Long history made short, my dad is 67, has always been incredibly fit and active, and is a quiet, private sort of person.
4 years ago he had lung cancer, which he survived through surgery. Last year it came back in his other lung, and he beat it through chemo.
he has been in hospital for almost a month with pseudomonas on his remaining lung (a type of pneumonia, like cystic fibrosis, a superbug) and also has just developed an abcess on his hip muscle which means he is unable to walk.
Despite all of this he has been in fairly good spirits, although he, until today, had not passed a bowel movement for over a week because he didnt want "to have to go in his bed" and there was no offer to get him to a toilet or anything. He has not been eating properly, literally hardly anything for a few days now, presumably as his body is so bunged up.
Today however he is saying he has "given up" "doesnt want to go on" "can't keep waiting for nothing to happen" and has slept the whole day and eatend absolutely nothing, has barely drank either.
mum is on his case, and has got the ward sisters involved who are going to speak to him tonight with the thought of putting him on a drip if he continues to refuse food and drink.
I am not sure what I can do to help him feel better. Is his low mood partly due to his lack of food do you think?
Not sure why I am posting. Just to get it off my chest i suppose. Thank you for reading this far.