Holiday Meals For ALS

[mysticunicorn66]

I am new to this. My father-in-law recently diagnosed with MND. He is having some trouble swallowing and breathing problems. I want to try to make him something that is kind of traditional for Thanksgiving meal. I was thinking about finely chopping up the turkey and maybe add some broth to it to allow it to be wallowed easier. Do all of you that take care of someone with MND just puree everything as the condition progresses and stick with that for a while and then go to Ensure or something? Right now, we are having problems getting protein into him in any substantial amount, which I know is not doing him much good, but what on earth can we do to get protein into someone who we can barely get to eat to begin with even long before he was diagnosed?

 

[CindyM]

If your FIL does not have a peg tube then ensure and purees might have to be his best bet, as long as he maintains his weight. His ALS clinic should be able to offer advice about when it is time to move on the peg tube.

Meantime, there are products you can buy over the counter to thicken thin liquids (if he chokes on liquids.) And even if he gets most of his nutrition from Ensure or, eventually, a tube, there is always "recreational eating," which is what I would call a holiday meal. Everybody deserves just a taste of pumpkin pie, IMO, even if it is a tablespoon of it and ground three times in a blender!

Hope this helps! Cindy

 

[BethU]

Hi, Mystic ... you can get protein powder in the vitamins section of the grocery store. I add a scoop of protein powder to a can of Ensure in a blender (and chocolate sauce and ice cream, too), and it adds about 5-10 grams of protein.

Here's a great-tasting sweet potato soup recipe that is delicious, simple and Thanksgiving-y. Your Father in law might enjoy it. It's really good, and keeps well.

1 Tblsp. oil
1 med onion, chopped
6 cups chicken broth
1 1/4 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and roughly diced (about 3 cups)
1/2 teasp nutmeg
1 teasp salt, or to taste
1/4 teasp white pepper

Heat oil in pot, add onions, cook & stir 5 minutes. Add chicken broth, potatoes, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Raise heat to high, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered for 30 mionutes.

Remove from heat and puree the soup in batches. To serve, put a dollop of cranberry sauce and sour cream in the bottom of each bowl, and pour hot soup over.