Journey to life: Getting up and getting dressed

Today Sigve was prepared and ready to get up for a walk when I got there. The nurse who came in to disconnect him from Hangman (nutrition) suggested that he put on proper clothes as a way of feeling more "unsick", and even though he was reluctant, we talked him into it.

The man with the black socks (according to Jorge) put them on again for the first time in 2 1/2 weeks, actually it was 2 1/2 weeks since he had clothes on, other than the pajamas. These are a pair that Hilde Marie once bought him.

Whenever he leaves his room he still has to wear a face mask to reduce the infection risk. We got the lift down to the 3rd floor where the cafeteria is, and longer corridors, and walked quite a long way. Then we sat down in the cafeteria while I got something to eat.

Back up in his room, Sigve was very tired, and getting changed back took a lot of energy, so I let him get back into bed for a nap while I went into town.

By the time I got back his dinner has arrived. His seemingly lack of interest in the food here is because he was also watching TV. That bit of food on his fork was more or less the total amount that he managed to eat.

Dinner was a sausage in tomato sauce and pasta casserole. I think the picture says more than words can. If you had no appetite, would this tempt you?

The issue of hospital food is kind of sad. Everything else is so good, and Sigve says he just wants to stay there because he's so well taken care of. But why is it so hard to make the food look and taste good, and be nutritious? Why is it so hard to use more fresh vegetables, and unprocessed protein sources? So much of the food is empty carbs that sends your blood sugar soaring, and then drops it right back down, causing that roller coaster blood sugar levels that eventually will exhaust your insulin and cause diabetes. I am a bit passionate on this subject as I know the health benefits of maintaining a steady blood sugar level.

I realize that people with no appetites need to be offered what they feel like eating, but a dietitian has to be able to come up with better options. And Sigve has not been tempted by most of the dinner options that have been offered.

After each meal and several times a day more Sigve has to rinse out his mouth with this liquid for 1 minute. The two vials are mixed to a mouthful. It helps reduce the discomfort of fungus caused by the chemo. It also kept the mouth clean during the time when he couldn't brush his teeth. Without any immune system any scratch from the tooth brush would be an infection hazard.

For supper he tried some toast with ham and cheese, but one bite was enough. He did swallow a few sips of a nutrition drink though.

Later on we went for another walk, and back from that one he was due for his Sandimun pill. Somehow it got stuck, and he had to flush it down in two goes, which caused him to vomit quite spontaneously.

The door from the sluice and into Sigve's room has a port hole in it, and I snapped this pic through it. I almost felt like a peeping Tom, even though I told him I was going to take it.