I need some advice. My mother is 87 years old...has some dementia at times...has had quad-drouple bypass....stents...and a pace maker. Up until Feb 20th...she could do everything for herself...eat anything she wanted....didn't have any problems at all. (She lives with me). My sister exposed her to the flu...two days later I had to put her in the hospital....this was Feb 20th. While in the hospital...she developed C Diff. She has been on antibiotics since...couldn't get over it until this last week. During this time...she lost her appetite...nothing tasted good to her anymore. She has lost about 15 to 20 lbs in the past 2 1/2 months. She can't walk or even stand up any more...she is so weak. If she eats 2 spoons of food a day the last couple of weeks...that's a lot. She is literally starving to death. I feel if I can get some nutrition into her...she will overcome this. I've tried ensure...boost...she won't drink them. I have made arrangements to have a peg tube inserted this coming Monday. Am I doing the right thing? I feel it is the only chance she has. She says she doesn't want to die....I've begged her to eat and her reply is that she is eating...but she's not. Has anyone else experienced this with their parent?
Spite was not good, or care about
Eating, he would prescribe a shot of
Wine for dinner and supper.
get one that tastes good, not a dry
One. The theory is that it cleans
The pallet. Several of the bigger
Hosp used it as a regular....it has
Fallen out of favor over the years
But still available....I have seen it
Work. A few months back a friend
Broke their hip, and in this nursing
Facility came they with a wine
Dispenser with cute little disposable
Cups.....oh by the way, they are associated
With Boston mass general, and their
Ger specialist, who are with "a leading
Medical" thinks the wine is ok.
I feel I did everything I possibly could for her...I'm glad I decided to put the peg tube in...because I'll never have to wonder if she would have lived longer if I had or feel guilty thinking she passed be caused I didn't. I know the answer. Thanks to everyone who responded to me...and I hope my story can help someone else.
Thanks for keeping us informed. Peace...
The last two months of my Mom's life....I spent all of my time caring for her.....I was so busy doing it....I knew she was very close to the end of her life...But I don't think I realized that she was actually going to be "gone". .After she passed....I slowed down...and that's when it hit me...she wasn't here with me anymore. For weeks afterwards...I'd be doing something...look at the clock...and think..."It's time to give Mom her meds"...or...it's time to feed Mom"...or.."I better go check and see if Mom needs to be changed."....and then I'd remember that she wasn't here...I didn't know how much I was going to miss her. I joined a Grief Share Group....and last Tuesday 08/27...we had a candlelight service....I hadn't known how much I had been holding inside....I cried...for the first time since Mom passed....it all came out....I was sobbing. I'm still crying now whenever I think about her....but I'm getting through this. My client that lives in my home has been in rehab for the past two months....so I've had a lot of alone time to reflect back on everything. I truly don't have any regrets over any of the decisions I made concerning my Mom...I know I did the right things....but it was just her time. She never suffered...she looked beautiful through it all....and she went very peacefully with me holding her. I am at peace with myself. My client will be released this Sunday from rehab...and back home with me. I spoke with her daughter this evening.....she told me her Mom asked her to tell me that she wanted a salad....shrimp scampi with rice....and my homemade strawberry shortcake for supper Sunday....she hasn't had any of that since she's been in rehab and she misses it !!!! Of course... I'll make it all for her....I love to spoil all the people.... whose families entrust their loved ones... into my home and my care.....Again....Thank You...to everyone who took the time to write to me....sharing their experiences...and encouragement...and their condolences.... It meant a lot to me....knowing that people who didn't even know my Mom or me...cared. God Bless all of you....Florence...Angelscare.
This isn't really a shortcake receipe....it's for cobbler...(sub peaches...apples...etc) but I make this and when I serve it.(make up each serving individually in a bowl)....I I add a scope of ice cream on top...some fresh strawberries that I precut....in a container with suger & water and let set overnight in the refrig.....and COVER with whipped cream!!!! The good thing is I can serve just the cobbler with coffer or tea.....none goes to waste. Some times I just purchase the little "cake cups" which they keep in the fruit dept next to the strawberries...or I keep Sara Lee individually wrapped pound cake slices in the freezer....so when I say "homemade"....I mean I make it up as I go!!!!
Absolutely! You have my support to go for the feeding tube! Being an abuse survivor and having been forced into starvation, I know what starvation does, how it feels and what it does to the human body. This is why I seriously frown on Oregon for removing certain protections for mentally ill people as I saw online. This is just one example i'm trying to point out because starvation is not the answer and it doesn't solve any problems
In your particular case, definitely don't give her too much at once and make sure she's properly propped up or sitting up straight when you administer the nutritious liquid. Give her only small amounts at a time