Never a dull moment and a second NED!

Barbaraek

It's 5 in the morning and my husband bolts upright in bed and starts writhing in pain! Welcome home from vacation! The mystery is solved when we go to the hospital and get an ultrasound that shows some "sludge" and small gallstones in the gallbladder and bile duct. Evidently his digestive system doesn't like the Boost and high calorie, creamy soups and smoothies I've been serving up to wean him off the PEG tube.

No gallbladder removal today, though. Had a mini-consult with the dietician and have now stocked up on almond milk (instead of the whole milk he prefers), and hemp protein instead of whey. Back to the recipe books I go...

I would be interested in hearing from others how they circumvent the high fat content of creamy soups and shakes and still get sufficient calories and proteins. Right now soups, shakes and puréed food is what he can swallow safely.

Since he was scheduled for a 6 month post tx. CT scan on Friday, they went ahead and did it today just after the ultrasound....and drumroll please... All looks good including lungs and liver. Next scan will be in April just before my birthday- hoping for another good report as my gift then.

Barbara

 

swopoe

Congrats on the NED!!! No

Congrats on the NED!!! No advice on the food but at least your husband is ok. What a scare though!

MrsBD

NED

Well that was a sneaky way to get them to move up the scan! I'm very happy for you. My gallbladder and I parted ways when I was in my 20s, so I have no advice, just sympathy.

CivilMatt

getting better

Barbara,

For my smoothies I added vegetable oil for extra calories.

Being that my post treatment was during the summer I ate lots of tomatoes and cucumbers with olive oil.

I also have average 10 glasses of water a day for four years, trying to keep my system clean.

While I tried and sampled many foods virtually all soups were on my enemies list, I could not stand the texture.

 

I hear Alphabet soup is good.

 

 

Best of luck,

Matt

the_wife

Great news

Congrats on the clear scan!!!! That's interesting that some docs scan regularly. They told us my husband won't be getting routine scans. Not sure how I feel about that.

As for what to eat - my hubby hates Ensure and Boost and only drinks it when at work or traveling. Have you tried sherbert instead of ice cream? I recently started using his Nutrin as a base. That's the stuff we used for tube feedings. I'm mainly just trying to use it up because we have so much leftover. It's not too bad since it's vanilla flavored. Plus it's cheaper than buying all those supplements. I mix it with fruit and protein powder and add either chocolate or strawberry sryup to help disguise the taste. 

I found a chocolate soymilk that has lots of calories. Try adding ground nuts, flaxseed meal, cocoa, and protein powder to sweetened almond milk. To the Nutrin mix, I mix either bananas or canned fruit like peaches with heavy sryup or frozen strawberries with sugar plus vanilla flavored protein powder. My grocery store has recently been stocking goat milk and I wonder if that would be healthier. I use my NutriBullet to mix the smoothies, but only "pulse" the mixes otherwise it gets frothy.

Try different combinations of almond or soy milk, peanut butter, chocolate, banana, honey, and even coconut oil for calories. And of course, always protein powder - I typically add 2 tablespoons. 

Boost has a fruit flavored, clear liquid protein drink called Resource Breeze. I remember hubby having a small sample from the clinic when we first started and he liked it. I never see it on the shelves, but you can order it online. 

 

wmc

Question: What beats 4 Aces?

    N E D

Sorry about the gallstones,and have no answers on how I cook with butter, a lot of butter, eat ice cream, fried chicken, cream of chicken soup, drink pepsi, lots of pepsi, and the doctors can't answer why I have great blood preasure and cholesterol is great and don't realy eat vetgetables. Doctors can't figure it out but have hinted I should donate my body to science later.

May all his days always be NED.

Oh I forgot: How to cook a great Steak. Don't use non-stick pan, use  hard-anodized aluminum cookware or cast. Take steak and season to tast and let it stand at room temp for at least one hour or even two. Heat pan to 500 degrees and add small amount of olive oil. It will cook fast and you only want to turn only twice. Place two sprigs of thyme in pan and after you turn the steak add butter, about 1"~ 1 1/2" thick and spoon it over the steak. Turn the steak a second time to only baste in the butter and set on plate.  Have a nice day.

Bill

donfoo

creamy = thick?

Hi Barbara,

If by cremy you mean smooth and thick, you can use corn starch or flour to thicken soups, leaving out cream and dairy. There are other substitutes for cow milk. Maybe goat's milk or something else. I've not tried them but I see them all the time. 

LiseA

donfoo said:

creamy = thick?

Hi Barbara,

If by cremy you mean smooth and thick, you can use corn starch or flour to thicken soups, leaving out cream and dairy. There are other substitutes for cow milk. Maybe goat's milk or something else. I've not tried them but I see them all the time. 

I have ulcerative colitis and

I have ulcerative colitis and had c diff couple years Ago. What I found helpful at the time to eat, and I recognize this may not work for some, depending on mouth/throat situation, was to take baked chicken, and add sweet potatoes, several different veggies (cooked) and blitz in the Vitamix until it's the texture of baby food.  Helped a lot.  I had lost 22 lbs because I couldnt keep much down.  None. broths also helped, and green/veggie/protein smoothies.  Coconut oil and flax meal helps with the fat, as does avocado.

 

Anyway, as I said, depends on your situation.  This is my plan to survive once I can have something other than what they use at the hospital for feeding tube. Apparently I have been a challenge for MD Anderson to find a product that does not contain my allergens.  I also have Celiac disease and numerous food allergies and intolerances, so homemade is my best choice. 

 

Good luck. 

Kent Cass

the_wife said:

Great news

Congrats on the clear scan!!!! That's interesting that some docs scan regularly. They told us my husband won't be getting routine scans. Not sure how I feel about that.

As for what to eat - my hubby hates Ensure and Boost and only drinks it when at work or traveling. Have you tried sherbert instead of ice cream? I recently started using his Nutrin as a base. That's the stuff we used for tube feedings. I'm mainly just trying to use it up because we have so much leftover. It's not too bad since it's vanilla flavored. Plus it's cheaper than buying all those supplements. I mix it with fruit and protein powder and add either chocolate or strawberry sryup to help disguise the taste. 

I found a chocolate soymilk that has lots of calories. Try adding ground nuts, flaxseed meal, cocoa, and protein powder to sweetened almond milk. To the Nutrin mix, I mix either bananas or canned fruit like peaches with heavy sryup or frozen strawberries with sugar plus vanilla flavored protein powder. My grocery store has recently been stocking goat milk and I wonder if that would be healthier. I use my NutriBullet to mix the smoothies, but only "pulse" the mixes otherwise it gets frothy.

Try different combinations of almond or soy milk, peanut butter, chocolate, banana, honey, and even coconut oil for calories. And of course, always protein powder - I typically add 2 tablespoons. 

Boost has a fruit flavored, clear liquid protein drink called Resource Breeze. I remember hubby having a small sample from the clinic when we first started and he liked it. I never see it on the shelves, but you can order it online.