Hello @kj9 and welcome to Mayo Connect,

I'm so sorry to hear of your mom's heart problem and lung cancer. Those are difficult diagnoses to have, especially for older adults. It sounds like you and your sister are doing your best to encourage her to eat and your interest and care means a lot.

You suggest that your mom's loss of appetite might have something to do with her worry over the blood thinner meds that she is taking for her heart rhythm problem, as you say, "my mother ate her self up with worry about taking the medicine." If anxiety is causing the loss of appetite your mom's physician might be able to prescribe something for her to reduce the anxiety that might also help her to eat better.

Have you talked to your mom's doctor(s) about her weight loss and her decrease in appetite?