We spent Saturday afternoon visiting the in-laws in Jacksonville. It is so nice to have them living closer to us. The ease of visiting for the afternoon is great. It is not an eight hour drive, not an overnight stay. We can celebrate birthdays and special occasions or even just swing by when we are in their town. I had been battling an IBS flare since Friday, making multiple trips to the bathroom throughout the day. I was in a place of not needing to stray far from a toilet. Jumping in the truck for a trip was going to be dangerous. I need to avoid any embarrassing accidents.
Mother’s Day celebrations
Lunch. Dessert. Coffee. Risky business, I know. One trip to the bathroom, but I think all is well.
Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms in the world! What a never-ending, hard job the moms have to do! They should be celebrated and thanked more than once a year.
After the eating and sitting for a bit there is a suggestion for an evening dog walk around the neighborhood. Okay. I am feeling alright, I think I can handle being away from the bathroom.
Everything was going good until it wasn’t. It was probably mid-dog walk that I started feeling iffy. We are walking in a neighborhood, a very residential area. There are no bathrooms available. We are also a long way from the house.
Problem moment #1 hits, embarrassing accident
The panic of where to go and what to do. Kid on the street, ask to use his house? No, I would never do that. Go beside a garbage can located around the corner of someone’s house? That is a possibility, but I really want to avoid this altogether.
I am left to try to control this with mind over matter. If I stop walking, breathe and clench my butt cheeks I can make the moment pass for at least a moment. I will try to get through this with just small moments. Really, have I mentioned, I don’t want any embarrassing accidents.
Ryan sees me stop and knows I am having a problem. I motion to my belly and say that I’ll be okay, I need a moment. They thankfully keep walking.
Breathe. Clench. Breathe.
I am okay. This emergency has passed.
A few minutes later it hits again. Problem moment #2.
This time it comes with gas. I know when the gas starts, the explosion follows. I HAVE to let the gas out. It is painful. But I also know this is not a good thing to do. I do the whole, scan of the area for a safe place. Residential neighborhood, houses everywhere. UGH, my life. My bowels. I hate it.
Ryan looks at me again. He knows it is getting worse.
I want to avoid having to squat in a residential area, and besides I don’t have any butt-wiping material. I am not even wearing socks! Everyone with a bowel problem knows that socks are emergency butt-wiping material. I am about to be up shit creek without a paddle.
I have to stop. Breathe. Clench. Breathe.
I have to power through this. I have to make it back to the house.
Breathe. Clench. Breathe.
I can start walking again. Mind over matter.
Thankfully the dogs are panting, they are getting hot, and it is time to go home.
I made it. Back in the house, safe. I didn’t shit my pants. Or embarrass myself or Ryan. On the drive back home he expressed how he was frustrated that there wasn’t something we could do, some kind of relief for my IBS.
I am going to start taking these. My dad is taking them and says they help with his daily diarrhea. So, here I go with another experiment. If I find that they make a difference in my symptoms I will report back.
