Food

Steaks, waffles, lasagna, ice cream, barbecue, beef stew, hamburgers, peach pie, chips & salsa, coffee, pesole, turkey & stuffing, apples, cheese, salad, grilled chicken, oatmeal raisin cookies, yogurt, green chile chicken enchilada casserole, mashed potatoes, corn on the cob, hot chocolate, garden fresh tomatoes, cheesecake, almonds, blueberry muffins, coke, hot dogs - and the list goes on.

I am discovering how oriented our culture is around food.

"Let's pick up dinner on the way home." "Want to meet for coffee?" "Will you bring fruit salad to the party?" "I made batch of cookies to take to work." "Do you want extra butter on your popcorn at the movies?"

A year ago we took Mom to the Cheesecake Factory when we were out in Arizona for an appointment at Mayo Clinic. Oh, how we all enjoyed it. At Christmas we sat at the table for 2 1/2 hours while Mom tried to finish her dinner. Losing muscle strength in her mouth and esophagus and becoming easily distracted contributed to this lengthy process. In March, her diet consisted of yogurt, apple sauce, fruit smoothies, creamed soups, rice pudding, guacamole, and ice cream. The month of May she was having such a hard time getting calories down that she lost 15 pounds.

We had brought up the idea of a PEG (a feeding tube) in February at our first official visit to the ALS Clinic at Mayo. Mom said, "No, no, no." We had many different doctors explain the procedure and how the feeding tube works. We took her to the nursing home Naomi works at, and showed her what it looks like coming out of a stomach. We explained that she did not have to stop eating, but having the feeding tube would enable her to get the calories she needed and just enjoy eating. Still the answer was "No."

Finally about the middle of May, I was at work and my aunt called and said that Mom had written her a note saying. "I need feeding tube." So, June 2nd, Jeremy and I took Mom to the same GI procedure lab where Dad was diagnosed with cancer. She had a feeding tube placed with no complications - praise the Lord. As a nurse I have seen this procedure countless times. I know that it is common and safe. But of course there can be complications.

Mom continued eating for about another 2 weeks before it became obvious that is was too dangerous to eat. Her entire diet now consists of Fibersource HN. It comes in a can, has no flavor, is very sticky and has everything needed to sustain life.

Sustain life? Not sure about that one. She is stronger than me, I don't think I could handle not eating. I love food - and oh how guilty I feel drinking my coffee in the morning when she gets none or when we have German Chocolate cake for her birthday and she just has to watch.

More proof that life is not fair.