Hospital Food

It seems like a hospital is inevitable for the Peanut Allergy Kid this winter. While we avoided it in January, February is a different story. Tyler will be having outpatient surgery next Tuesday.

The whole concept of having a child in the hospital is frightening enough, but when your child has a peanut allergy, it takes on a different dimension.

A nurse called me Monday to get some medical history in preparation for Tyler's big day. When she asked about allergies, I told her about the PA we deal with. She seemed to think it was a little crazy that I would worry about something like that in an outpatient surgery situation. I told her my concern was any food he might be fed (such as ice cream) during recovery.
`
She still didn't get it. I will be talking more with his nurses on the day of surgery.

With that said, I have been thinking since last month's near hospitalization what we would do if Tyler ever was hospitalized. Here are my thoughts.

*Clearly communicate your child's food allergy and the dangers it presents. Just like the nurse that called me on Monday, not all medical personnel fully understand the dangers that a peanut allergy presents. When I explained that his allergy had prompted a 911 call with an ambulance ride, I was taken a little more seriously.

*When possible, stay with your child at all times. After a tour of the h0pspital last weekend, I know Tyler will be with me until just moments before he is put under anesthesia. He will be in the first recovery room until he wakes. At that time we will reunited in the second recovery room. I will be asking nurses on Tuesday if there will be any food during the first recovery. My guess is there will not.

*Bring your own food. I will put a package of Tyler's favorite kind of graham crackers in my purse. They are the yummy kind with cinnamon on them. (They are Wal-Mart's Great Value brand and are safe). I will probably throw some fruit snacks in as well (Sam's Club brand). This is easy since he is only outpatient. If he were being admitted I would be in close contact with the doctor to see what he could eat. I would then come home and make those things and freeze them so they were ready when needed. For me, cafeterias (including a hospital's) are out of my comfort zone.

*Leave his medical alert bracelet on as long as possible. They told me he can have no jewelry on. That is fine. I will leave it on until they ask me to remove it. I want it to serve as a reminder to those who ask me to remove it!

I feel blessed that we are only doing outpatient. There would be a lot more PA Mom anxiety if he were in for more than a few hours.

Tomorrow I will be back to talk about some of the postive beneifts PA has brought that I have discovered during this whole process. (You know I am always looking out for the bright side of this allergy!!)