Hospitalized

mp327 · February 2013

LaCh said:
mp327
Yeah, I think I might have understated how good the soup turned out. It's delicious and even more so because I'm finally beginning to risk eating foods other than eggs (which I hate), toast and apple sauce. This is a great change and a great recipe: "MP327 potato "soupreme." Since this whole adventure began, I've been consuming huge numbers of stool softeners so I'll just continue to do the same. The last thing I need is to be constipated. Going to the bathroom is painful enough and that's when I "go" water. Whatever 's going on in there can't deal with anything more solid. This is a recipe that I'd make even if I didn't need to watch what I eat. Hopefully (although I have my doubts) I'll return to some semblance of normalcy with eating, "going," energy and urgency (the latter needs to resolve before I can lead a normal life) and all such things. If and when I can claim a return to "normal," this is a soup that I'd make just because it tastes so good. Like you, I love vegetables so this is something that I'd gravitate to anyway. I used chicken stock this time but can see myself preparing it all vegetarian as well. Super soup MP. Thanks.

LaCh

Gee, your kind comments about this soup recipe have caused my head to swell a little! lol! Seriously, I'm glad it turned out so well for you and that you enjoyed it. I hope you have some leftovers!

I hope that your painful BM's will not last much longer. Been there, done that and it's no fun.

mp327 · February 2013

pamela_preib said:
Lidocaine
I just had to jump in here. I finished treatment just a few days after LaCH. I am still very stingy and raw in the vaginal area, but also developed hemrhoids and a UTI infection so I get to deal with that along with the healing of the burns in the anal area. I have been using the Lidocaine and it does make a difference so I would certainly give it a try LaCH. I had one of my most painful movements yesterday, but then later in the evening had one of the most comfortable "normal" ones I've had in the long time. It's such a back and forth thing. I'm on Loritab every four hours right now and then I take two Iboprofen two hours after the Loritab. My nurse said keeping the pain meds in you consistantly works best so be sure you are doing that. I was kind of just taking it when I suspected a bowel movement which wasn't working for me. I have been one of the "unlucky" ones I've read about who have been screaming and crying in the bathroom as well. I'm so happy this will be behind me soon. l'm a little better each day and can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Pam

I think it's a good sign that you were able to have a comfortable BM. Perhaps you are getting close to turning the corner. I certainly hope so. May you keep moving forward!

LaCh · February 2013

mp327 said:
LaCh
Gee, your kind comments about this soup recipe have caused my head to swell a little! lol! Seriously, I'm glad it turned out so well for you and that you enjoyed it. I hope you have some leftovers!

I hope that your painful BM's will not last much longer. Been there, done that and it's no fun.

mp327 aka soup lady

I made a huge pot of it and have a lot left over but had to consciously limit myself, one, because I want it to last, and two, because I wanted to excercise caution when introducing new foods, just to see what's what. Although my small gut and stomach weren't irradiated, I've found that certain foods give me a stomach ache (foods that didn't do that before) but I can say that this soup went down very easy with no problems whatsoever. As you may have figured out, I'm no cook, don't especially like to cook and only do it (in the laziest way possible) because if I want to eat, I have to cook, but this was easy and uncomplicated and the result made it wholly worthwhile. Would I make it again? Absolutely. (btw, in addition to the fresh kale that you recommended, I dumped in a bag of frozen spinach that I had, and omitted the garlic even though I love garlic, because I didn't have any handy. I used two onions that I had, 7 white potatoes and one sweet). You should have a "swelled head" because if I can make this soup based on your recipe, anyone can. Got any more ideas? (I ask because I suspect that your food preferences and mine are probably not very different, based on your comments about a fondness for vegetables). I also hope that the medieval torture that I experience each time that I go to the bathroom doesn't last too much longer either; the pain exacts a huge toll, physically, mentally and with my mood and energy reserves. I dread going to the bathroom and am eager to return to a life when it's not an issue that I even have to think about. I also have issues with urgency that keep me tethered to my apartment and bathroom; it comes on with no warning, from feeling nothing to having to go RIGHT NOW. That's got to resolve as well, otherwise, I'll end up having to spend the rest of my life within a few feet of a bathroom. Thanks again...

