Wednesday, February 9, 2011

A reminder to always check...

I know that everything should be checked with Talli: verify medicatins are correct, the right formula is given, packages of food are checked for allergens, IV fluids are correct, etc., etc.,

A couple of years ago, she was in the hospital and TPN had been ordered. It was a non-modified amino acid version, the kind anyone else would get. Some visitors were leaving when the IV bag was hung and as I walked them to the door, I checked the bag. The protein count on the bag wasn't what I had expected, so I alerted a nurse. The pharmacist had made a mistake and 24 hours worth of protein was in a bag to run for 4 hours. I am sure that no long term damage would have been done, but it likely would have prolonged her stay. Everyone was very nice and apologetic over the mistake and a new bag was sent up within the hour.

Yesterday, Talli got her delivery of some Energy Options candy bars. She has been eating a lot lately and we had run out of the mint and while chocolate versions. Energy Options candies are made to be completely protein free and are peanut and tree-nut free. To foster her indepenence, we usually have the bars in a designated place for her. Instread of having the imprint of "Energy Options" on the bar, it said "PhenylAde". Appled Nutrition makes both Energy Options candy and a bar called PhenylAde that is an amino acid modified food to replace formula for someone with PKU. The bar contains 10g protein equivalant, lacking only phenylalanine. So if Talli ate one, she would be getting 100% of her protein for the day.

The bars are getting sent back to the manufacturer, so they can verify where the problem lies. Is this actually a PhenylAde bare that got into an Energy Options package and box or an Energy Options bar with the wrong imprint. It was a reminder that everything does needs to be checked before it goes into Talli to keep her as well as she is.

I did check all of the mint ones by pressing through the wrapper to read the imprint on the bar.

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