Cooking for Chemo

[Coyote_Bandit]

These days I find myself the sole caregiver for my aging parents. Mom is a month into a four month chemo regimen. So far she has only had minimal problems with nausea, constipation and diarrhea. But she has a consistently poor appetite. She has had problems with mouth sores and her tastes are subject to change n a whim.

So far I've been trying to prepare bland foods (which can be seasoned to taste after being prepared) and foods that are calorie rich. Lots of rice and pasta and potatoes and ice cream and such - all the stuff I don't need to be eating much. I've also been trying to avoid acidic foods - and fresh foods when her white blood cell counts are low.

I was wondering if anyone here has been responsible for caring for a chemo patient or if someone here has gone through chemo themselves. If so, I would be grateful for whatever meal/menu/cooking suggestions you might be able to offer.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

1. I've been there...not much to do but be flexible

I stocked up on all sorts of things and followed her every whim.

[Coyote_Bandit]

8. The freezer and pantry are bulging

with stuff that has been stocked. Pudding. Jello. Soup. Beef. Chicken. Pork. Fresh fruits and veggies. Rice. Potatoes. Pasta. Chips. Cheeses. Lots of snack items. Drinks. Juices.

Thanks.

[Downwinder]

2. A friend brought my daughter a brownie

that cleared up the nausea plus she slept better.

[Coyote_Bandit]

9. Mom loves chocolate

[Downwinder]

13. Think it was a bit more than chocolate.

[Coyote_Bandit]

16. Yes, and the reason for the smile

It would have to be in a brownie for Mom to partake......

[Downwinder]

17. Brownies weren't good for my MS but they sure helped her Chemo.

Just one was enough.

[Lars39]

3. Had chemo....

Tastes weren't on a whim, I just never knew until I actually tasted something whether it would taste "right". It was all trial and error. I do remember distinctly moon pies tasting totally wrong, also cream of mushroom soup tasting like dirt to me. After a few treatments, nothing seemed to have a taste unless it tasted "wrong".

ACA has a few tips: http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/SurvivorshipDuringandAfterTreatment/NutritionforPeoplewithCancer/NutritionforthePersonwithCancer/nutrition-during-treatment-manage-eating-probs

[Coyote_Bandit]

10. Thanks for the link

Bookmarked.

One day Mom said that everything tasted like water. Except water, of course.

[Warpy]

4. Think liquid

Ensure and Slim Fast will go down when nothing else will, sliding right past those mouth sores. Three cans a day plus picking at solid stuff will keep her alive. Five cans a day might start to put a little weight on her.

Keep the stuff ice cold, it's better that way and will numb those mouth sores on the way down.

Occasionally on an oncology floor, I'd get a patient who was nauseated by any food smell or flavor, at all. I used to get cans of unflavored tube feeding, chill them, and the patients could usually get those down as a last resort.

Most people who die of cancer have actually died of self starvation. While people are on chemo and radiation, what you get into them isn't quite as important as getting something, anything into them. Ask her what she wants and even if it's a salad, give it to her. Just feed her those nutritional shakes with it.

[Phentex]

6. I second the cold items...

We took typical foods for the family but she preferred shakes or cold pasta for herself.

[Coyote_Bandit]

12. Cold stuff went down well when she had mouth sores

She refused cold pasta several times.

But small chocolate milkshakes have became a regular menu item.

Dad insists on eating whatever I fix for Mom - so I've been adding lots of fruits and veggies and salads to go with some of those high calorie dishes.

[Coyote_Bandit]

11. So far Mom has refused

Ensure and Slim Fast (and multivitamins with iron but that is another story). But she seems to like the chocolate Carnation Instant Breakfast.

Smells have been an issue on a couple of occasions.

Mom has been doing really good eating fresh tomatoes and fresh peaches. Assuming her white blood cell count is high enough to permit her to eat fresh produce and assuming those mouth sores are held at bay.

I think Mom had probably lost about 10 pounds when she was diagnosed. Since then she has taken so much fluid that her weight measurments are suspect. Best I can tell she has not lost any additional weight.

I don't nag her to eat. Dad has assumed that responsibility. I just try to fix stuff she might eat or wants.

Thanks for the suggestions.

[Lars39]

5. Re: mouth sores...

Has her doc prescribed "Magic Mouthwash" yet? If not, sounds like she needs it. Helps a lot.

[Coyote_Bandit]

14. Oh, yes, she has magic mouthwash

One of the things I have found most interesting during her treatment is just how quickly side effects and complications can develop - and be medically addressed.

[tru]

7. perhaps ice cream

It might numb those sores and it is very high calorie.

[Coyote_Bandit]

15. Small chocolate milkshakes

have become an almost daily food item.

[tru]

18. smell?

If the smell of food is a problem, your Mom might try holding her nose. That should interfere with the tastes that she doesn't like as well, since there is some connection between taste and smell.

Someone has to say that my understanding, perhaps wrong, is that marijuana stimulates appetite when one is undergoing chemo...

[Coyote_Bandit]

20. So far

smell hasn't been much of a problem. Of course that could change in the next 10 minutes.

I wish I could get Mom to use some MJ during her cancer treatment. Not likel unles I do slip it into a brownie. Thus far I have been unable to get her to take a multivitamin with iron. Go figure.

[Irishonly]

19. When I was in chemo my tastes could change almost daily

One suggestion is to make sure your mom has plastic eating utensils. About half way through my treatments I could not deal with regular silverware. It tasted like I was eating metal. I think you are giving you mom great foods. We also kept Ensure. My mouth sores were the size of fifty cent coins and I couldn't deal with any food.

Most people will tell you is to feed your mom what she wants.

[Coyote_Bandit]

21. Mom's taste seems to change quickly

She has craved certain juices in the mrning only to find that she could not tolerate their taste a few hours later.

I've added plastic eating utensils to the shopping list. Thanks for the suggestions.

[Irishonly]

23. I hope all of the suggestions help

Chemo declares war on your body. If something sounds good, let her eat it.

[sinkingfeeling]

22. Betty Crocker has a cancer cookbook. Maybe you could get it at the library.

It is brokern into different sections for what to eat with mouth sores, for chemo days, etc. Lots of tips from cancer patients and doctors.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/0764565494/?tag=googhydr-20&hvadid=7116993311&hvpos=1t1&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=6732814801772253910&hvpone=16.47&hvptwo=34&hvqmt=e&ref=pd_sl_1ddqv5s1xe_e

[Lucinda]

24. I wasn't allowed to eat any fresh produce and didn't care for most of the

liquid supplements. Taste or smell.
I think there was a fruity Boost flavor that I did like. And the carnation instant stuff.

I'll ask Bill what worked for me and post for you...it's been a while and those were pretty foggy days. I do remember that it was the smell of foods cooking that bothered me, much more than the actual taste.

? Will keep you and your mum in my thoughts.