mp327 · February 2013

LaCh said:
mp327 aka soup lady
I made a huge pot of it and have a lot left over but had to consciously limit myself, one, because I want it to last, and two, because I wanted to excercise caution when introducing new foods, just to see what's what. Although my small gut and stomach weren't irradiated, I've found that certain foods give me a stomach ache (foods that didn't do that before) but I can say that this soup went down very easy with no problems whatsoever. As you may have figured out, I'm no cook, don't especially like to cook and only do it (in the laziest way possible) because if I want to eat, I have to cook, but this was easy and uncomplicated and the result made it wholly worthwhile. Would I make it again? Absolutely. (btw, in addition to the fresh kale that you recommended, I dumped in a bag of frozen spinach that I had, and omitted the garlic even though I love garlic, because I didn't have any handy. I used two onions that I had, 7 white potatoes and one sweet). You should have a "swelled head" because if I can make this soup based on your recipe, anyone can. Got any more ideas? (I ask because I suspect that your food preferences and mine are probably not very different, based on your comments about a fondness for vegetables). I also hope that the medieval torture that I experience each time that I go to the bathroom doesn't last too much longer either; the pain exacts a huge toll, physically, mentally and with my mood and energy reserves. I dread going to the bathroom and am eager to return to a life when it's not an issue that I even have to think about. I also have issues with urgency that keep me tethered to my apartment and bathroom; it comes on with no warning, from feeling nothing to having to go RIGHT NOW. That's got to resolve as well, otherwise, I'll end up having to spend the rest of my life within a few feet of a bathroom. Thanks again...

LaCh

I'm glad you had leftovers, but you are wise to not go overboard on portions until you see how your innards respond. I think leeks would be a great addition to the potato soup and I totally agree, spinach is a very good idea and will add even more nutrients. Red peppers are also full of good things--more vitamin C than an orange, so I have added those when I have them. If you get to the place where you can tolerate a little heat, poblano peppers could be added without being too much. Bean soups, as tolerated, are chock full of nutrition and would be a good source of protein. They are tasty, even whizzed in the blender. The darker the bean, the better--black beans are my favorite. If you like squash, the butternut variety would make a very good soup, IMO. It's all about experimentation. As I said before, I'm not much on following a recipe. I love to watch "Chopped" on Food Network and am amazed how those chefs can make a dish in a short amount of time, given certain ingredients, which are sometimes very strange. I guess it's rubbed off on me! lol! I am still going to make some cream of asparagus soup one of these days, which I've made before. I checked out the fresh asparagus on my last grocery run and it didn't look too fresh, so I passed on it this time. I'm sure frozen could be used though. For anyone who is lactose intolerate and can't eat creamed soups that contain dairy, making soup this way is an option. You never really miss the milk. I eat canned soups only when I'm desperate, which I was a couple of days right after I got out of the hospital, since I wasn't up for a grocery run. My husband, bless him, came home with lots of cans of soup, as he would have no idea what ingredients to buy to make homemade. I find canned soup quite scary since I have no idea what is in it, except for lots of things I can't pronounce. Homemade is clean and I know exactly what I'm eating.

As for the bowel issues, I know at this point it's hard to believe that things will ever be better than they are right now. But things will be better! I can't tell you when, but they will. My experience was about 2 weeks of post-treatment misery, then one day I just seemed to turn a corner and things were so much improved. I also found that steady improvement happened in the first 2 years. Sure, I still had some urgency issues, but they became less frequent as time went on, and I found out by trial and error what foods triggered such episodes. I never went anywhere without scoping out the bathrooms, but never hesitated to go out. I did always try to time my outings in the afternoons, as I found mornings to be the time of the day when things were iffy. I guess I lived on the edge, as I never took a change of clothes with me anywhere I went--never needed them, so perhaps I was just lucky. As you probably know, it is possible to get into a rhythm where BM's happen mostly in the morning. I have spent lots of morning potty time just waiting for things to happen and it usually works. Warm liquids and a bit of exercise is helpful to get things moved out before venturing out of the house.

