Gall Bladder

[ElkHunter]

I have to get out of here before Christmas. I have an old ElkHunter tradition. This will be the 8th year.

I make a batch of my fudge, 7lbs. On Christmas morning, between 8 and 8:30, in full Santa suit, I deliver said batch of fudge to the nurses station here at the VA. I have been so trusted that they walk through and give each patient a big chunk of fudge. I make it for the nurses, but if they so choose to share, that is up to them.

From there, I head down with a second batch to see the grandkids.

[ElkHunter]

Hey Griz, how was the food while you were an inmate?

The VA has went to a new system. You no longer are given a tray of food. There is now room service. There is a fairly extensive menu. Kitchen is open from 6:30am til 5pm. You order when you wanttl and what you want. Just pick up the phone and call them. Give them your room number and name. Tell them what you want and about 30 minutes later, a service worker comes through the door with your tray of food. Milk, juice, etc, is not in boxes or cartons, hut rather in a glass with a lid. Want a snack at 10am?? Pick up the phone and order something. Want to eat at 1pm? Just plan your call. The menu does have things that are made only after 11 and such, just like any restaraunt. Last night I had a 5oz ribeye, baked beans, coleslaw, dinner roll, butterscotch pudding, crystal lite lemonaid. A really nice system.

So how are you feeling? Any discomfort? Limitations? Have you been able to get out with your buddy and do any light hiking?

Hope you are feeling terrific by now. Just don't over do it.

[MTSilvertip]

Originally Posted by ElkHunter

Hey Griz, how was the food while you were an inmate?

The VA has went to a new system. You no longer are given a tray of food. There is now room service. There is a fairly extensive menu. Kitchen is open from 6:30am til 5pm. You order when you wanttl and what you want. Just pick up the phone and call them. Give them your room number and name. Tell them what you want and about 30 minutes later, a service worker comes through the door with your tray of food. Milk, juice, etc, is not in boxes or cartons, hut rather in a glass with a lid. Want a snack at 10am?? Pick up the phone and order something. Want to eat at 1pm? Just plan your call. The menu does have things that are made only after 11 and such, just like any restaraunt. Last night I had a 5oz ribeye, baked beans, coleslaw, dinner roll, butterscotch pudding, crystal lite lemonaid. A really nice system.

So how are you feeling? Any discomfort? Limitations? Have you been able to get out with your buddy and do any light hiking?

Hope you are feeling terrific by now. Just don't over do it.

Just out of curiosity Elk, are you going to the VA because you are sick or instead to chase nurses and eat high on the hog???

Sounds like you got that system worked out pretty good

Get well soon. Your "patients" will be looking forward to your fudge and you don't want to let them down.

Get well soon!!!

[ElkHunter]

well, it started out because I was sick, however, if they want to keep me an extra day, I'm thinking I won't argue too hard.

I am guessing they'll kick me to the curb today.

[Montana Griz]

Originally Posted by ElkHunter

Hey Griz, how was the food while you were an inmate?

The VA has went to a new system. You no longer are given a tray of food. There is now room service. There is a fairly extensive menu. Kitchen is open from 6:30am til 5pm. You order when you wanttl and what you want. Just pick up the phone and call them. Give them your room number and name. Tell them what you want and about 30 minutes later, a service worker comes through the door with your tray of food. Milk, juice, etc, is not in boxes or cartons, hut rather in a glass with a lid. Want a snack at 10am?? Pick up the phone and order something. Want to eat at 1pm? Just plan your call. The menu does have things that are made only after 11 and such, just like any restaraunt. Last night I had a 5oz ribeye, baked beans, coleslaw, dinner roll, butterscotch pudding, crystal lite lemonaid. A really nice system.

So how are you feeling? Any discomfort? Limitations? Have you been able to get out with your buddy and do any light hiking?

Hope you are feeling terrific by now. Just don't over do it.

Well, I gotta be honest.................on a scale of 10, I'd rate the food at about an overall avg of "4".
As a possible justification...........they did have me on a "Bland Diet", but still--------I can do better on my own Bland diet here at home.

Told to stay away from "fatty , fried and greasy items" for up to about 2 weeks.......then gradually kinda merge back into a sensible diet plan with a reduction in things like bacon, breakfast sausage, hash browns etc.

Other than the food.........my short stay was quite positive: Great surgeon and Anestatist (sp?); wonderful Pre Op Nurse and Recovery Room nurse, and the regular floor nurses were all very attentive and thoughtful.

Not supposed to lift anything over 20 pounds for two weeks, had a check-up visit with the surgeon on the 7th day: he changed the dressing(s) on the four incisions, said the bruising was normal for me since I'm kinda a "semi-bleeder". The only difficulties he experienced was cutting through a significant amount of old scar tissue at the bottom end of the Sternum and also in the area of the Prostate and Bladder Cancer Surgery of 11 years ago. I had a hellava sore throat for 5 days from the "breathing tube" that they put down your air-way into the lungs (I have a mild case of COPD), .....but overall I feel pretty good and been going outside with the dog 5 or 6 times a day and walking down the drive about 650 feet to the gate. I use a pair of "Treking Poles" with Carbide Tips on them and put on my brace for the R/Knee situation. With the cell phone in my pocket and my handgun on me, I feel if I screw up and fall on my ass (and can't get up), I can let off a couple series of 3 quick shots that might be heard by a neighbor (about 1/2 mile away).......then if that doesn't work, I can call somebody on the cell. So far no need to do either...........glad I had the handgun though on Thursday morning.........I shot a "porkie" down by the gate that has been stripping the bark off several young Pondarosa PinE .

Hope you're feeling better. Take care and have an enjoyable Holiday Season............Griz

[MTSilvertip]

Really glad to hear it went so well

Don't overdo it. My father had heart surgery, first thing he did when he got home was to walk to the top of the hill behind the house to check the doctor's "plumbing" skills. Since it held he thought it was ok

He came home from another surgery that the doctor told him not to lift more than 8 lbs. I got down there to do his chores and he was walking around the corral with a 5 gallon bucket of grain!

I was a little excited and asked him what he thought he was doing? He wasn't supposed to be lifting and packing stuff.
"It isn't full" was his answer. Well of course it wasn't full, he had been feeding out of it!!

Just because you think you are indestructible doesn't mean it's true. My father may be tougher than a $2 steak, but he isn't immortal no matter what he thinks.

Just don't over do it Griz, we need to keep you around to help keep Elkhunter from overdoing the nurse chasing

[ElkHunter]

Glass to hear you are doing so well


Porc's are a pain. Them and beaver are so destructive to small trees and important vegitafion. Like you, it us well worth packing a pistol just so you can dispence of them as needed.

Food is exactly why I was discharged. They couldn't get my blood sugar right, so I told them to send me home where I have everything measured and metered. I left the hospital an my glucose reading was 294. Should be from 90-120. Now that I have been home a couple.days, this morning my reading was 116. Didn't take long to get on track and I am eating a lot better meal.