I'll try to be as clear as possible here.

My brother-in-law has cancer, stage IV.
It would seem that it's in the omentum or pancreas or.....well, nobody is very clear because they haven't found the primary source. Several tests have been done. Several others ordered.

I'm trying to help my sister as much as I can. She has been very creative with nutrition. He's literally vanishing, he's losing so much weight.

Today she asked me if I can help with meals for him. But they have to be soft like baby foods because the pain he suffers is extremely severe when he has to...well, receiving and shipping is a normal part of our bodily functions, right?

So hit me with your best recipes. Please. Have you, or anyone you know, had to deal with this type of cuisine.

I know I should have maybe posted this in "Recipes", but I have no recipe. I'll be using as much creative imagination as I can muster, but I didn't think there'd be any harm in asking.

I'm also begging for your prayers. This isn't looking too good for my brother-in-law. He's only 52, hasn't smoked in over 30 years and has always been the picture of health until just a few months ago when he started experiencing abdominal pain and losing weight inexplicably.

My email address is maltese-cross@hotmail.com

TIA

Girlfriend,

I can't think of anything but baby food? So any mashed fruits.

Is it possible to just cook a regular dish and then puree it in a blender or something?
You know, a regular pot of soup or something, and just put it through a blender or mill? Make it easy to go down and minimal chewing, but all the flavor?

Or are we looking for something else here?

Actually, Lisaann, I was thinking something along the same lines as you suggested. You know, some nice chicken and rice with veggies. I don't know, I'm trying to gather all the tips I can think of. You never know, people may have had some experience or heard of someone similar.

Just trying the best I can. Thanks for responding.

Maybe get creative with the smoothies? There's got to be some kind of vitamin powder you could put in there.
Cancer just sucks. My sister in law was diagnosed with breast cancer 2 years ago. After that ordeal she thought she was fine until a few months ago. Turns out it's back and has spread. She's 37 and has 3 boys. The twins are 9 and the oldest 11.
I'll be thinking of you and your family!

My sister had a dear friend. This is a very hard time on both your brother in law, and sister.

The thing is as you so delicately put it, what goes in must come out, and usually the digestive system is very very sensitive, and easily upset.

I would not recommend many vegetables or many fruits, because of the fiber. While in a normal digestive system, that is necessary, in an upset one, it can be quite hard on it even if mashed up.

Limited milk products, maybe none, beef and chicken broth, a little salty and maybe a bit of sugar in it and bread, but probably white bread. Some teas can be tolerated, and if sweetened can add some energy and even enjoyed, but at this point in time, from your description, the appetite is wanning, and they are just not really interested in food.

You have my prayers, I shall pray for all three of you, cause you all are going to need them. God Bless you. mk

I'm so sorry to hear this.

As I have a squash baking in the oven right now, the first thing I thought of was roasted and mashed winter squash. Root vegetables would mash well too, if well cooked. A little olive oil and some black pepper is enough seasoning.

Baba Ghanouj - yum. Hummus, too. It can be jazzed up with some savory ingredients like olives, artichoke hearts, roasted garlic, or sun-dried tomatoes.

Bean soups can be pureed successfully too - white bean and sage is a classic, or garbanzo bean with tomato and rosemary. This kind of thing sounds way more palatable to me than pureed chicken and rice - which would really seem like baby food. Creamed chicken sounds like a punishment, not a meal...

Potato-leek soup is great blended, or cream of cauli, zucchini, or broccoli. (For "creaminess" I'd throw cashews into the soup when it's simmering, or chunks of soft tofu.) Dr. Henry Bieler was a famous alt-med guru to the stars, and people to this day swear by "Bieler's Broth" - you steam zucchini, green beans and celery until very tender, then blend it all with a little of the cooking water and handfuls of fresh parsley. If the veggies are good it's almost tasty with a drizzle of olive oil, salt & pepper.

