Road Trip Down the Hershey Highway

Oh the metaphors for poo...they're just never ending, aren't they? It's taboo normally to talk about "pooing", but for the DS patient? It's a daily reality.

I got constipated again. Two bites of rice was all it took. (Yes, I've finally learned that lesson, Oy.) We stopped at every major truck stop so I could crap. Nothing. I spent 30 minutes in one restroom, enough that the line that had formed while I was in there (only three stalls) I could hear whispering, "What is she doing in there? How long has she been in there? Are you sure someone is in there?) I just knew I was going to go this time.

Nope. We were heading down I-5 (or as Californians call it, The Five), and after the fifth emergency stop with no relief, I said, "That's it. I'll have to have some bread and butter." It worked the last time I was constipated and took about four hours.

We stopped at a barbecue place my husband likes and since they have so much meat on offer, I thought it would be a good choice for me. My open roast beef sandwich (which tasted like shit, it's downstairs in my in-laws refrigerator, up for grabs), I had some gravy, a few mashed potatoes, all of the soup part from some clam chowder (no chunks), and the roll with lots of real butter.

One hour later, I was riding the Hershey Highway. I'm not sure how many stops we made. Suffice it to say a 200 miles trip took us nearly eight hours, including a one hour stop for dinner.

NIGHTMARE!

I did not, however, shit my pants. I stunk up bathrooms from Buttonwillow to Bellflower. *sigh*

This is a hard process learning what my body can tolerate, what tastes good, and what can make me miserable. It's a fine, fine line, and I feel like I'm just really sucking at walking it. Everything that sounds or smells good tastes like shit. You couldn't get me to eat a donut for $50-. (I would for a million. Oh hell yeah.) Meat that I previously liked tastes bad. I want a big salad with chunks in it--cheese, and meat, and red bell peppers, and croutons, and green onions and Thai lime cilantro dressing. No can do. Probably taste like shit, anyway.

Sigh.

I think I need a consult with both the dietician and the psychologist. They both said I could call them. When I'm not busy taking care of someone else...sigh...I'll call and ask for appointments with both (they both did my pre-surg interviews via phone.). They said I could if I felt I was struggling. Well, I am.

Diarrhea is bad enough, but while on a long trip? Oh just stick a fork in me, I was done.