Breathing

The Grandmother (my mother) had a recent gastroenterology appointment and had lost 12 pounds during the last 5 months, dropping her down to 72 pounds. Granted she's just 4'8" tall, but still. 72 pounds!

She's had eating issues for years, eating less and less as the years passed, losing a pound or 2 a year through the years, but the weight loss is escalating. There are no physical reasons for her eating problems; they've done tests to discount any physical impediments. She does have a chronic, progressive lung disease that has recently advanced to the point where she uses oxygen 24/7. It seems it's taking more calories to breathe than she gets in a day, and she gets at least 1100 calories a day.

It's scary when breathing uses more calories than you consume.

We're increasing the number of Boost Plus supplements (at 360 calories each) from 3 to 4 a day and beginning yet another medication intended to improve her appetite (the last 2 meds were discontinued due to undesirable side effects). For breakfast today, 24 hours after the first of the new appetite enhancement pills: 1 pinch of toast; less than 1/4 of a small sausage patty; and 4 ounces orange juice.

I wish a feeding tube didn't sound so objectionable. I'd be ready to do that just to get the calories in her, but she is adamantly opposed to it.