If they have a juicer, he can get a lot of nutrients and minerals from fresh veggie juices. Use a variety, but especially green juices like cucumber, celery, and greens. Grapes add a lot of flavor too.

If they have a high-powered blender, "green smoothies" are also a wonderfood. Two pieces of fruit and some green leafy veggies (raw), with a little water is very filling and gives you lots of energy. Romaine lettuce is mild in flavor and if the fruit is sweet enough, you don't even notice the greens. Start slow, add more greens as he gets used to it, and later switch to darker, more nutritious greens like kale and spinach. Frozen fruit like pineapple is also great in smoothies. If he uses any protein powder or other supplements like spirulina, it can be added to the smoothie. Some raw honey or agave syrup adds a kick too.

Hang in there and keep us posted...

Sorry to hear about your brother in law, Connie.

While blending up some of the foods, you may try adding some virgin coconut oil to them. This has some easily assimilated medium chain fatty acids, which are esp. good for those having sugar issues, which he may be having if it is the pancreas that is the problem. And since more weight is desirable, you could add more than we would add to our diets - 4 or 5 tb, FI.

Good luck, and I hope things get better soon.

Dave

Thank you so very much. All these suggestions sound very palatable.

I think I'll be buying a high power blender this week.

I'm very anxious because Rob will be getting another MRI and CT Scan this week. Still holding on to a shred of hope, that maybe this is treatable. The doctors have not settled on treatment yet since they're still trying to find the primary source.

This is very difficult and I thank all of you for any prayers you can send our way.

I'm so sorry to hear this, Connie. My family has been through this too, as many of us have. My ex, who was a dear dear friend, also had pancreatic cancer. Once that type of cancer is stage IV, there really is no cure.

You've received some good suggestions about the type of food. But if he's got bad pain, he should have sufficient painkillers to deal with it. Most oncologists nowadays realize that it's silly to be concerned about addiction at this stage, and give painkillers as needed. He shouldn't have to bear terrible pain, period.

As time goes on, he will want to eat less and less. This is natural. Forcing food or nagging about it will only cause more stress for him and everyone else. One of the things I regret about what I did with my ex (I participated in his care), was that I nagged him about eating well past the point that I shouldn't have.

You all are in my prayers.

Dirt

So sorry, Connie. Much of this situation is out of your hands, but surely you want to do what you can. Bone broths can be very nourishing, especially when home-made.

http://www.westonaprice.org/foodfeatures/broth.html (scroll for recipes)

Warm hugs to you and your family.

I can't add new suggestions, except maybe cookie dough (that's comforting to me, anyway). Look for French soups online - they're creamy, rich, thick, nutritious, and very imaginatively herbed. Watch the vitamin supplements - no need for uncomfortable constipation. If nut allergies aren't an issue: chocolate-peanut butter "shakes" (dairy and non). Huge protein boost, huge calorie count, and it tastes like Reese's Pieces. Can't use chilled milk (soy/rice), though, or the peanut butter clumps in the blender.

Thanks, friends. Much appreciated, really.

I hope your BIL has received some good news. It sounds like you've been having some tough times with the health of the family.

I'm probably too late to comment on this, but I'm stuck in the middle of nowhere on a Friday night, so I've got nothing better to do.

I worked in the special diet kitchen in a nursing home during college. Some foods are really gross when they are blended. Others not so bad. Fruit blended with cottage cheese was always a big hit -- tastes good while providing protein and fruit. (I love peaches blended with cottage cheese.) Blended meats can be pretty nasty. However, some meats (like meatloaf or meatballs) aren't half bad. Blended creamy soups (e.g. cream of mushroom, broccoli and cheese) are decent.

We also used Ensure and Carnation Instant Breakfast as supplements.

Catie, thanks. My sister is already using the ensure and the carnation milk and she tasted the food she prepares for him and says they taste good.

He cannot tolerate red meat at all right now. Makes digestion very painful. He can have chicken and even a little fish.

Any soups I make, I'm making with a chicken soup base.