Shit, shit, shit.
Somewhere out in the universe, I sent off vibes saying I did not want to go to work! It's not true, it's not true. I do want to go to work. I do, I do, I do.
Dennis' PCA called in sick today. Leah, the newest one, is prone to panic attacks. She had a tough weekend, and an attack kicked in sometime early this am. Raquel was out partying all weekend, and just hit the bed. JoAnn is testing this week. Which leaves me, at home, for the 9th day in a row.
And Dennis has diarrhea. Just how could life get any better?
Shit, shit, shit.
Until later,
Ann and Dennis
Showing posts with label diarrhea. Show all posts
Showing posts with label diarrhea. Show all posts
Monday, October 5, 2009
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
It's Not Been a Good Weekend
This has not been a great Labor Day weekend. First, Dennis had a bed, bad case of the shits all weekend. Most of the weekend he sat on the pot, while I cleaned the bed, the carpet, the floor and his butt. We did manage to squeeze in a trip to the Minnesota Zoo with Mother and JoAnne. That was fun.
Last night he started screeching, hollering and screaming in his sleep. I tried covering his mouth, sitting him up, and giving him a second sleeping pill. No luck. I am sure the neighbors were not very thrilled, either.
I went off to work this morning, and had the usual crap at work. When I came home, I found Dennis lying on the floor, surrounded by a broken glass. I don't see it as often as I did a year or two ago; yet I could assess the situation quickly and calmly and act swiftly. I swept, moved him to his knees, got him in a chair and vacuumed the rest of the mess up. Within an hour, I had made him dinner (mashed potatoes and mechanical soft meat - we are off the feeding tube until the shits are gone) and into bed.
Me , I am worried about Dennis. Dennis is worried about both of us. We are trying to find money to help get him more PCA time, but in these economic times, it is difficult. As long as we have any money at all, we are so low on the priority list.
Dennis is going, once again, to his doctor - one that we both like. He is thinking about a colostomy bag. This is way beyond what I am ready to comprehend right now, but I am proud that Dennis is ready to discuss this next possible step.
Last night he started screeching, hollering and screaming in his sleep. I tried covering his mouth, sitting him up, and giving him a second sleeping pill. No luck. I am sure the neighbors were not very thrilled, either.
I went off to work this morning, and had the usual crap at work. When I came home, I found Dennis lying on the floor, surrounded by a broken glass. I don't see it as often as I did a year or two ago; yet I could assess the situation quickly and calmly and act swiftly. I swept, moved him to his knees, got him in a chair and vacuumed the rest of the mess up. Within an hour, I had made him dinner (mashed potatoes and mechanical soft meat - we are off the feeding tube until the shits are gone) and into bed.
Me , I am worried about Dennis. Dennis is worried about both of us. We are trying to find money to help get him more PCA time, but in these economic times, it is difficult. As long as we have any money at all, we are so low on the priority list.
Dennis is going, once again, to his doctor - one that we both like. He is thinking about a colostomy bag. This is way beyond what I am ready to comprehend right now, but I am proud that Dennis is ready to discuss this next possible step.
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Not a Pretty Story
Okay, this begins with a strong warning. This post has a very high gross-out factor.It should only be read by people who are struggling with issues of constipation, feeding tubes, loose stools and those who enjoy a dirty tale.
Yesterday was a double diaper day with an extra throwaway pad everywhere Dennis sat. He also spent a good portion of the day just sitting on the toilet. For those of you that have followed for quite some time, you know that Dennis has constipation problems. These problems are further exacerbated by some of the medications he takes. Recently, we found the right combination of stools softeners, yogurt and senna to gently attack the problems.
We forgot to factor in the feeding tube eating.
It seems, like everything else that Dennis takes, the formula he uses when he feeds causes either constipation or diarrhea. This time around it was the latter.
So, given that we have dealt with this many times, we know how to prevent a complete mess, most of the time. This time was the worst ever and our precautions against messiness were useless.
We began with double diapers. Then his usual pad, and a throw-away on top of that. We had the sheet, a pad, a mattress cover and under that yet another pad. Okay, the bed faired okay to midland, but my Danielito did not.
I woke up to a man with poop up and down his back, his legs, the bed and pillow. First came the horrendous smell, then the sound of swishing and the call of Dennis for help. The poor guy had been sleeping in his own feces all night. He must have been terribly uncomfortable. Thankfully, he doesn't have a great sense of smell, or he most likely would have been gagging and throwing up on top of everything.
Two hours later, he is cleaned up and sitting on the toilet. We were planning on going to the zoo today, but we both think it's best to stay away. We don't want any big, mean critters sniffing at him.
Until later,
Ann and Dennis
Yesterday was a double diaper day with an extra throwaway pad everywhere Dennis sat. He also spent a good portion of the day just sitting on the toilet. For those of you that have followed for quite some time, you know that Dennis has constipation problems. These problems are further exacerbated by some of the medications he takes. Recently, we found the right combination of stools softeners, yogurt and senna to gently attack the problems.
We forgot to factor in the feeding tube eating.
