Mithered

[caddyman]

How do you make someone eat or drink when they don't want to, or feel like it?

I'm visiting my Mum and Sister in Shrewsbury.

Mum still isn't right. Mentally she's a lot better, but she gets tired very easily, sleeps a lot and doesn't eat or drink nearly enough. Last night she went to bed around 9.30 and didn't get up until around 11.00 this morning. After a couple of hours or so, in which time she had half a very small dish of porridge and maybe two mouthfuls of tea, she went back to bed for an hour feeling light headed.

I made her a cheese and ham sandwich. Just one slice of bread. She ate a single, small bite, of a size that would have shamed a toddler. Now, a couple of hours on, she is attempting a banana. After two bites I have had to tell her to force it down, because she really doesn't want to eat it. Her blood sugar levels must be as low as you can get; it's no wonder she feels light headed.

At this rate she's going to be back in hospital in a week or so, getting fluids etc through a drip. She doesn't want that and neither do we.

But it doesn't alter the fact that she barely eats or drinks.

On the positive side, she is reasonably cheerful and good humoured.

But I don't know what we're going to do, to be honest, if she doesn't improve. There just aren't the services there used to be; no cover. And although she gets more support from the family than many of her age do, she is still on her own one full day a week.

I dunno.

Comments

[trav28.livejournal.com]

I can empathise with this - perhaps light bites are the best. Is there anything that she really fancies? I have found the smell of fish and chips can work wonders or baking bread perhaps?

[nortysarah.livejournal.com]

I'd try and find out if she fancies anything. My dad was the same after coming out of hospital and even had to be prescribed Complan to keep his weight up. Even with his faves - spotted dick, treacle sponge, etc, he could never manage very much. My mum used to make rice puddings and mix eggs into them for more nutrition. Good luck xxx

[caffeine-fairy.livejournal.com]

It sounds horribly patronising but baby food (there's an organic brand called Ella's Kitchen) might help - you can just swallow on spoonful at a time and it's not too strongly flavoured. Smoothies might help for the same reason. Also just trying to pack as many calories into whatever she can drink as possible - even if it's just empty sugar and fat. It's also really miserable rating alone because you know you have to - could eating together help.

You have all my sympathy, it's really hard and sad.

[nyarbaggytep.livejournal.com]

Do you know how come she doesn't feel like eating? Is it the vicious cycle that happens when you don't eat for a while and then it feels impossible, or is it that she's scared of going to the loo, or is it that she is finding it uncomfortable somehow (mouth, stomach, guts), or something else? Because without knowing the reason it's hard to suggest what to do.

[romney.livejournal.com]

Ok, been here!

Try the fortified drink Ensure. Wide range of milk and fruit juice types. Can get them from a chemist and Boots sell a similar product. They can be pricey buy you can also get them on prescription. Give them with a straw in the bottle.

Other things to try - mashed banana with cream/sugar. Tinned rice pudding. Long-life rice and jelly desserts from the supermarkets - small portion sized and quite yummy. (don't get the low-cal ones!) Ice lollies and ice creams (small ones in a supermarket packet) Heinz soups - tomato, chicken, again in a mug to sip from, perhaps with a wide straw. Heinz tinned spaghetti and macaroni cheese.

Infinite cups of tea from which one sip will be taken and the rest left - just keep presenting for that first sip! Bit labor intensive.

Plenty of sweeties - fruit jellies are popular.

Very best of luck.