On 2/28/2008
ilikepurple wrote:
My wife had PC and found it difficult to eat also. Had a G-J bypass and for some time was unable to eat. We experimented. We found a local apple cider which had protein and vitemins added that worked as a supplement. Puddings, fruit salad, soft fruit bars, even peanut butter cups, some of the relatively bland small microwavable soups worked, baby food, tomato soup, chicken noodle soup, gravy and mashed potatoes, some cereals, Ensure or Boost. Many will not understand this, but for the ill persons good, the caregiver must be unrelenting regarding encouraging the ill person to eat. To be honest this all brings back bad memories, but I sure hope some of these help. It's just the most miserable experience to have to watch your loved one go through.
Dear Ilikepurple, I understand. I will never forget the day my husband stood in the kitchen after asking me over and over what I wanted to eat, with no response from me. Tears streaming, he looked at me and said "Do I have to watch you starve to death, because that is what's happening to you". I had no appetite at first following Whipple surgery, but I can say that from that day forward, I ate everything put in front of me, even when I didn't want it and it was hard to swallow. My husband is an excellent cook by the way, it was just hard to at first. I honestly believe eating when I didn't feel like it kept me from losing too much weight as I slowly regained strength and my appetite returned. If I didn't love him so much, and he had not been insistent, I would have done what people do when they aren't hungry - they don't eat. So yes, I think it is important to encourage, or even pester the PC patient to eat. Something. Anything.
God bless you.