Ch.91 Pat Eats Little but Seems Unconcerned
May 2021
One-half piece of cake; four apple slices; about six bites of pork stir fry. That is what Pat ate all day yesterday.
Many people with Lewy Body lose weight. They just don’t care to eat, except for sweets. For example, one woman in my care partners group reported that her 6-foot plus husband was down to 140 pounds. Pat, too, has steadily lost weight; she is at least 50 pounds lighter than before she developed this disease. She is not yet in danger of literal starvation, but she is steadily moving in that direction.
Pat also has become choosy about what she consumes. Lately she has decided that she doesn’t like meals with tomato in them such as spaghetti. That makes meal preparation more difficult. I want to make things she likes so she will eat a little more. But, except for her all-time favorite, cheeseburgers, I cannot be sure she will eat what I cook.
I’ve tried giving Pat one of the high protein drinks (like Ensure). She liked them but they increased her digestive problems. I think I will ask Pat if she wants to try them again, though. She certainly could use the calories and vitamins and minerals they contain.
Pat seems far less concerned than I am about her weight loss. She feels more attractive now at her lower weight. She tells me she eats when she is hungry, that she isn’t starving and that she is generally satisfied with the meals I prepare. She does say she wants to maintain her current weight, although I doubt she can do so unless she eats more.
Pat has also become physically weaker, making it harder for her to walk around the house or from the car into a restaurant or other places. I suspect her eating so little may be partly the cause for this loss of energy, and that adds to my concern.
I guess this is another situation in which I, as Pat’s care partner, worries about a problem that Pat, the person with Lewy Body, doesn’t believe is a problem.
Pat’s comments on Pat Eats Little but Seems Unconcerned:
I‘m not concerned. I think I am eating enough. I want to lose weight.