VP shunt/Constipation

[Guest guest]

Hi Friends,

This last week has been more than a challenge. As you know, both of my kids

were here for Christmas and I ignore myself 100% when they are here. Jeff

tells me I'm constipated, but I still ignored him. I'm always constipated. I

found out what happens when I don't listen, my headaches went from nothing

to an 9 over night, and I got dumb really quick.

I didn't know what month it was on Wednesday. Kind of like the time Jeff

asked me where I was, I looked around the room and was smart enough to

recognize the surroundings of a hospital room, so proudly announced that

with a smile. He asked where that hospital was, and I smugly said Canada.

Well, it was February this week. I couldn't type, spell, think, poop, but I

have paid my $2,500 out of pocket medical expenses for the year.

Please, those of you that have a shunt draining into the peritoneal area, do

not let constipation get serious, it's not pretty. I know several of us deal

with severe constipation. What it does is cause the shunt to stop draining

and it doesn't take anytime to become dumb, so to speak. Jeff took off 3

days this week because he couldn't leave me alone.

I will tell everyone again, I love my husband so much, he has been through

all of this with me, held my hand, and wiped my tears. It has been more

frightening for him than it has for me because I just turn out the lights.

One child doesn't even know I had problems, he's in Maine, my other son has

called three times. When I talk to my Maine child in July, I might bring it

up.

Kathleen