you to the hospital.  NONSENSE!  If
you ingest gluten and the villae are destroyed and you go into malabsorption,
how will this affect the medications?  Far too many health care professionals
don't know anything about the short term or long term effects of gluten on the
celiac.  A case of diarrhea is not the only or the worst thing that can
happen.

When referred to the M. D. Anderson Cancer Care Clinic in Houston with lung
cancer, I was interviewed by an oncologist.  I told him, I wanted to be
considered "a celiac with a cancer problem".  His response was that curing the
cancer was the most important problem and he couldn't worry about the celiac
condition, right now.  I have not seen that physician since!  I had my husband
and my daughter with me.  They were thoroughly familiar with the celiac diet
and all the other sensitivities I have (soy and citrates).  After the
physicians and nurses became convinced that "I was a celiac with a cancer
problem", they were totally cooperative and came to my husband or daughter
with
any new item before they tried to give it to me.  With the help of the
hospital
pharmacy, we found effective I-V fluids and medications without toxic
ingredients.  My hospital food was very basic and plain but it was gluten
free.
Medications that had questionable ingredients were checked with the
pharmaceutical manufacturer or an appropriate substitute was found.  This is
extra work for the hospital staff but you are paying from $250.00 to
$500.00 or
more per day.  Attention to detail is a requirement.  The druggist changed a
prescription for a 15 mg. drug.  The 15 mg. drug was GF but when a 10 and a 5
mg drug were delivered, questions were asked of the nurse.  It was determined
that the 5 mg drug was not GF.  Mistakes can result in unneeded suffering, a
longer hospital stay, or even the possibility of death.

In September I checked into Orlando Regional Medical Center in Orlando with
atrial fibrillation for what turned out to be a two day stay.  I asked the
admitting physician to specify that my diet be gluten-free and that all
medications were to be gluten-free.  The first ten hours were chaotic!  The
pharmacy and the nurses had a terrible time understanding that there was more
to a medication than the active ingredient and that my concerns were with
those
other things (excipients).  My husband and I patiently explained to each
person
that celiac disease was a disease of the immune system and that as little as
one milligram could cause undesirable effects.  Deborah Rowell-Meadows from
the
Orlando Regional Medical Center Food & Nutrition Services came to visit me to
see what the hospital might be able to feed me.  The food service is
contracted
out to Marriott and the gluten-free food list was out of date.  For
example, it
had available a gluten restricted bread made with wheat starch.  It didn't
list
many of the hidden gluten sources.  Ms. Rowell-Meadows was most eager to
correct any deficiency and she set one of the food technicians to checking the
pre-packaged items on the menu for hidden glutens.  The first supper was a
safe
and very plain meal, vegetable and fruit.  After supper, we established which
items in the kitchen pantry were gluten free and which were not.  We enlisted
the aid of a local celiac who brought some rice soup, GF bread, and GF
crackers.  All in all, I was able to eat well and remain totally gluten free,
with the help of family, the hospital dietary staff, and local celiacs.


Regards,

Michael Jones, [log in to unmask]
Living a wonderful, GF life in Orlando, FL USA