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

                       Small Group Discussions
                       -----------2-----------

At our September meeting we broke into small groups.  In the last
newsletter we included summaries from two of these small group
discussions.  Here are some notes from another:

Preparations for a Celiac Hospital Stay, summarized by Marilyn Popp
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1. Advise all the celiac's physicians of the impending
   hospitalization:  primary care physician, G.I. doctor, and any
   specialists in the hospital who would be involved and/or concerned.

2. Call the hospital dietitian ahead of time regarding arrangements
   for the gluten-free (GF) diet.

3. Have someone in the family or a friend contact the hospital to
   ensure that a gluten-free diet is being provided.  If not, it may
   be necessary to bring food into the hospital.  (This is
   particularly important if the hospitalization is an emergency and
   there is no time to make diet arrangements prior to the
   hospitalization.)

4. Be sure that the hospital records state that this is a celiac
   patient who needs a GF diet.

5. The following papers should be made available to the hospital
   medical personnel and the dietitian:
      1) explanation of the disease,
      2) diet restrictions, and
      3) restaurant card.
   A good general rule is to have these papers and the doctors' names
   and phone numbers on a list which could be taped inside a kitchen
   cupboard.  Advise family or a friend where it is.  (Take this
   information with you when traveling in case of an emergency.)

6. In addition, have a few names and phone numbers of celiac support
   group members who could be contacted regarding celiac diet
   restrictions.

7. Consider bringing your own toaster to the hospital.  This would
   avoid contamination from the crumbs in a toaster which is used for
   regular bread.