Re: gettin' up and out of bed to Goldwhiz4

[Guest guest]

I'm new to this group. And want to ask you folks for suggestions

that might help someone I know who's been laid low with

pancreatitis get back on his feet.

So, I wondering, with no real solid food yet, how do you get

enough nutrition? (A glass of Ensure, crackers & broth, that's not

enough).

Is it good to cancel the physical therapist's home visit when you

feel too weak?

In the hospital, your loved ones can quiz the doctors and nurses

and let them do the monitoring and if need be, insist. Harder

for friends and family to know what to do or say once the

person's home.

Dear Goldwhiz4,

Is this friend someone you can speak with personally, or only

through his family? Is he, or they, receptive to your concern and

comments?

A glass of Ensure and some broth may be all that this patient is

able to handle this soon after such medical difficulties. I'm

surprised that he isn't still on NPO, but this decision must have

been made by the physicians in charge of this patient. Quite

often after that long a hospital visit, the patient is sent home with

a feeding tube. He must have established himself in the

hospital as being able to sustain food on his own. Usually the

liquid diet is increased, 2-3 glasses of ensure daily, and broth,

then eventually soft foods like mashed potatos, jello, no fat

pudding. Many people start out with baby foods, like the fruits,

vegetables and desserts, until the digestive system is able to

handle more solid foods.

IMO, home therapy by a professional therapist should be

encouraged, even when feeling weak. Therapists are

accustomed to this and aren't there to task the patient to do any

more than what is physically comfortable and suitable for the

patient's condition. Sometimes the therapist is essential in

getting a person on their feet and moving when the patient thinks

they aren't able to do it, and family members haven't been able

to. They are trained to motivate the patient, and a good therapist

will do this and more. I speak from personal experience. My SIL

lived with me for several months after being released from the

hospital after traumatic surgery and a two month coma. All our

encouragement couldn't get her to leave her bed for the first

weeks, but the therapist could. First they met in the bedroom,

then eventually they were exercising in the living room, and then

within a couple weeks they were walking outside and down the

street.

Encourage your friend to come join our PAI group and message

board, or one of his family members, and we will do all we can to

help.

I hope this helps. Let us know what we can do.

With hope and prayers,

Heidi

Heidi H. Griffeth

South Carolina

SE & SW Regional Representative

PAI, Intl.

Note: All comments or advice are personal opinion only, and

should not be substituted for professional medical consultation.