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I'm glad you're back home. I can't imagine eating hospital food for more than a day or so. Get well soon!

I am soooo sorry Perky that you had to experience the horrors of hospital food, One would think that what they charge to stay per day in the hospital they would at least have edible food. Going to the hospital is traumatic and now that your home you can have REAL food again. You rest up and get better.

Oh Perky, we've missed you too! I was wondering where you've been. I'm so sorry to hear you went through that. I hate hospitals and hospital food. It's good that you're back home now, feel better soon!!!

Ugh, hospital food! I was in for a week in January - they put me on a restricted diet and the food was so bad I could barely choke it down. I feel for anyone who has to eat that stuff.

Glad you're back home. Rest up, and feel better soon!

Perky, Perky, I've been afraid there was a reason your great voice was missing here. Please be well. My husband was hospitalized unexpectedly this spring when we were vacationing in NYC. After surgery and a bunch of other stuff, he didn't want anything. Over-cooked vegetables, mystery meats, synthetic salad dressings. What are they thinking? He was so glad to make that scary flight home. I'm so glad you are home. What can we do to get you nutrition and pleasure? I'm wondering about yoghurt drinks or ices. And then intense, flavor-packed broths. Can your friends cook for you? I wish there weren't 3000 miles between us. You must eat. Please, please do.

When my mother was in the hospital, being treated for cancer, I still remember the horrible menus. Obviously, someone on heavy painkillers who has to drink hideous substances to light up their intestines for medical tests doesn't want to eat much at all, and the menu choices were all heavy stuff like (during the SUMMER no less): sweet and sour pork, baked manicotti or lasagna, OR alternatives that were obviously cheap stuff to mainline the patients with 'nutrients' and calories with no taste like Ensure. So much for treating patients with healthy stuff to help heal their bodies or make them feel good.

I missed your posts as well, Perky--healing from lung-related disorders is very hard, but being active and exercising your diaphragm by walking around and staying active is the best thing you can do.

^Hospital CAFETERIAS (where the staff eat, including the doctors) are often cheap and good--my local hospital had gourmet coffee, and so forth.

It's the food that is offered to the patients, the sick people who really need the nourishment and have no other way of eating unless food is brought in from the outside by loved ones during visiting hours (which is sometimes prohibited by the hospital nutritionist/doctors, or frowned upon) that are given horrid food of dubious nutritional value, sadly.

The problem with food hospitals serve patients is that it's often not actually cooked on location. Many times it's cooked and pre-packaged elsewhere and then reheated at the hospital before being served to the poor, unsuspecting patients.

I recently had an overnight stay at the hospital I'm employed by, for childbirth. One would imagine that a woman would be starving after giving birth, but I couldn't touch the stuff they served me. Thankfully, my husband went out and brought me Jamba Juice.

You're in our thoughts, Perky Mac. Please rest and try to make yourself comfortable. When ailing, I like to watch comedies on DVD. Laughter is very good medicine!

@islandexile: Good point about yogurt. Perky, has the doc told you to eat any unsweetened yogurt?

Sorry you were sick, but glad you are home, hopefully better days are ahead for you.

The only hospital food I'm willing to defend is mashed potatoes. I know they are fake, but more often than not they've gotten me through my stay.

I always found it a shame it appeared spices and herbs are nowhere to be found near hospital kitchens. I understand the blandness when I'm (sorry to be gross) vomitting profusely, but when I'm on the mend and ready to leave I'd prefer something with some flavor.

Fortunately for my sick self, our hospital is about 5 min. from home so my mom could always sneak me in some good eats.

Hope you get your taste buds back soon and someone can cook you up something to get your strength back!

Gee Perky, sorry to hear you were sick. I thought maybe you were on vacation since I hadn't seen a post lately. I get stuck in the hospital several times a year for a chronic condition, and I've made the rounds of all of the local ones. Their food sucks categorically. I too rely on contraband that my husband sneaks in for me.

As a side note, I get thrush every time I take an antibiotic and it's nasty. My doc gives me a prescription (can't remember the name offhand) to get rid of it, and there's also something known as "swish and spit" which works as an analgesic for your mouth. Hope this helps and I hope you're feeling "Perky" soon. (Couldn't resist ;-)

Josdean--it's probably Diflucan. And yes, one can almost always count on getting some form of a yeast infection when taking antibiotics, which is why it's a good idea to eat yogurt while you're taking them, as a countermeasure.
And Perky, glad you're home and on the mend. Just remember to keep your O2 tank away from any spark-producing devices :)

Wow! You are all so well-informed and I'm so impressed. I don't have yogurt, but I do have acidophilus supplements in my fridge. That would not have occurred to me. They did give me sip & spit, but it isn't helping much with pain or taste. My oxygen levels were normal this morning, so it looks like I can get rid of all of that parapheralia, at least until biopsy. I'll deal with that when it comes. The spark issue is a good one though.

I have a sister who has never been able to smell or taste anything and I know others who have had that happen when they got ill. It is unbelievable how it changes your perception of texture, taste, appetite, everything. I'm still appalled that a hospital would have the exact same menu every single meal of every single week. Even if it was good, how boring would that be? If I felt better, I'd be on my next crusade. ;D

Hugs y'all and thanks!

Feel better soon, Perky.

I was in the hospital for three days following surgery and I have absolutely no recollection of anything I had to eat. I guess that really is better living through chemistry.

Hey Perky! Just got back to my computer. I hope you are doing better. Hospital food is definitely the worst! It is worse than Turnpike food. ;-) Get well soon. You are missed when we don't see your witty comments!

Hope you're feeling better! Your best bet for decent eats in a hospital is to find out where they do the staff feedings and pick something up (or send someone to do it for you!) there. Dieticians carefully monitor fat, sodium, and calories (i.e. all the good stuff) for patient meals, but most facilities are much more liberal when it comes to what they offer the staff.

Hopefully, no one will have to take this advice anytime soon!