Cookaholics Bulletin Board

Hi all,

My Mom had major surgery due to cancer two weeks ago. She's now in chemo. They removed a lot...all of her female parts along with most of her colon. It's been up and down for her since surgery, but the biggest problem is getting her strength back. She's having a problem eating as her mouth hurts (almost like it's complete raw) and is dry; so isn't eating enough to really get the strength back. I bought some sushi for lunch, but she couldn't handle the perceived dryness of it.

I want to make her meals I can bring to the rehab facility as she hates their food (the apple doesn't fall far from the tree) which will not hurt her mouth and are also really nutritious.

Thoughts? Oh and she's not a comfort food person...she's a pretty healthy eater, except for her newly acquired sweet tooth. And, she's so weak right now, finger foods are much preferred.

Amy

Amy, so sorry about your mom. Hope she gets her strength back really soon. First obvious option is protein smoothies. They are great this time of the year. DH adds both fruits and veggies to his (kale usually) and uses avocado instead of banana to make them smooth. You can make them on the sweet side and hopefully the cold will feel ok in her mouth.

Some thicker cold soups (or hot) might be good as well. I was thinking gazpacho (I am making a combo of Ina's and my aunt's old Spanish recipe), cold zucchini with a dollop of crème fraîche or Greek yogurt (roasted shrimp with cumin and smoked paprika are a nice addition, but might be hard to chew.)

You can take the soups and smoothies in a large thermos so she can have a bit at a time.

DH had minor surgery but it required 3 weeks of clear liquids, then soft foods and now finally he can eat anything. As soon as he got the ok he ate 3 New York Steaks in less in 36 hours.

Amy,
So very sorry to hear this. I went through a similar situation with my SIL 6 years ago (she had what has been coined as MOAS - "Mother of All Surgeries" for very rare cancer of the appendix) and I found that cantalope soup was a great solace for her. I also cooked every weekend and brought food to the hospital for her but as she's from KY it was very southern oriented. Collard Greens, cornbread, stuff like that.
I also went thru this with my Dad and Matzoh Ball Soup was his favorite.
I'll try to find more. Been there and am with you in spirit. Positive thoughts....
Nance

Other thought is, if your Mom isn't getting enough nutrients, insist on a protein drip. I HAD to do that for my Dad because the hospital (Jefferson in Philadelphia - great H but....) didn't realize he had stopped eating. Very upsetting that the staff/nurses didn't/don't monitor patients food intake or monitor their completely uneaten food trays. I know they have a lot to do but when you have elderly patients it's so very necessary, not only for their rehab but also for their mental status...sorry for the rant, just wanted to share my experience.
Nance

Vichyssoise? Also, if she's craving sweets, there's always Ensure.

Hi Amy, thinking of you and keeping your mom and everyone in my prayers. I don't have much to suggest other than the obvious chicken and beef broth, once she feels up to it you can add noodles and chicken bits. The Ensure drinks are handy as well for upping nutrition. I bought them for my uncle when he was in hospital even though they were provided,as he didn't always get the flavour he preferred there.
Am thinking oatmeal would be another good thing.
All the best...and make sure you get some rest too.

I'm so sorry, Amy. Rice pudding?

So sorry your Mom is going through this....first thing I thought of was Ensure, just to get her nutrients. My mom enjoyed milk shakes and malts and ice cream floats....tasted satisfying and went down easily and helped to cool her mouth.

To get some fiber in her diet, I might suggest Kisir, which is the Turkish version of Tabouleh. Make it with very fine grind bulgur, well-soaked, and then blended with grated tomato, red pepper paste and spices. If this sounds interesting, I'll dig up a recipe.

Also: hummus, baba ganough, skordalia, tzatziki. Those folks from the Near and Middle East are big on pureed dips.

So sorry to hear this Amy. My father had a colostomy last summer and it took quite a while for him to get his appetite back. I also have several people close to me with chronic dry mouth due to throat or tongue cancer... Anything grainy or stringy is problematic. This includes rice and leaf vegetables.
I also would go with smoothies, mashed potatoes, eggs, puréed cauliflower. Cheesecake was a big hit for my dad. I would also insist on the Ensure (my dad didn't like like it but treated it like medicine). You might also want to try polenta, gnocchi or pastina with a nice sauce. You can also throw protein powder into things to up the nutrition. Fruit soups might be nice if she is craving sweets.

I am sure the best medicine for her is the fact that you are there taking care of her. Take care of yourself while you are taking care of her. I will keep you and your family in my thoughts.

Mary