I am compelled to tell this story for any number of reasons. One of the patients I have been visiting is in the hospital for a very interesting reasons: Chex Mix Overdose. This man has some sort of a condition where too much sodium in his system causes his lungs to fill with fluid. This is a poor syndrome to have for this Chex Mix lover. Apparently, his wife found him unresponsive in the bathroom, huddled up around a half eaten bag of Chex Mix in a clandestine attempt to feed his habit. After coming to the hospital, his wife reports finding small bags of mix hidden throughout the home in unobtrusive locations. Now that he is out of hot wate, I can joke with him about it. I said to him, "So, no more Chex Mix huh?" He replied, "Boy, word travels fast." I came back, "Well, come on, honestly, a story like that? That's fantastic! I mean, now that you're doing ok and everything, it's really sort of funny to us, who normally see cocaine and heroin addicts." "Yeah, I guess it is kinda funny then. Definitely no more Chex Mix for me. This is the second time I've done this to myself." "What?! You did this before? A Chex Mix overdose?" "The very same." "Ok, yeah, definitely no more mix for you." "The trouble is, I read the bag and it says only 4% daily dose of sodium, so I think I'm fine. What I fail to realize is, that means 4% per handful, not per bag!" "I can see how that would make a difference."

Anyway, on and on and on we went. This guy was hysterical. He has been able to identify his habit and hopes to overcome it. But I really sympathize with him - that Chex Mix stuff is AWESOME!.....and apparently deadly. It reminds me of my own father, who often hides snacks around the home and once almost signed up for a church group called S.W.A.C.K.S. because he thought it read S.N.A.C.K.S. Ah, men and their junk food...

-R