Postby MissMolly » Wed Nov 30, 2016 2:31 am
Keri:
I think your intentions for your father-in-law are well-meaning but your approach is lacking.
I have had several open-abdominal surgeries. They are not a walk-in-the-park. The intestines do not like to be manipulated and maneuvered during surgery. The intestines are a sensitive organ and, quite frankly, one of the least respected organs of the human body.
The intestine's response to surgery is generally to s-l-o-w the motility of the GI tract. The constant wiggling and squirming of the small intestine slows considerably. The peristaltic waves of the large intestine are less frequently. In some cases, the motility of the intestines can stop completely (paralytic ileus), on a temporary basis.
Slowed GI motility is not something that you can objectively see in your father-in-law. Your father-in-law is likely experiencing some degree of bloating and general malaise with his intestinal tract - which equates to low appetite. The body does not want to ingest food that it cannot properly digest, absorb, and effectively move along.
My advice: Do not push the intake of solid food. Personally, I would have balked at eating a fried egg or ham at 2 weeks post surgery. The smells of many cooked foods was offensive. Meat, in particular, disagreed with me.
What to offer? Focus on liquids, both thin and thick liquids.
Thin Liquids: Fruit juices (grape juice, apple juice are generally easier to intake than highly acidic juices such as orange juice and grapefruit juice); lemonade; chicken broth; miso broth; popsicles (always a personal favorite of mine); frozen fruit-bars; hot and iced tea.
Thick Liquids: Carnation Instant Breakfast (use lactose-free milk to prevent undo gas and bloating) is one of my personal favorites; Orgain® nutritional drinks (an nutritional drink developed by a physician who himself was undergoing chemotherapy, it contains only organic ingredients with NO high fructose corn syrup as found in Ensure and Boost); vanilla pudding; tapioca pudding; sherbet; ice cream; creamed soups (split pea; cream of chicken).
You can also add in: Apple sauce; diced fresh fruit cup (remove all fruit skins, as on an apple, and remove all fruit membranes, as between sections of an orange). Dice the fruit into minute pieces for easier digestion.
I also enjoyed small slices of pita bread with hummus.
Worth noting: Offer small servings. Large portion sizes will detract from one's appetite when one's appetite is waning. Start with 1/2 cup or 1/3 cup. Cut semi-sold foods into tiny, tiny pieces. Slicing and dicing foods into small pieces makes digestion easier as the stomach and intestinal enzymes do not need to work as hard to break down the food into its metabolic components.
Macaroni and cheese. Again, a small serving. 1/2 a cup or less.
Finger foods are another good option. Animal crackers; Ritz crackers or saltines; bread sticks; small pretzels; hard candies to suck on (ex. peppermint candies).
I agree that movement and getting up and walking is important. The intestines are a long-tube of smooth muscle and they are influenced to move by general movement and activity of the skeletal muscles and body.
Take your father-in-law for a car ride to a local park. Get outside for some fresh air and a change of scenery. Just bundle him up in a warm coat if you live in a cold climate. Go for a ride to a local bookstore. Let him browse the book aisles and select a book. My family used to take me to Home Depot, simply so I could walk the aisles and get some exercise when I had surgery in December. Keep the outing to about 30-45 minutes. Getting out and about with people will also be helpful.
Above all, be an empathetic, loving, and patient daughter-in-law. Tough Love rarely is effective.
The effects of anesthesia can linger for several weeks, making someone somewhat lethargic and spacey.
I hope your father-in-law begins to feel more like himself in the day ahead,
- Karen -
Dear friend to Bella Piazza, former Colon Club member (NWGirl).
I have a permanent ileostomy and offer advice on living with an ostomy - in loving remembrance of Bella
I am on Palliative Care for broad endocrine failure + Addison's disease + osteonecrosis of both hips/jaw + immunosuppression. I live a simple life due to frail health.