Hello from WI

[MrsFishy]

Hi!  I am currently taking care of my mother in law who I love dearly and am trying to learn as I go on what she can and can't have.  What a mess and a HUGE learning curve!  She is elderly (83) and diabetic and CKF with hemo dialysis 3x a week.  My husband and I do most of her meal prep and shopping and keep learning about things she can't have anymore or things that have to be cut way back on.  She hates it.  WE hate it! 

Anyway, that's why I am here and hope no one will mind when I get stuck on something and need to ask for help as we try to keep Shorty alive for as long as she's willing to battle against her crappy kidneys! 

[ToddB0130]

Welcome MrsFishy and kudos to you and your husband for taking such good care of 'Shorty'.  She definitely needs your support and there are plenty of other caregivers on this site to offer you advice.  You're right - the combo of diabetes and kidney disease for a proper diet is a slippery slope.  (I think when asked,  my doctor told me I could have 'air' ...........Ha.  I'm kidding).  Anyway,  best of luck to the three of you.  Welcome and I hope you'll find this board helpful (check out all the dietary threads).

[iketchum]

I am a diabetic with kidney disease on heamo dialysis. I eat allot of grilled or baked chicken. i also cook allot of chicken in the cock pot. Watching for sugars, potassium, phosphorous and salt is a constant chore for sure. I use fresh veggies to make soups with fresh cuts of beef or chicken also. Good luck.

[Rerun]

Hello Mrsfishy, and welcome to IHD.  I'm so glad you found us.  If your MIL is not a big eater then I would let her eat anything in moderation.  If she eats a lot then you have to follow the rules more strictly. 

Breakfast:  egg, toast, 1/2 cup coffee, 1/2 piece bacon (1/2 piece won't kill her)

Snack:   blond cookies (2)  no sugar kind.... 1/2 cup 7-up

Lunch:  Tuna fish sandwich on white bread use Miracle Whip.  Wheat Thins (Hint of salt)  Applescause

Dinner:  Hamburger with coleslaw  1/2 Rice Milk (Original Classic)

Just an example for you.  If she is not eating at all there is "NePro" that you can order for a protein drink for dialysis patients.  You can PM me for more information on that if you are interested.

Rerun, Moderator   

[willowtreewren]

Hi, MrsFishy!

Your MIL is certainly fortunate to have folks who care for her and look out for her well being. 

Navigating the diet can be a huge pain in the ....... 

BUT, the good thing is that it becomes second nature after a while. 

IHD is a good place for support and information. I'm glad you found us.

 

Aleta

[billybags]

Welcome MrsFishy     so glad you have found us. it must be a nightmare for your mother-in-law to be on dialysis at her age, she must be one strong lady. I salute you for caring for her, it will not be easy. Please ask any question, there are lots of people on here that can help.

[MrsFishy]

Shorty is 5'2" and 98 lbs.  She is just a peanut of a thing (always has been but she was 110 lbs. about 2 years ago).  But, her size fools everyone.  She can eat most 250 lb. men under the table!  That woman can EAT!!!

[Poppylicious]

  MrsFishy!

[Traveller1947]

Hi, MrsFishy!  God's blessings on you and your husband for your excellent care of Shorty!  Here's what  I did when my 85-year-old sister started dialysis: I soft-pedaled the idea of dietary restrictions entirely and instead served small portions of the foods that weren't so good for her and more generous servings of the foods on the 'good' list.  After all, those are delicious too!  I also used salt with a light hand, but didn't cut it out entirely.  (The dialysis machine does a very good job of removing sodium.  It does less well at removing potassium and phosphorus.).  Our elderly loved ones need special consideration when planning what to feed them, since they're fragile.  And after all, food is strength and life for all of us.  All the best to you on this journey.

[jbeany]

 

Welcome, Mrs Fishy!  My thoughts on the diet...are you getting copies of her labs?  Everyone's kidney function is a little different, so diets need to be adjusted according to the labs, not some set diet plan for a generic patient.  While most D patients need to avoid salt, potassium and phos, some don't.  At some points, I was actually told I needed more potassium. (I ran straight to the store and bought bananas!)  I think it's best to find out what needs to be cut down on before changing a favorite diet. 

