When we visited and helped care for my husbands uncle over the weekend (his family, all but his daughter, had gone to a wedding out of town) we were both surprised how bad he looked.
He’s lost weight. I wouldn’t be surprised it this once robust 6′ 2″ man weighed less than 110 lb! He’s also really frail and weak, sleeping most of the day. Oh and he doesn’t eat. The most his family can get into him is Boost or Ensure – only liquid foods.
If he keeps going downhill I think his family is going to have to consider either hospitalizing him or putting him in a nursing home … or at the very least trying to find out if OHIP (our Government Ontario Health insurance plan) would cover some in home nursing care. I guess the American equivalent of that kind of care might come in the form of a Medicare supplement plan. Maybe, I don’t know … but it’s a service that should be free here in Ontario to those who need it and believe me, my husbands uncle needs more care than he’s getting.
I guess we’ll talk to Chris’ uncles family to see if they’ve asked for extra help – nursing or home care wise I mean. Somehow I doubt it.
It’s hard to see someone you care about change so much. Chris’ mother and his aunt were here over the weekend too (see my last post – I’m not a fan of the in-laws visiting!) and they don’t think he’s going to be around all that long.
When Chris gets home from work this evening we might pop over to his uncles for a visit. It will give his family a break and give us some time to visit with his uncle if he’s up to visitors – that is.
I’m so sorry to hear about your uncle, I’m pretty sure it’s hard for you guys. The upside is, it’ll definitely be better and a tight family is what he needs right now too. May he get better soon.