Not sure how many of you have experienced hospitals attitudes towards vegans but following my last 2 nights stay in Morriston hospital i can honestly say its appauling and something should be done.
On the menu for lunch on Tuesday was chicken nuggats or fish served with peas and potatoes. I declined any lunch that day as i was about to have surgery anyway. Dinner was another matter though, after my surgery and rather hungry from the pre op fast i was ready for something light. I was given the choice of cheese and potato pie or salmon pasta bake. When i explained i was vegan they managed to get me some potatoes, yup just potatoes mashed with a fork, no alternative butter or anything but just potatoes on their own. The lady who had the cheese and potato pie said it tasted like it had tonns of salt and she reckons it was that nasty cadburys smash stuff.
How on earth are people supposed to get well on this type of food.
Later on the evening the drinks trolly came round, i would have loved a hot chocolate but they didnt have any soya milk. I asked what about those lactose intolerant patients to which the nurse replied the dietician has to pass the neccessary paperwork for those patients to have soya milk and that takes a week to do (being in A&E following an accident i didnt have the time or ability to see into the future well enough to do that). So i told them i wouldnt bother with a drink, then the nurse asked me if id like a cup of bovril, staring at her i thought she was joking, i said im vegan, yes she said the bovril is nice and filling. I just lookedat her and said but its beef, to which she looked back and said oh are you a vegetarian as well.
Our life is in the hands of these people. They care for people day after day of all faiths, races etc. Its a huge hospital that covers most of South to Mid Wales surly you would expect the staff to know what vegan means.
Breakfast the next morning was all cereal (again no soya milk) so i was offered toast with flora spread ffs they really have no idea have they. You should have seen the amounts of sugar they were putting on the patients cereals, its criminal.
Funny thing is i have a lip and chin that is badly damaged, just by looking at me she must have known i couldnt attempt to bite into toast (or cereal at that matter). Porridge i could have managed if there was soya milk but no, that can only be prescribed by a dietician. Thankfuly my friend picked me up some v8 juice and a few fruit smoothies so i didnt starve to death.
So glad to be home again.
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