The smell of success
I’m learning the ropes; offer fewer smoothies, but lace each one with mega calories and protein. Today it worked like a charm; his appetite was much improved (everything is relative; we’re still not talking about a ‘normal’ appetite).
Late last night we made a pact; if there is no change to appetite by dinner time tomorrow (which is this evening), he will agree to drink Ensure. This agreement was made on the heels of a serious discussion. He turned up his nose at the first smoothie, so I made a second. He refused the second; I was at a loss. He clarified the reason for his appetite slide; when he smells something being cooked, he cannot eat it.
Today, I made sure to cook hours before he woke up so he would not smell the rice pudding. I made his lunch inside and served him outside on the balcony, so again, the odour was not that apparent. What an education I am receiving. It ain’t easy to ensure odourless cooking, especially when I myself do not have a sense of smell, but I’m giving it the old college try.
I’m pleased to report that we needn’t resort to Ensure at this point. I am not counting calories, but I prepared his food with the richest ingredients (I put cream in his smoothies and whole milk in his brown rice pudding). I really went whole hog this time. He was more energetic (perhaps as a result of what he ate, but there are other variables at play, many not apparent to the naked eye). His mood was brighter from the time he woke up until a few moments ago when he drifted off to sleep (on the couch, as is his habit. He has 2 phases of sleep; one downstairs and one up).
At 10:00 A.M. this morning I started my wake-up campaign, and by noon he was sitting at the table having rice pudding. I was able to squeeze 2 walks out of him with very little resistance. More calories = greater energy available to expend.
Gilly’s improved state had a positive effect on me; I treated myself to 2 long swims in between walks and smoothie duty. I can’t think of a greater reward than that for my efforts. I have to take it all in while the going is good. A bedraggled caregiver is no good to anyone.
There is a delicious, cool breeze coming off of the lake this evening. It’s time to turn in and enjoy the brisk wind, because Gilly may need to close the windows later on if it gets too cold. We sleep in shifts, we two.
Late last night we made a pact; if there is no change to appetite by dinner time tomorrow (which is this evening), he will agree to drink Ensure. This agreement was made on the heels of a serious discussion. He turned up his nose at the first smoothie, so I made a second. He refused the second; I was at a loss. He clarified the reason for his appetite slide; when he smells something being cooked, he cannot eat it.
Today, I made sure to cook hours before he woke up so he would not smell the rice pudding. I made his lunch inside and served him outside on the balcony, so again, the odour was not that apparent. What an education I am receiving. It ain’t easy to ensure odourless cooking, especially when I myself do not have a sense of smell, but I’m giving it the old college try.
I’m pleased to report that we needn’t resort to Ensure at this point. I am not counting calories, but I prepared his food with the richest ingredients (I put cream in his smoothies and whole milk in his brown rice pudding). I really went whole hog this time. He was more energetic (perhaps as a result of what he ate, but there are other variables at play, many not apparent to the naked eye). His mood was brighter from the time he woke up until a few moments ago when he drifted off to sleep (on the couch, as is his habit. He has 2 phases of sleep; one downstairs and one up).
At 10:00 A.M. this morning I started my wake-up campaign, and by noon he was sitting at the table having rice pudding. I was able to squeeze 2 walks out of him with very little resistance. More calories = greater energy available to expend.
Gilly’s improved state had a positive effect on me; I treated myself to 2 long swims in between walks and smoothie duty. I can’t think of a greater reward than that for my efforts. I have to take it all in while the going is good. A bedraggled caregiver is no good to anyone.
There is a delicious, cool breeze coming off of the lake this evening. It’s time to turn in and enjoy the brisk wind, because Gilly may need to close the windows later on if it gets too cold. We sleep in shifts, we two.
posted by Gilly at 9:06 PM
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