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Original poster

Does this mean I can take orange squash?

76 replies

OrangeSquashPlease · 19/11/2020 16:55

DD is 6, and is going into hospital in a few weeks for an operation. She will be in for several days as it’s major surgery.

Last time she had surgery everything was provided so I am clueless as to what to take. The letter says that due to covid restrictions only water and the first post surgery meal will be provided. I have to provide everything else myself so that’s meals and any drinks that aren’t water (I am told there is a parent kitchen with a microwave and a kettle).

Can I take a bottle of orange squash? Does it need to be already diluted with water or will DD still have a jug of it by her bed I can make it up with? Or is it not allowed and they’re expecting her to have water only? When DD had surgery last time for the first 24 hours all she would drink was orange squash she ate nothing but drank lots and lots of orange squash (nobody seemed concerned), the nurses discharged her with her sports bottle full of orange squash. I am anticipating it’ll be the same this time and want to be prepared especially as last time was day case and this time we’ll be in for a few days.

I will not be allowed to leave the ward due to covid restrictions and no-one will be able to bring me anything so I want to be as prepared as possible.

Any other recommendations for things I can take? For both me and DD.

For added context DD usually only drinks water or milk, she only gets orange squash if she’s ill, when she goes to her dads or when she’s at her friends or a party before I get slated for not making her drink water – last time she was offered water a few times and refused it so the nurses told me to just pour her some squash when she wanted it and when we got home she still refused water until 24 hours after the anaesthetic.

OP posts:
DrinkFeckArseGirls · 20/11/2020 14:59

Travel kettle! Don’t ask, just take it

ElizaDeee · 20/11/2020 16:22

Thanks

Original poster
OrangeSquashPlease · 20/11/2020 17:08

Why would the consultant secretary not know when she works in the hospital?

OP posts:

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6 year olds General food
captainprincess · 20/11/2020 17:27

@LittleRa in my Trust we are told that they should be, but of course people don't bother and just use them.

MustardMitt · 20/11/2020 20:17

@OrangeSquashPlease god what are they expecting you to do? A week locked in a room, you can’t go out and you have no fridge no kettle - this sounds like a prison experience. They can’t allow you deliveries from the canteen/cafe if you pay for your own meals?

Cornettoninja · 20/11/2020 20:52

This sounds horrendous. I get it but it’s extreme to tell you that there’ll be nothing provided but you’ve also got no facilities or opportunities to leave.

I think you need to ring the actual ward too, if nothing else they should be able to give you suggestions on what to bring.

BarbarAnna · 20/11/2020 21:39

Please phone the ward. This sounds dreadful. If the secretary hasn’t got it wrong, then at least they will be able to advise how other parents cope. Are there any forums for the hospital / ward in question where there might be advice from others?

Toddlerteaplease · 20/11/2020 21:50

Consultants Secretaries don't work on the wards. They will probably not be up to date with the latest rules.

Oinkypig · 20/11/2020 22:07

A travel kettle would be a bit more discreet than a plug in cool box so I think that’s a good shout. I feel for you having to do this it sounds horrendous. I would re-frame it in my mind as not that I can’t leave the room but as I don’t WANT to leave the room because I could come in contact with covid.

So bring a kettle and loads of pot noodles, if the room will have a window you could hang a bag with fresh stuff out of that as it’s getting cold just now.

I hope it goes well

MustardMitt · 20/11/2020 23:58

I really think you need to speak to the ward again. The more I think about this the more I think it just can't be right.

Thespottytortoise · 21/11/2020 04:49

Travel kettle or one of these if trying to be more sneaky.

If you have got water, you can have some basic ready meals like pot noodles, you could have smash (mnn....) with gravy. With the spiral heater you may be able to heat up soup perhaps.

Best of luck. If sounds horrendous.

Does this mean I can take orange squash?
tcjotm · 21/11/2020 05:26

I have celiac and struggle with food on long haul flights and I always take gluten free short bread as it’s remarkably filling (all that butter I suppose). Plus a nice treat. Healthy food is going to be trickier as it usually needs more prep and higher quantities to fill you up so keep things simple. Protein shakes, snack bars, some apples and bananas, something shelf stable with protein so you can have something savoury (I also take those mini salami things). Lunch box sized coolers with ice packs will work for the first day for cheese snacks etc but I wouldn’t want the hassle of a big cooler when you’d have to take a ill child home too at the end of it.

