back from the doctors

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pattynonews
pattynonews Member Posts: 176
edited March 2014 in Caregivers #1
Well his sister went to the doctors with us today, and Jack lost 6 more pounds and she just looked at me like it was my fault, The doctors at the hospital was the one who told me that since Jack is on antibotics do not give him his protein power because it has an affect on the antibotic, so I dam if I do and I dam if I don't , So now he is down to 140 so she said she does not care if he has residule in his stomach she wants him to have 6000 calories, a day, do you know how hard that is, and the powder is 47.00 a can, Which I will do without so he can have it, Now he is off the antibotic I can get between 4000 to 5000 calories in him and what she does not understand it is you can make it to thick because it won't go through the tube, I add honey, I am even going to add ice cream and thin it out anything that is liquid to go through the tube, He is on isosource which is 375 calories a can so I mix two can with a scopp of powder and that is a total of 1350 calories per feeding I have to get 4 of those in him and that will be over 5000 calories, and it just seems like he is fighting me on everything, he does not want to sit on the humifier to break up the muscus he just wants to sit on the oxygen which is drying him out, They are weaning him off the steroids, hopefully that will change his moods, And we have decided to go back to using a conventional drug and see how it works, the good news is the cancer has not spread like they thought, which I am blessed, I just need away to destress and calm dowm and learn how to deal with this life they call cancer,

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  • MichelleP
    MichelleP Member Posts: 254
    #2
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    Patty
    You are a wonderful caretaker...you really are! I can see the pain your dealing with between the lines and my heart breaks for you. I think he's lucky to have you taking care of him and as far as this sister of his.....I read your other posts and she certainly sounds like someone I would point into the direction of the door if ya know what I mean. Good luck to you dear one and please post often. It really helps!
  • soccerfreaks
    soccerfreaks Member Posts: 2,788 Member
    #3
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    Misery
    I may be wrong about this, but if you are loading someone up with more than 5,000 calories of protein a day as it sounds like you are doing, you are apt to be in the process of causing serious problems for his kidneys.

    Typical daily caloric intake (with a number of variables, to be sure) is between 1,500 and 2,500 calories. A professional athlete, a serious amateur athlete, will exceed that and get up into the 5,000 - 7,000 range, perhaps, but even then, it is not entirely protein, which would likely nuke his/her kidneys, and those folks are MONITORED DAILY BY A PROFESSIONAL NUTRITIONIST.

    I can no longer recall the type of tube your 'man' has, if indeed you ever specified. If it is like mine, however, the likelihood of getting honey down it is slim to none and ice
    cream had better be melted down to milk and sugar (personally, I would never consider it, but then, he may have a different tube).

    My feeling, based on a comparison of your posts here and especially between here and elsewhere in the boards, where the facts change at least marginally, is that things are not adding up.

    I am hopeful that you are simply miscommunicating with 'Jack's' doctors with respect to the calories and other issues, and that you are mis-typing from one board to another. If so, it is time to start taking pen and paper with you to every meeting with doctors. List your questions, record the answers you receive, come up with new questions based on those answers. (It is also time to make sure your posts compare favorably from one board to another.)

    The idea that you would be trying to negotiate someone's pain medications (a previous post) while apparently incorrectly recalling these other very important details is straight out of a Stephen King novel, if such is the case.

    Joe
  • SonSon
    SonSon Member Posts: 174
    #4
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    Intake and weight loss
    If Jack's sister went to the doctor with you that is a step in the direction of beginning to get involved in the process of his care.
    The cancer will cause weight loss, no matter how much calories that you put in him. Especially since he had an infection and was taking antibiotics. The body is working overtime to try and survive.
    High protein intake - I believe he should have a consult with a nutritionist regarding that. There is a REAL risk for damage to the kidneys and liver from such a diet.
    To maintain/gain weight the body needs calories, period. And calories need to come from a balance of sources, carbs, fats, proteins...
    Keep up the good work and be patient with his family even if they are slow in participating in the caregiving process.

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