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Support for caregivers: I feel helpless not being able to fix things
Pancreatic Cancer | Last Active: Apr 20 5:25pm | Replies (43)Comment receiving replies
Hello,
I am in the same situation as you. Except we have have cats 😼. My husband also has pancan and lost so much weight. He had 14 rounds of chemo and radiation. All of these are so hard on the body. Does your husband take pancreatic enzymes? This was a game changer for us. My husband has a good appetite now and enjoys his food. This is all I can ask. He eats everything he loves. I try to bake or cook his favorites. When he was on chemo he liked eggs, soups, casseroles, ice cream especially. He isnt fond of protein drinks but if I made him a milkshake I could sneak some in without too much flavor change. I hope this helps a bit. I know how hard this whole thing is, but I treasure each day he feels well and enjoys the things he loves. Hugs and prayers for you both ❤️
Replies to "Hello, I am in the same situation as you. Except we have have cats 😼. My..."
Eating can be a problem. My husband had a brain bleed among other afflictions and didn't like many foods he liked before. The rehab hospital tried to give him Ensure but he hated it. His cousin, who retired as a RN in a care facility, told me to get Carnation Instant Breakfast. He liked that and even now long after his appetite is back to normal, he uses the vanilla or strawberry instead of milk on his cereal. I get the bottled high protein vanilla but I don't think strawberry comes in high protein.
My wife the patient. PADC, Stage 4, Tail. Now 4 months Folfirinox chemo.
Let the doctors and the chemo do their thing. Focus on nutrition
Get Books for nutrition for cancer. Mainstream oncology doesn’t spend a lot of time helping with nutrition, so you have to learn your way.
Agree, pancreatic enzymes a game changer.
Quality protein , good fats, and stay away from any processed foods and sugars.
Buy Organic whatever wherever possible. READ labels.
Libre Freestyle sugar monitoring a blessing, as was getting an endicrinologist on our team to help with the inevitable problems PADC creates in managing diabetes, and blood enzymes.
We found Glucerna protein drinks a great help in the first stages of chemo. But it’s dairy based, and as chemo started to ravage the immune system and Biome world, Glucerna wasn’t good for the diarrhea, so she moved to a vegan alternative called Kate Farms. Much more expensive but more acceptable to the stomach.
You’re the patience anchor. Remember when things get dark, to put aside your frustration and unhappiness , as it pales in comparison to what they are going through… They need your strength, your hope and your love….
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Thank you so much for your reply and kind words. You could not imagine how reading your and others comments helps me get through the beginning of these journey.
Wish you the best for you and your husband as well .