RichardMarxisinnocent · 21/11/2020 08:56

@Thespottytortoise

Travel kettle or one of these if trying to be more sneaky.

If you have got water, you can have some basic ready meals like pot noodles, you could have smash (mnn....) with gravy. With the spiral heater you may be able to heat up soup perhaps.

Best of luck. If sounds horrendous.

Completely off topic, but OMG you can still get heating elements??! I had one (a solid block rather than a spiral) back in the 90s for travelling as a student. It was amazing but got mislaid somewhere during one of my family's house moves. I had a look for one a few years ago and couldn't find one anywhere - I thought I had read something about them being banned in the UK for being unsafe.
Thespottytortoise · 21/11/2020 10:00

They are on Amazon, so I'm guessing you can still get them. So amazingly 1990s!

Handsnotwands · 21/11/2020 10:24

That’s barbaric OP, not allowing you sustenance during a stressful time ☹️

42andcounting · 21/11/2020 10:26

Can the ward store a spare bag or two for you, then when you've used the first lot of food / clothes you could swap it over? When we were in there were a lot of areas that were locked up and unused e.g. Playroom, games room, parents room. Might be worth asking?

Original poster
OrangeSquashPlease · 21/11/2020 13:23

So got hold of the wards manager, so the lady that makes the rules for different wards in the hospital.

I'll be able to walk around but lots of areas are out of bounds; playroom, parent kitchen, day room. All out of use.

Nurses are happy to make up pot noodles or heat up ready meals in the staff kitchen for parents but they can only do them at set times i.e. not during any observations, doctors rounds or when they're giving food out to the patients. They are also likely to offer me a cuppa at times but again may not as there's no tea trolley.

I will be allowed to leave the ward but not the hospital and I can only stay in the green area, I am not allowed to stray into red or orange areas. The manager said the onsite Wh Smiths is open and is in the green area so I can get sandwiches or snacks from there.

Not as bad as the secretary made it sound but still going to be tough.

OP posts:
Cornettoninja · 21/11/2020 13:36

Given what you thought it was going to be that sounds much better, definitely doable for three or four days.

I think that secretary should just be directing people to the ward managers tbh.

Toddlerteaplease · 21/11/2020 20:19

Nurses are happy to make up pot noodles or heat up ready meals in the staff kitchen for parents

Goodness, where do they find the time for that!

Original poster
OrangeSquashPlease · 22/11/2020 12:30

@Toddlerteaplease

Nurses are happy to make up pot noodles or heat up ready meals in the staff kitchen for parents

Goodness, where do they find the time for that!

I have no idea, I won't put too much pressure on them. I'll probably live off sandwiches from the WH Smiths for a few days instead of putting on the nurses.
OP posts:
Original poster
OrangeSquashPlease · 04/12/2020 16:07

It wasn't as bad as I thought. DD was in 4 days in the end due to complications.

The first 2 nights I took meals that didn't need heating up to eat; pasta salad and a spaghetti bolognese I made before she went in that I knew I wouldn't mind cold.

3rd day ExH was working near to the hospital so dropped off some pasties and sandwiches.

The last night the night shift nurses came round offering to go out and get a takeaway from the local chinese. Obviously I had to pay for my own but it was so lovely of them.

The tea and coffee machine was in operation, not the nicest but fine for a few days - it was free and warm, DD had a jug by her bed and the nurse let me add orange squash to the actual jug not just in a cup and make it up so I was drinking from that too.

Now at home and DDs recovering well.

OP posts:
FelicityPike · 04/12/2020 16:11

I’m glad she’s on the mend x.

Cornettoninja · 04/12/2020 17:09

Pleased your dd is home now and that it wasn’t as much of an ordeal as you feared Flowers

DamsonJamFan · 04/12/2020 17:27

My DD has had two hospital stays during the last 3 months. Each day I’ve just gone to the hospital WHSmiths and got a small selection of food. Her meals were exactly the same as Pre COVID stays. I did have awful headaches I’m sure due to lack of caffeine!

GreyishDays · 04/12/2020 17:31

I bet you enjoyed that Chinese!

Pleased it went ok and she’s doing well.

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