Believe me, I am notorious for being an impatient person and, like you, was very frustrated early in the healing phase. We would all like to think that once finished with that last zap, things would instantly improve. As we all learn, that isn't the way it works. Even more frustrating is the fact that friends and family think that's the way it works. One day I just told myself that I was going to celebrate each and every little improvement, no matter how small. I felt like throwing a party the day I only had one BM! You'll get there and soon that distance between you and the loo will be more than just a few steps!

mp327 · February 2013

mp327 said:
Pam
I think it's a good sign that you were able to have a comfortable BM. Perhaps you are getting close to turning the corner. I certainly hope so. May you keep moving forward!

Getting a little more adventurous

Friends, I am happy to say that my husband and I met a friend for dinner last evening at the old Golden Corral and so far, so good! I didn't overeat (but I ate more than I've eaten in almost 2 weeks). Small portions of carrots, green beans, mashed potatoes, mac & cheese, a small piece of fish and one bite of chicken. Dessert was a little peach cobbler with frozen yogurt and a few bites of chocolate cake. It all tasted so good to me!

LaCh · February 2013

mp327 said:
LaCh
I'm glad you had leftovers, but you are wise to not go overboard on portions until you see how your innards respond. I think leeks would be a great addition to the potato soup and I totally agree, spinach is a very good idea and will add even more nutrients. Red peppers are also full of good things--more vitamin C than an orange, so I have added those when I have them. If you get to the place where you can tolerate a little heat, poblano peppers could be added without being too much. Bean soups, as tolerated, are chock full of nutrition and would be a good source of protein. They are tasty, even whizzed in the blender. The darker the bean, the better--black beans are my favorite. If you like squash, the butternut variety would make a very good soup, IMO. It's all about experimentation. As I said before, I'm not much on following a recipe. I love to watch "Chopped" on Food Network and am amazed how those chefs can make a dish in a short amount of time, given certain ingredients, which are sometimes very strange. I guess it's rubbed off on me! lol! I am still going to make some cream of asparagus soup one of these days, which I've made before. I checked out the fresh asparagus on my last grocery run and it didn't look too fresh, so I passed on it this time. I'm sure frozen could be used though. For anyone who is lactose intolerate and can't eat creamed soups that contain dairy, making soup this way is an option. You never really miss the milk. I eat canned soups only when I'm desperate, which I was a couple of days right after I got out of the hospital, since I wasn't up for a grocery run. My husband, bless him, came home with lots of cans of soup, as he would have no idea what ingredients to buy to make homemade. I find canned soup quite scary since I have no idea what is in it, except for lots of things I can't pronounce. Homemade is clean and I know exactly what I'm eating.

As for the bowel issues, I know at this point it's hard to believe that things will ever be better than they are right now. But things will be better! I can't tell you when, but they will. My experience was about 2 weeks of post-treatment misery, then one day I just seemed to turn a corner and things were so much improved. I also found that steady improvement happened in the first 2 years. Sure, I still had some urgency issues, but they became less frequent as time went on, and I found out by trial and error what foods triggered such episodes. I never went anywhere without scoping out the bathrooms, but never hesitated to go out. I did always try to time my outings in the afternoons, as I found mornings to be the time of the day when things were iffy. I guess I lived on the edge, as I never took a change of clothes with me anywhere I went--never needed them, so perhaps I was just lucky. As you probably know, it is possible to get into a rhythm where BM's happen mostly in the morning. I have spent lots of morning potty time just waiting for things to happen and it usually works. Warm liquids and a bit of exercise is helpful to get things moved out before venturing out of the house.

Believe me, I am notorious for being an impatient person and, like you, was very frustrated early in the healing phase. We would all like to think that once finished with that last zap, things would instantly improve. As we all learn, that isn't the way it works. Even more frustrating is the fact that friends and family think that's the way it works. One day I just told myself that I was going to celebrate each and every little improvement, no matter how small. I felt like throwing a party the day I only had one BM! You'll get there and soon that distance between you and the loo will be more than just a few steps!

