I got ideas if you need them, let me know if you have any dislikes or allergies and I’ll see what I can do. Potatoes go far.
Also please don’t hesitate to hit up food pantries or anything around, see if you’re eligible
melbaboutown
joined 2 years ago
Agreed Ensure gets old very quickly and Fortisip is even more intensely sugary. Vom. One way is to make a cup of coffee as usual and pour in a swig of Ensure as if it were a coffee creamer. It dilutes it to a more bearable level. Decaf coffee with vanilla Ensure probably tastes a little bit like a fancy Starbucks coffee.
Edit: They also do pudding/custard!
spoiler
You can heat milk in the microwave and add sugar (optional) and instant coffee for a ‘latte’ or use hot chocolate packets to get some fortified milk down. Sometimes this is easier than a meal and you can tailor it to her tastes. Hydration is probably a higher priority than food.
Another option is nibbles. An open pack of biscuits next to her with a cup of tea. Perhaps even a lollipop or a cracker would be enough to stimulate her appetite and get her through any overly-hungry aversion. If she likes ginger perhaps try some ginger sweets like ginger ale, ginger bears, Gin Gins or Chimes. If it’s nausea there are dissolvable wafer tablets like Ondansetron that might help. Even some peppermint tea.
Also is she just not hungry, is she forgetting to eat, is she feeling sick, is she fatigued or having motor issues so it’s not worth the effort, is she having trouble swallowing? Is the food and drink not sitting well?
I don’t mean to bring up anything undignified but sometimes after bowel surgery there can be issues with things like post surgery gastroparesis.
Also after a prolonged period of not eating or only liquids, beginning to eat again can be quite difficult and unpleasant. A period without eating (or being able to eat) in itself can cause atrophy of the digestive system and bring on gastroparesis. Cue effortful eating.
Surely the hospital has a dietitian and a gastro that might get on top of this.
Feeding tubes might be an option but are an incredible removal of autonomy and may be a lot of risk for the results. They’re not always recommended.
Edit: Also as you get older, with cancer, or at end of life you can lose your appetite. I’m very sorry. I’m hoping your mum perks up a little and more support can be worked out smoothly.
This.
I was in a very similar position except it wasn’t in my wheelhouse to make alternative arrangements.
Also I hope I’m not overstepping but I would really suggest some supports for you. Not kidding.
Caregiving (which is what you’re doing) can be incredibly difficult and it can have a severe lasting effect on your physical and mental health.
Particularly for informal care which doesn’t have built in protections, supports, or breaks for the person doing the care. Particularly if it’s someone you’re close to. Particularly if everyone else is stepping back and putting the onus on you to manage everything.
Don’t do this alone.
I’m sorry to hear :(
I wonder if some kind of home support package might come in a bit sooner. But also I know there are many things not in your control and post-release care isn’t always great
Apparently cats are attracted to bleach so it might be the chlorine smell
Melbcat has begun punishing me with farts.
Get up and disturb her by pulling the jacket corner she’s got trapped? Toot. Paying attention to vidya? She walks over the keyboard and crop dusts right under my nose.
She’s my cat alright
This seems like their failing, not yours.
It should be a legal requirement that the most immature family member/friend first be able to recite the name three times with a straight face
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RiQiTz3KWCE&pp=0gcJCdgAo7VqN5tD
I’m halfway through the kitchen and am sorting clothes into their new storage bags.
I know preventative medication exists but never tried it