Hospital Food in Mexico
A few days ago I found myself in hospital for a couple of days. Being out of control of one’s life is not pleasant. Nor is being out of control of one’s food. On my only previous hospital stay in Hawaii the food was unspeakable: little pre-packaged jellos and plastic spoons sliding about on a plastic tray.
Now the Angeles chain of hospitals in Mexico is not known for being cheap. At least not by Mexican standards. By US standards they are a bargain with prices half or less of what you would pay in the US.
Even so, I was surprised to have a young woman call the room. For my main meal at 2:30 here were the choices for a bland diet:
One of four aguas frescas (flavored fruit waters, all no-acid): apple, pear, jamaica (roselle, hibiscus flower) and one other that I forget
Chicken broth or fideos (Mexican noodles)
Albondigas (meat balls) or grilled chicken with carrots and chayote(squash-like)
Rice
Flan, gelatine or chongos.
The drink was freshly made and abundant (too abundant, it’s a diuretic, and I was dragging a drip behind me). The soup was home made. It, like all the hot dishes, came sitting on a metal ring over a hot metal disc so that it stayed warm. The grilled chicken was juicy and flavorful. The chongos (essentially curds and whey, the whey being flavored with sugar and cinnamon) was also home made. The curds squeak between your teeth, a sensation I enjoy. Linen napkins, china plates, heavy cutlery.
The same quality for supper and breakfast which started with a choice of four fresh-squeezed juices.
It all gave me the courage to be assertive, if asking to know what is happening to you, what tests are being done, etc, counts as assertive.