mp327

Yeah, the soup seems to have a binding effect so I'm just taking more magnesium (which I take for hypertension anyway). I thought of red peppers too, I just didn't have any when I made the soup. As for adding heat, I'm one of those people who doesn't like spicy foods, and my heat-o-meter is set pretty low; what's barely spicy for someone else is firey hot for me. Creme of asparagus sounds good, and while the chicken stock adds a great flavor to the soup (I made my own since I don't like the taste of store-bought) I'd like to move away from meat (I was a vegetarian for 22 years, then not, now thinking of doing it again). I'm with you about canned goods, and don't buy/eat any, partly for the chemicals added to the food, but also for the BHA in the cans themselves. The only way that I have an idea about what I'm eating is to prepare it myself, but that said, do I really know what's in even fresh produce? Not really. As for excercise, as soon as the external burns permit (when they're completely healed and I can walk normally) I plan to go to a gym that I have free access to through my health insurance, just to do some walking on the treadmill to start and see how that goes, then ramp it up when I can. I'm aware of the potential for exposure to flu/pertussis/headcold viruses and although I'm not happy about it, I'll take the risk, hopefully one I won't regret later. As for being impatient for things to improve, I'm not sure I'd call it impatience, I'm just tired of being in pain all the time. It wears me out physically and mentally. I find it helpful to look back in time to a week ago, rather than to yesterday in order to see the improvments, and I do, in fact, see them. The distance between "you and the loo" ...funny. Yeah, it'd be nice to not have to think about such things. Right now it's not such a big deal since I'm not a winter person and tend to hide from the winter as best I can even under the best of circumstances (when my health isn't an issue). But when the spring comes, if I can't get out as I like to, that'd be a hardship and one I couldn't impose on my dog, either, not in good conscience anyway. I won't go looking for problems though; I'll just stand still and wait for them to come to me, if they do, I'll deal with them and if they don't, great! I'll be in Central Park soaking up the spring.

jcruz · February 2013

mp327 said:
LaCh
I'm glad you had leftovers, but you are wise to not go overboard on portions until you see how your innards respond. I think leeks would be a great addition to the potato soup and I totally agree, spinach is a very good idea and will add even more nutrients. Red peppers are also full of good things--more vitamin C than an orange, so I have added those when I have them. If you get to the place where you can tolerate a little heat, poblano peppers could be added without being too much. Bean soups, as tolerated, are chock full of nutrition and would be a good source of protein. They are tasty, even whizzed in the blender. The darker the bean, the better--black beans are my favorite. If you like squash, the butternut variety would make a very good soup, IMO. It's all about experimentation. As I said before, I'm not much on following a recipe. I love to watch "Chopped" on Food Network and am amazed how those chefs can make a dish in a short amount of time, given certain ingredients, which are sometimes very strange. I guess it's rubbed off on me! lol! I am still going to make some cream of asparagus soup one of these days, which I've made before. I checked out the fresh asparagus on my last grocery run and it didn't look too fresh, so I passed on it this time. I'm sure frozen could be used though. For anyone who is lactose intolerate and can't eat creamed soups that contain dairy, making soup this way is an option. You never really miss the milk. I eat canned soups only when I'm desperate, which I was a couple of days right after I got out of the hospital, since I wasn't up for a grocery run. My husband, bless him, came home with lots of cans of soup, as he would have no idea what ingredients to buy to make homemade. I find canned soup quite scary since I have no idea what is in it, except for lots of things I can't pronounce. Homemade is clean and I know exactly what I'm eating.

As for the bowel issues, I know at this point it's hard to believe that things will ever be better than they are right now. But things will be better! I can't tell you when, but they will. My experience was about 2 weeks of post-treatment misery, then one day I just seemed to turn a corner and things were so much improved. I also found that steady improvement happened in the first 2 years. Sure, I still had some urgency issues, but they became less frequent as time went on, and I found out by trial and error what foods triggered such episodes. I never went anywhere without scoping out the bathrooms, but never hesitated to go out. I did always try to time my outings in the afternoons, as I found mornings to be the time of the day when things were iffy. I guess I lived on the edge, as I never took a change of clothes with me anywhere I went--never needed them, so perhaps I was just lucky. As you probably know, it is possible to get into a rhythm where BM's happen mostly in the morning. I have spent lots of morning potty time just waiting for things to happen and it usually works. Warm liquids and a bit of exercise is helpful to get things moved out before venturing out of the house.