It seems, like everything else that Dennis takes, the formula he uses when he feeds causes either constipation or diarrhea. This time around it was the latter.
So, given that we have dealt with this many times, we know how to prevent a complete mess, most of the time. This time was the worst ever and our precautions against messiness were useless.
We began with double diapers. Then his usual pad, and a throw-away on top of that. We had the sheet, a pad, a mattress cover and under that yet another pad. Okay, the bed faired okay to midland, but my Danielito did not.
I woke up to a man with poop up and down his back, his legs, the bed and pillow. First came the horrendous smell, then the sound of swishing and the call of Dennis for help. The poor guy had been sleeping in his own feces all night. He must have been terribly uncomfortable. Thankfully, he doesn't have a great sense of smell, or he most likely would have been gagging and throwing up on top of everything.
Two hours later, he is cleaned up and sitting on the toilet. We were planning on going to the zoo today, but we both think it's best to stay away. We don't want any big, mean critters sniffing at him.
Until later,
Ann and Dennis
Monday, May 25, 2009
Another Poop Story
This is another issue of poop problems, so quit reading now if you have no interest or a sensitive constitution. I will not be insulted, I promise.
A while back I mentioned that Dennis had started using Activia, the yogurt enhanced with some fancy term that basically means a gentle diuretic. In plain old English, a poop mover. He ate it for the recommended 14 days, and Voila!, he pooped. We were sold on this stuff.
Unfortunately, a few days after the 14 day challenge, he started up with the diarrhea. By now you all know, that nothing is normal with Dennis. Constipation is not normal and diarrhea is not normal. When he is sitting on the toilet, he somehow manages to get poop all over, inside and out and even on the shower curtain. The floor, of course, needs a good scrubbing each time, too. Then there are those times, when he is not sitting on the toilet, but he is, unbeknownst to himself, still pooping. Right now he is wearing double diapers to prevent massive leakage, but yesterday he still managed to end up with a pair of shorts that we both agreed would best be tossed in the garbage.
One of my favorite times, though, is the poopy butt shower. It seems the scrubbing of the poopy butt, encourages the butt to let loose. I have barely missed being pooped on more than I care to mention, while giving him a butt side up shower.
Like the urination issues of yore, the daily changing of sheets, and the hourly changes of diapers, we are becoming used to dealing with this with humor. And I suppose, love. If these problems are a test of our love and our ability to laugh, then we are both passing with flying colors. But hey, already. Enough testing. We do not plan to fail.
Until later,
Ann and Dennis
A while back I mentioned that Dennis had started using Activia, the yogurt enhanced with some fancy term that basically means a gentle diuretic. In plain old English, a poop mover. He ate it for the recommended 14 days, and Voila!, he pooped. We were sold on this stuff.
Unfortunately, a few days after the 14 day challenge, he started up with the diarrhea. By now you all know, that nothing is normal with Dennis. Constipation is not normal and diarrhea is not normal. When he is sitting on the toilet, he somehow manages to get poop all over, inside and out and even on the shower curtain. The floor, of course, needs a good scrubbing each time, too. Then there are those times, when he is not sitting on the toilet, but he is, unbeknownst to himself, still pooping. Right now he is wearing double diapers to prevent massive leakage, but yesterday he still managed to end up with a pair of shorts that we both agreed would best be tossed in the garbage.
One of my favorite times, though, is the poopy butt shower. It seems the scrubbing of the poopy butt, encourages the butt to let loose. I have barely missed being pooped on more than I care to mention, while giving him a butt side up shower.
Like the urination issues of yore, the daily changing of sheets, and the hourly changes of diapers, we are becoming used to dealing with this with humor. And I suppose, love. If these problems are a test of our love and our ability to laugh, then we are both passing with flying colors. But hey, already. Enough testing. We do not plan to fail.
Until later,
Ann and Dennis
Monday, May 18, 2009
Diarrhea or Constipation?
Okay, it's back to the poop story again. Dennis found Activia, which seems to control his constipation. Unfortunately, it brings on massive diarrhea, and loss of bowel control. It ain't pretty.
I don't believe that by eating Activia on a daily basis, he has changed this drastically. He has gone from sitting on the toilet, grunting, for hours on end to now messing himself all day long, day after day.
I left a message on the nurse line today. This isn't normal. This does not bode well for future bathroom problems. I think I am about to learn something new - something I wish I could live without knowing.
He is not feeling good about himself. Of course he is not. But it doesn't do either of us any good to pout about what we are unable to control. Perhaps there is an easy answer to this newest of problems. Now wouldn't that be nice?
Until later,
Ann and Dennis
I don't believe that by eating Activia on a daily basis, he has changed this drastically. He has gone from sitting on the toilet, grunting, for hours on end to now messing himself all day long, day after day.
I left a message on the nurse line today. This isn't normal. This does not bode well for future bathroom problems. I think I am about to learn something new - something I wish I could live without knowing.
He is not feeling good about himself. Of course he is not. But it doesn't do either of us any good to pout about what we are unable to control. Perhaps there is an easy answer to this newest of problems. Now wouldn't that be nice?
Until later,
Ann and Dennis
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