'Scuse me sir, don't bite into that frito ! ! !

[CaLLaCoDe]

One issue I think is awfully odd; I know it really is meant to be benificial is putting a patient on a strict diet (let's say low sodium, diabetic, renal etc). I could understand why this is done; however, if the patient complains and is sneaking food on the side what good does this dietary solution for a short while do anyway?!!! D/C'd today to sin tommorow!?

I can't tell you how often I've seen patients' families cart in heavy leaden doughnuts for breakfast when the patient is on a diabetic diet; I know that education is valid at these moments but when it happens again and again...with candy falling out of the bedside table..filled to the brim with goodies and soda bottles everywhere! What is this all about? Why should we have to be the P*O*L*I*C*E for a patient's life choice?

[carolinapooh, BSN, RN]

My grandma's had both legs amputated, strokes, goes for dialysis three times a week, is diabetic, has a bad heart, etc. She begs for cookies, candy, ice cream and cheeseburgers whether she's in the hospital or at home. We always get her what she wants. She understands she's not supposed to have it, but she doesn't think she's going to live long regardless of what she eats or doesn't eat.

To me, if you've had all that done, you should be allowed to have whatever the h-e-double hockey sticks you want. Why spend your little remaining time eating food that sucks?

We saw the futility of low-Na, lowfat diets when my dad had open heart surgery twelve years ago. If it's lowfat, the sodium's through the roof; if it's low Na, the fat is ridiculous. They have to put SOMETHING in it to give it taste if they take the other one out. Daddy said "to H*LL with this", and just decided to eat consciously and not have anything that had to be nuked (man, that microwave stuff is LOADED with salt). He lived for ten years that way, and it wasn't his heart that got him. So I think he did fine.