In the last 3 weeks we have learned that one of the major side effects of narcotic based pain relievers is chronic constipation. Unfortunately none of the doctors or nurses mentioned this fact until day 4 of Jason's hospitalization, and they didn't give us much usable help in dealing with the problem.
When we got home I did a bit of reading on the internet and learned that the narcotic pain relievers cause this problem because they relax the muscles of the colon. Everything I read emphasized that fiber, normally the first answer, is not appropriate in this situation. So we had to find other solutions.
After quite a bit of experimenting, we have evolved a regimen that keeps things moving, so to speak. It goes like this:
- Before breakfast: 12 oz very warm water on an empty stomach--provides lubrication in the intestines.
- Morning: prescription stool softener
- Mid-morning: Miralax--absorbs water into the intestines
- Mid-morning: 2-3 grams of vitamin C powder--excess vitamin C causes "loosening of stools"
- Evening: prescription stool softener
- Night: Herbal tea with ingredients that stimulate intestinal muscle movement
Tonight we got into the car to go somewhere after dinner and Jason said that his stomach was hurting. Then he said, "I probably have been slacking off on doing the things I need to do."
All along I've noticed how difficult it is to keep doing all of these things every day. It's hard to remember all of the different things. None of them seem to make a bit of difference in the moment of doing them. And when things in his digestive tract are moving well, it doesn't seem like it's that big of deal if he skips one or two or even three of the things on that list.
But as sure as he does, he is constipated again, and then he has to work even harder to get things moving again.
It struck me tonight that this is so much like our spiritual lives.
Several years ago two sociology professors from BYU did some research on successful families and successful teens. One of the interesting things they discovered in their surveys was that outward religious behavior was not a good predictor of teenage testimony.
Instead they found that it was personal religiosity (great word, yes!?!) that was a greater predictor of testimony. If teens were consistently having meaningful personal prayer and personal scripture study they were more likely to have a testimony and to make choices in line with church teachings.
The temptations that adults face may not be the same those faced by teens, but the need for personal religious behaviors remains. I am sure that consistent and meaningful personal prayer and scripture study are the two things that will help us more than anything else in life. I have seen this over and over in my own life, and yet it is still so hard to be consistent. Just like Jason, it's too easy for me to think that today everything is going ok in my life, and that surely it won't be that big of a deal if I skimp or even skip on my personal scripture study, or if I forget to pray or forget to think while I'm praying.
And just like Jason, within a short time I find that things are no longer moving smoothly in my little world, and that it is always so much more work to get things back to the way they were than it would have been to be careful and consistent all along.
I know that this need for continual effort must be an important part of the Lord's plan — it would just be too easy if we got into a good spiritual routine and habits and were able to stay there forever. I am sure that the continual battle against this aspect of the natural man is building spiritual muscles that I can't see. But sometimes it is just so frustrating...
Hopefully I can learn from Jason's experience. (But please don't talk to him about it! ;) )
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LOL! Mahon and I are wondering, how does Jason feel about this blog post???
ReplyDelete(And geez... did you not learn all those things taking care of me for hte last 9 years? Also, I could have told you that about narcotics... sorry. Didn't realize that was an issue for non-CFers.)
It was an, um, interesting metaphor, though....
"I forget to pray or forget to think while I'm praying." I can't tell you how much that describes me.
ReplyDeleteOnce in a while I get done praying and I ask myself what I even prayed about. I think it's good to think about it though, otherwise we'd never do anything about it and none of our problems would get fixed.
Leave it to you to turn a story about constipation into a really good, very apt Gospel parallel! I mean, if you can get past thinking about the poop.
ReplyDeleteAnd who is your pharmacist? He really should have advised you of the constipation issue when you picked up his meds. Because it happens. To everyone.
When I worked for a home infusion company, we had many, many patients on continuous pain pumps that all had to be supplemented with stool softeners. And did you know that Paregoric used to be dispensed as a treatment for diarrhea even though it is, you know, mostly opiate.
Poor Jason! Those horrible doctors should have warned him! Have you ever hear of Kefir? It's like yogurt only it's more of a drink and it's got lots of probiotics in it- little Eric and I are addicted- we like the (non fat-free) strawberry flavor.
ReplyDeleteJason is *not* enthused about the blog post. In fact, he said he would rather I post pictures of his chest...
ReplyDeleteMahon--I rarely forget to pray. But I have learned that there are several rote things I pray if I'm actually not paying attention--so if I notice myself saying those things, that's a clue to me to get my brain back in it!
InkMom, I hope that at least some people are up to the challenge of getting past the poop. Because I thought it was a really helpful (for me anyway) analogy! By the time we got to the pharmacist he had been in the hospital for 6 days already--so it was a little late at that point. And I'm lol about Paregoric. I'm sure everyone thought they had a touch of diarrhea!
Katie--I've been thinking we should try kefir...thanks for reminding me!
I love the constipation analogy and I have to tell you that, having had gospel constipation myself when I was a teenager, it is so true what that BYU study found.
ReplyDeleteBecause it has happened to me in a really big way (gospel constipation), I feel really lucky that I am now able to catch myself fairly quickly if I find myself sliding into a laconic gospel lifestyle.
*hides in a corner and starts crying quietly*
ReplyDelete