" wrote:

>I work in a deli department at a grocery store, and we have a really
>nice guy who has been coming in for about 15 years. He is a Viet Nam
>vet, in his 70s, very eccentric, and a bit paranoid. He's a super nice
>guy who avoids hospitals and cars, won't accept social security, etc.
>He has had two heart attacks in the past and refused to go to the
>hospital.
>
>He lives in a nearby motel and buses to work downtown every day. The
>motel won't allow him to have a microwave, hot plate, etc, so he comes
>by daily for dinner and tomorrow's lunch.
>
>He's been feeling sick lately, very exhausted and breathing hard. His
>boss finally insisted and hauled him to the doctor. His lungs were
>retaining fluid. He has a water pill now, and they took several vials
>of blood. He was told he needs to cut out the salt since his diet has
>consisted of processed food every day for every meal. His legs are
>swollen, and the lung issue is a bad sign.
>
>So, I am trying to come up with some alternatives that he can eat as
>he adjusts his daily diet. He normally eats a lot of sandwiches, corn
>dogs, chicken strips, and chinese food.
>
>In the past, we have done some adjustments to his food, such as adding
>a can of veggies to some rice and an entree, and heating it up for
>him. Or adding rice to soup. Stuff like that. We normally do not heat
>non-deli food, but we make an exception for him.
>
>Today, I fixed him some rice, with unsalted butter stirred in to
>replace the gravy. And I had the cooks stir fry some veggies and
>chicken without any sauce or seasonings. I also chopped it smaller as
>I normally pick through the entrees for the smaller pieces as he only
>has 4 teeth. I'm sure it was boring but better than nothing.
>
>I am hoping for some suggestions that would keep him at a low salt
>intake, especially while he gets this under control. I would love to
>make a nice sauce that I could take and add to rice and a plain entree
>to give it some flavor.
>
>I can make something at home and heat it there if it is more
>complicated that stuff we make at work. The chinese cooks can make
>just about any entree I ask for as long as it only uses ingredients we
>have already. Something like a sauce could be made at home and added
>if it requires something else.
>
>He has a problem chewing due to the teeth, so the only meat we can
>cook for him is chicken, cut up small. Our beef and pork would be too
>chewy. I could do something with ground beef at home. He is a bit
>relunctant to accept food as a gift, but i think this is serious
>enough that he would accept me cooking it if he paid for it. He does
>not accept handouts. He protests every year about me giving him a
>Christmas dinner (but he does accept it ).
>
>Sandwich meats are out since they are so high in salt. He loves
>sandwiches though, so a good alternative would be awesome. I can make
>hot and cold sandwiches, so I am open to any suggestions. He's not
>very picky about food, other than the ability to chew it, so that's
>good. He likes most fruits and veggies. Spicy is fine.
>
>He goes back to the doctor again today and a coworker is taking him
>(so that she can help him ask the right questions and write down the
>answers). So hopefully, I will have a better idea of diet restrictions
>and what his ideal daily salt intake will be.
>
>He is a really super guy, so I am hoping to keep him around for a long
>time to come. He can cheer me up on a bad day, and he is always
>entertaining. He goes to Reno every year for Thanksgiving, and I
>really miss his daily visits. These days, I worry anytime he misses a
>day.

He obviously has medical issues that you haven't a clue about. You
need to mind your own business, you're not his doctor, his dietician,
his mother, or his priest... you're a deli clerk, you can't be
dispensing medical advice to customers. You can lose your job, be
sued... your employer can be sued. You'd best not serve anyone
"special diets", if there's some adverse reaction and/or he dies due
to your practicing medicine as a deli clerk you can be criminally
charged, and should be.