Believe me, I am notorious for being an impatient person and, like you, was very frustrated early in the healing phase. We would all like to think that once finished with that last zap, things would instantly improve. As we all learn, that isn't the way it works. Even more frustrating is the fact that friends and family think that's the way it works. One day I just told myself that I was going to celebrate each and every little improvement, no matter how small. I felt like throwing a party the day I only had one BM! You'll get there and soon that distance between you and the loo will be more than just a few steps!

slow improvements

Thanks for sharing your how your experience with bowel issues improved over time. I'm spending a bit of time these days researching insoluble and soluble fiber, also trying to note changes in my digestion as I taper off the oxycontin. I can now predict a few BMs in the first hours that I'm up in the morning and most times I don't have the "oh my!" rush to the bathroom like I did before. I'm going back to work at the end of the month and have requested to work only in the afternoons for the first month. I travel to work on a bus and worry about the time between leaving my house and getiing to my office - if I go back to work in the mornings I don't know if I'd make it to work without problems.

I can say things are definitely getting better for me. I'm sitting on the couch without my waffle cushion! What a thrill - painless sitting!

RoseC · February 2013

I've never been very good

I've never been very good about knowing about foods, what to eat and what not to eat. Never had problems but never did too much research, just ate whatever I wanted to. This year (I'm four years post treatment) I've been having problems with the runs and finally bought a book written for folks with IBS. One very important thing the author stressed was to always eat soluble fiber on an emply stomach - and she gave lots of examples (bananas and potatoes are my favorite choices). Doing this has made an incredible difference. No more running for the bathroom, no more unexpected problems, much less urgency. What a difference it has made.

Porter · February 2013

Hospitalized

Thank goodness you're ok!!!

many hugs

Porter

jcruz · February 2013

RoseC said:
I've never been very good
I've never been very good about knowing about foods, what to eat and what not to eat. Never had problems but never did too much research, just ate whatever I wanted to. This year (I'm four years post treatment) I've been having problems with the runs and finally bought a book written for folks with IBS. One very important thing the author stressed was to always eat soluble fiber on an emply stomach - and she gave lots of examples (bananas and potatoes are my favorite choices). Doing this has made an incredible difference. No more running for the bathroom, no more unexpected problems, much less urgency. What a difference it has made.

the book you mentioned

I've been looking at information online about fiber and find myself gravitating to sites for people with IBS. Would you mind sharing the title of the book you got? It would be nice to have something in my hand instead of the bunch of links that I've been gathering.

Thanks

RoseC · February 2013

jcruz said:
the book you mentioned
I've been looking at information online about fiber and find myself gravitating to sites for people with IBS. Would you mind sharing the title of the book you got? It would be nice to have something in my hand instead of the bunch of links that I've been gathering.

Thanks

Sure - I'd be happy to. The

Sure - I'd be happy to. The author is Heather Van Vorous. She has two or three books available - I bought 'The First Year IBS', description: 'a patient-expert walks you through everythiing you need to learn and do'.

Really easy to follow. She's got a website, too, and if you enter your email address she sends you a very nice chart showing trigger foods, foods to eat in moderation, and safe foods. I printed it out and put it on my refrigerator (I keep a copy at work too).

Amazon has the book available for $11.55 but you can probably get it elsewhere too. She also has a cookbook with lots of recipes - I bought that too but haven't needed to use it yet.

jcruz · February 2013

RoseC said:
Sure - I'd be happy to. The
Sure - I'd be happy to. The author is Heather Van Vorous. She has two or three books available - I bought 'The First Year IBS', description: 'a patient-expert walks you through everythiing you need to learn and do'.

Really easy to follow. She's got a website, too, and if you enter your email address she sends you a very nice chart showing trigger foods, foods to eat in moderation, and safe foods. I printed it out and put it on my refrigerator (I keep a copy at work too).

Amazon has the book available for $11.55 but you can probably get it elsewhere too. She also has a cookbook with lots of recipes - I bought that too but haven't needed to use it yet.

thanks

Thanks for the book info. Having that chart in multiple places is a great idea!

Hospitalized

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