CAUTION: NOT FOR THE 'FAINT OF HEART'!

SEVEN DAYS OF: FEAR, ANXIETY, STRESS ...

WHY DOES THE 'UNKNOWN' SCARE US SO MUCH?

IS IT SIMPLY THINGS BEYOND OUR 'CONTROL'?

ORDEAL !

Tuesday 9/11/12

© - Tom Hyland - DOB - 8/25/40 - 72.

Complaint: CONSTIPATED since Tuesday, 9/4/12 - 7 Days!

Normally 2-3 Bowel movements per day, for years!

Rx INFO - only 1 Omeprazole 40 mg. per day - since 2008 - 4 yrs. For Acid Reflux.
Other Supplements - Omega3, Vit.D3- 5,000 IU, Magnesium, Multi-vit, Probiotic,

Monday, 9/3 - 1 Slice Spam & 2 eggs for Breakfast.
Lunch - Tuna salad sandwich, w/lots of Onions & potato chips.
Evening - ate Lots of Cheese (est. 8 oz.) w/ Ham & chips & pretzels.

Tuesday, 9/4 - Hot Dog w/ Onions & chips for Brunch in afternoon.
Symptoms started - GAS - took 1 Simethicone Gel tab 125mg.
Broken tooth hanging prevented eating that night. Had juice.

Wednesday, 9/5 - Got tooth extracted by Dentist in am.
Symptoms - Bloating & GAS !
Took 1 Hydrocodone / APAP 5/325 mg for Pain . 3 pm.
Took 1 more Simethicone tab for gas also.
Worked from 12 to 9 pm.
Ate bowl of Chicken & Dumplings
Took 1 Perkaset & 1 gel tab for gas.

Thursday , 9/6 - Still bloated w/gas - No Pain! Did Not go to work!
Used Fleet enema - 10 Oz. - then 10 Oz. bottle of Citrate of Magnesia.
Small amount of feces purged, mostly liquid! GAS & Bloating Gone!
Took 2 Senna tablets - stool softener. Ate 3 dried Prunes.
Only ate small bowl Chicken Noodle soup w/crackers.

Friday, 9/7 - 12 Noon - ate Bacon & Egg sandwich w/ 12 oz. Decaf coffee.
around 2 pm, son, a Chiropractor, discovered I had an Abdominal Hernia!
That BULGE where muscles had separated was present for 6 months or longer? I was aware, but nothing hurt, so I ignored. He advised on seriousness to get checked out, possible surgery,
At 3 pm, ate small salad w/dressing & 1 slice of Pizza w/green olives.

Around 10 pm, took dose (2 teaspoons) of Epsom Salts!
Mostly Liquid Spurts every 3 hrs. or so.
In evening, ate 2 prunes, then 7 oz. of Mandarin oranges in juice.

Saturday, 9/8 - NO GAS OR BLOATING, but still no normal bowel movement!
At 4:30 pm, second dose of Epsom salts (1 tablespoon) & Fleet Enema again.
First expulsion, just Liquid - 2 hours later, bunch of small chunks expelled.
Most purge in 4 days!
Around 9 pm, first feeling of Hunger - ate bowl of cereal w/milk.

Sunday, 9/9 - Purge around 6 am, mostly liquid. Back to bed. Slept well.
At 10:30 am, good expulsion w/ more small chunks.
Took Pills: 1 Omeprazole, 2 Vi. D3, 2 Probiotics, 1 Omega3.
At 3 pm, ate beef & gravy w/2 slices of bread.
At 5 pm, went to Patient First, hoping to get either an Ultra-Sound or
Cat-Scan, to check for Blockage - no luck - only X-Ray machine.
Over to ER at Bayview, waited in line, told story, got registered, bracelet
Applied, told to have a seat - whereupon I asked: “What kind of Wait are
We talking about?” ... About THREE HOURS! “Just to go to another room
And get a ‘picture’ taken?” THE DOCTOR HAS TO SEE YOU FIRST!
“Would you please remove this bracelet?” SNIP!

Back home at 6 pm, took 3rd dose of Epsom Salts - ate bowl of tuna fish
w/ potatoes. Then 7 prunes for desert. Up at 4 am, with large ‘spurts’!

Monday, 9/10 - Contacted Primary Doc’s Office - scheduled appointment for Wed. 10:15.
Contacted St. Agnes Med. Records, need copy from 2008 admission sent.
Worked 8 hours - 2 Tasty Kake cupcakes for lunch. 1 Donut . 5 pm,
Soft pretzel . 9 pm ... mouth still tender from extraction.

Tuesday, 9/11 - SUCCESS !!! 9 AM ...

FIRST ‘NORMAL’ BOWEL MOVEMENT IN EIGHT DAYS!

GOD BLESS ‘EPSOM SALTS’ !!!

© - TKH.

P.S. - Figured out Cause of Abdominal Hernia ...

In Winter, Lugging 40 Pound Bags of Wood Pellets from Car to Trailer!