 Administrator, Director of Patient Support Services Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 10,507 Likes: 7 | Welcome to OCF!
The biggest thing in how well your brother will do with his treatments is how good he is with his intake of nutrition and hydration. Without keeping up with these two things, he will struggle, maybe even end up hospitalized for malnutrition and dehydration. I cant stress how important this is!!!! Ive advised hundreds of patients to pay close attention to their intake and many times the patients who cant take in 48 oz of water and 2500 calories every single day end up in the hospital.
If his daily water intake isnt 48 oz then ask for his doctors to write a prescription for hydration. He MUST get this every single day, not think he can skimp one day and play catch up the next day. Catch up never happens and he will have a rough time due to being dehydrated.
As far as calories go, he must get a minimum of 2500 calories every single day. If he is losing weight and he is taking in 2500 calories, then he will need more to keep him sustained. I know it sounds like too much but its not. Right now his body is burning up calories like crazy and he is also trying to heal which further burns up calories. Since you say he lost a ton of weight then to me it sounds like if he made a change and took in 3500 calories every single day he would turn himself around ery quickly.
Poor guy probably feels horrible right now. But if he will listen and follow what I explained then he will very soon be feeling much better. Even if he would get hydrated at the hospital a couple times per week, he would feel much better. I always felt like a new person walking out after getting hydrated. I was in the same situation like your brother, I really thought at one point I was dying but I was malnourished and dehydrated.
Its all in the nutrition and hydration. He could be feeling better later today if he got hydrated and enough calories in. If he doesnt already have a pump for his PEG tube then ask for a prescription for one. It can run while he sleeps and help him to take in enough.
Please feel free to ask questions and we will help you get him thru this.
Good luck!!!!
ChristineSCC 6/15/07 L chk & by L molar both Stag I, age44 2x cispltn-35 IMRT end 9/27/07 -65 lbs in 2 mo, no caregvr Clear PET 1/08 4/4/08 recur L chk Stag I surg 4/16/08 clr marg 215 HBO dives 3/09 teeth out, trismus 7/2/09 recur, Stg IV 8/24/09 trach, ND, mandiblctmy 3wks medicly inducd coma 2 mo xtended hospital stay, ICU & burn unit PICC line IV antibx 8 mo 10/4/10, 2/14/11 reconst surg OC 3x in 3 years very happy to be alive  | 