The other thing to remember is that if there is one food she loves, then the rest of the meals for the day can be adjusted to accommodate that craving.  If she really wants potatoes with dinner, then make sure to skip anything with more than a tiny bit of potassium for the rest of the day to balance the totals out.

Jbeany, Moderator

[MrsFishy]

Ok, already many of you have said things that have my head spinning and filling my little brain with questions!  Hoping that those of you who have posted will check back on this thread to help me out with some answers!  :0)

Soup?!  Shorty LOVES soup but I haven't found any soup that isn't crazy high in sodium and I did not know if trying to make soup without sodium would even be tasty at all!  So, is there a good place I can find dialysis friendly soup recipes that actually are tasty?

Dialysis filters out sodium pretty well?!  I didn't know that.  We have pretty much taken away ALL of her sodium because we were told we HAD to and she is miserable!  I don't blame her....I told my husband they should really just give us one main rule to follow to keep her healthy: "If it tastes good, spit it out!". 

I have been getting her labs since they put her on phosphate binders because her phos level was at 9.0   We were letting her have too much milk and we didn't know yet at that point that chocolate was a bad thing and she was having a cup of hot cocoa every day and sometimes a small amount of chocolate besides.  So, now that she is on phosphate binders, do we still need to be as strict on phosphorous or will the binders take care of the problem instead?

I know you all must get hit with so many of the same Q's all the time from so many newbies so if you don't want to answer, I completely understand!  If you do, I completely appreciate your time! 

[Traveller1947]

Good morning, MrsFishy!  Here's the point I was trying to make about diet: if it doesn't taste good, she won't eat it and at 82 and 98lbs., Shorty can't afford to skip meals.  Controlling phosphorus and potassium is very important, even when she's taking phosphate binders.  If she has a small piece of chocolate, be sure she takes a binder after it.  Controlling sodium, for a dialysis patient, is more about being less thirsty, since fluid control is an issue.  As for soups, I myself haven't found a tasty canned soup that was low-sodium, so I avoid canned soup altogether.  A nutritionist friend of mine had a an excellent idea for us dialysis patients: he'd say, eat your soup with a fork!  jbeany has given you excellent advice: follow Shorty's labs closely and be guided by them as to what to give her more or less of.  It gets easier as you go along.  Don't worry about asking too many questions.  There's always someone here with some insight or experience to share...

[Ang]

   and a big for a carer

[Titanic1912]

HI. I'm also from Wisconsin. I'm taking care of my husband who is on dialysis. Your right this sure is a life changer. Hope everything goes well for your Mother-in-law. Take care 

[lmunchkin]

Well MrsFishy, Short may be tiny, but she packs a BIG APPETITE!  First, do not fret so much over it.  She may not want to give up what foods she loves.  That is understandable!  But what you might encourage her to eat those foods, but make the portions small.

Maybe she can eat a little every 2 to 3 hrs in a day, but I agree, she must take those binders for the phosphorus.  It will make her Dialysis go smoother! Then, sit down with her when she gets her labs and show her what she is Hi in and have her cut back in that and what she is low in, and increase that diet.  If her Hgb is low, then she will have to have EPO until it is brought back up.  It is mind boggling, but once you get the routine down, it will be alot eaiser.

But I will tell you, this is all a balancing act.  One month your potassium will be Hi, then the next month something else maybe hi.  You just have to relax and do the best you can do to care for her.  If she is one of those that doesnt want to do as she should, then, as much as it may pain you, someone must let her know of the consequences! 

You and your husband love her deeply, that is evident! She is so Blessed to have such caring children in her life & DIL(You).  Kidney failure is not easy! It is down right scary, not just for the one with the disease, but those who are taking care of them.

I wish you & hubby the best. You are Angel's and Shorty probably knows that already.

Hang in there & we are here for you,
lmunchkin
 

[willowtreewren]

My advice is going to be a bit different regarding the salt.

Don't just cut it out immediately. It is an acquired taste and hard to give up cold turkey without food tasting just awful!!!!

BUT, start cutting it back. Look at labels. Buy things with no added sodium or very low sodium. You will be surprised at how many there are! Soup is one of those really bad products for sodium, though. So make soup for Shorty using other seasonings (NOT salt substitutes as they are high in potassium). Soak and drain potatoes to remove the potassium and use them in soup.

Over time, food will taste better with less sodium. We now eat with little sodium and find that when we eat out, everything is just way too salty! LOL

Aleta