Paleobird's Next Big Adventure page 140

[zoebird]

Sounds like you are getting a lot of work done, and good job on getting him the right meals at the hospital. That's no small feat!

Also, happy birthday to your dad. It's not the most fun way to spend it, but he's still here, and I think that once he gets well from this infection and everything is stable, he'll enjoy many more.

Much love to you all!

[Betorq]

Robin, when I was in the hospital for months in Atlanta, getting one surgery after another to rebuild my leg in 2000-2001(9 total operations), I hired a young chef from Whole Foods. He would bring me a couple days worth of meals 2-3x a week, mostly salmon & greens & root veggies (it was fall/winter). I had coolers in my room, jugs of spring water, supplements for bone growth & immunity, almonds soaking/sprouting in the window sill. Doctors, nurses and interns would come in, & some would wig out. Others thought it was great. I recovered in record time & my primary surgeon made a special late night trip after his Thanksgiving dinner with his family to bring me organic turkey (he's from Cali, San Diego, in fact he lives there now).

That shitty hospital food will kill ya if the free floating germs & viruses in the hospital air doesn't do ya in first... Your dad has you when he's at home, ie you're his personal chef & #1 advocate.

My parents were pretty useless, as they couldn't grok what I did and didn't want in a typical meal delivery, much less a week's worth of full on menus, lol. So I had to improvise for myself from my hospital bed, armed with an Atlanta phone book & a lot of time on my hands.

Might healthy, organic food delivery be apropo for him too?

[lissee]

Betorq, you are awesome!

Robin, you are awesome too! Way to go with advocating for your father! And good luck getting everything ship shape with your dad's house! I can just see you with your sister, whirling around the house, tidying and cleaning as you go. I'm glad you have someone to do it with, if you were on your own, it might be too overwhelming. Keep strong!

[sbhikes]

Wow that hospital food sounds dreadful. Hospitals are getting to be a joke. There's one in Fresno where you pretty much have to bring your own bedding in addition to food.

[Primal Papa]

Wow that hospital food sounds dreadful. Hospitals are getting to be a joke. There's one in Fresno where you pretty much have to bring your own bedding in addition to food.

My brother in law recently got out of the hospital following a liver transplant. The day before he got out he brought in dinner from a local restaurant for himself and the nurses on duty.

[NZ primal Gwamma]

Paleobird, sorry I have only just caught up with the last few pages of your journal.
All our love, thoughts and best wishes at this terrifying time. You are everything a Dad could want in a daughter.
Take very good care, of yourself too
G

[Oceana]

Paleobird, wishing your dad a speedy recovery. It must be comforting to have your sister to help take care of your dad. Keeping you in my thoughts and prayers.

[Paleobird]

GAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

In what alternate fucking reality is french toast for breakfast and a lunch consisting of tropical fruit, a roll, carrots, potatoes, and a teeny-tiny piece of pot roast considered a "low carb" diet????????????????????

And we found out they gave him an insulin shot yesterday in between lunch and dinner when we took a couple of hours to go to home depot. AFTER we had expressly said no insulin TWICE.

I finally got the doctor on the phone today and tore him a new one. The problem did get fixed however. Dinner tonight was chicken with three kinds of green veggies.

Does anybody have any experience with the phenomenon known as "sundowning"? It is really weird. This is happening to Dad. Every day he seems chipper and alert in the morning and then by bedtime he doesn't know where he is , what's wrong, or what's going on. It feels like he is shutting down. Like he is collapsing in on himself and just becoming *smaller*. Does that make sense?

I really need some sleep. All of you guys are so sweet for caring. Thank you so much.

[meeme]

You are wonderful and doing so much to help your Dad. I hope you sleep well and feel refreshed. What you're doing is exhausting and I can't help but think your primal living has helped to prepare you for the demands being put on you at this time. I can't say anything about 'Sundowning' except from the perspective of someone who came close to not being here. If your Dad is struggling with a massive infection then he is very weak. One really good sign is his appetite seems to be good. It took a long time (weeks) for me to have an appetite.

You and your family are in my thoughts with best wishes for a positive outcome for you all.

[sbhikes]

There's a pretty interesting wikipedia page on sundowning. A sentence there seems to suggest circadian rhythm is part of it. The way they wake you ever few hours in the hospital to poke and prod you I'm sure isn't helpful, not to mention the lack of any kind of natural anything, light, sound, quiet or whatever.

I can't believe what they are serving a diabetic person. That's just insane.