A big part of being a Mom is knowing how to take care of a sick person with love and skill. I actually think that training in nursing should be required of all women, just like Home Ec. used to be. We need both. Now we don't have anything, and so we have…blogs 🙂
Early on in my mothering path, of course one of my little ones got sick. I checked with the pediatrician and he said, “Okay, it's the flu. Plenty of liquids and keep him on a bland diet. Call me tomorrow.”
So I called him tomorrow and he asked, “What did he eat?”
“Spaghetti with tomato sauce and cheese,” says I. That honestly seemed bland to me!!
“WHAT!!” Yup, he was shouting. “What have you done to me!” Yup, that's what he said!
What have you done to ME.
Sor-ry!
Okay, then, what IS a bland diet?
I asked and I got an answer.
I have posted a Bland Diet Worksheet VI. Do you know how you get invited to a bridal shower and you are supposed to submit a favorite recipe? Well, I submit something fabulous, and I also give her my Bland Diet sheet, because Honey, you are going to need it!
I printed mine out and keep it taped to the inside back cover of my personal menu/recipe binder. If you have someone who needs to stick with it, it's useful to have handy.
When the Chief and I were first married, we didn't have a dining room table. We ate our meals off of two trays. I still have them, almost thirty years later! They have certainly save the day for feeding sick people…you can't help feeling better when your meal comes on a tray.
Here you have a tray meal that is not for a vomiting person (just in case you were wondering if I've been lapsing!).
Freckled Hen says
It's funny the things we did early on! But spaghetti??? Should I ask you the infamous parent-of-teens question….What were you thinking?! I remember feeding my first flu patient dried apricots.
Nil Zed says
Being the oldest, only daughter in a large family, I'd helped when the rest of the house was down with 'man flu'. My mother's advice on a bland diet: the more boring it is going in, the less horrific it might be coming back. Keeping this in mind, spaghetti is obviously NOT the thing to go for! 😉
Decadent Housewife says
Good info. Leila. I agree that basics in caring for the sick at home, first aid, CPR are all life skills we should know. Yet, the times my nursing training has been most useful was, and is in being an effective advocate – pushing for treatment or investigation or making sure things got done. Sad, but true.
Lyn says
The list is wonderful, thank you! It is not something I would have thought of. In my mind I can think of quite a few of these ideas, but when you're under stress with sickness in the home it's great to have something to refer to.
Ann Kroeker says
I love the document–READERS, click on the link to the Bland Diet document, then print it and put it in your binders or post it on the inside cupboard door!Good, good ideas. As always. You're like a mentor to us.
mub says
What a great story *L* I try to stick to the no dairy rule for myself when I'm ill, but the rest of the worksheet has some good ideas for me to file away!
Mom2fur says
I work for a pediatrician, and whenever one of our 'babies' is sick with a tummy virus, she always has this to say: "no dairy, no fruit juice." Or, sometimes, "no dairy, no fruit."As far as tea, my favorite for a weak stomach is ginger tea. Having a tendency towards ulcers, I drink a lot of it. Something else that helps is real licorice. Not easy to find (look in the organic food section) but it does seem to help. Of course, chicken soup is always a favorite! (And I like the idea of honey on toast. Dry toast is boring, but the honey seems like it would taste really good without being overwhelming.)