I know it's been a while since I've posted a blog update, but did I ever tell you what I did on Mother's Day?
Well, my mother was very constipated and couldn't use the RR. She was pushing and pushing and complaining about the pain and I felt horrible because there was nothing I could do to help her, I massaged her intestines while she sat on the toilet, and gave her water and prune juice from a straw. My mother was on the toilet for over an hour that morning.
She pushed more, and fortunately "it" started coming out, but still was VERY difficult for her so I went to the kitchen and put on plastic gloves, got a trash bag and some wipes. I actually pulled feces hard as a rock out of my mother's rectum using my hands covered in gloves. I did gag a few times, because it didn't come out easily...I had to prod several times and it was a horrible smell since it was "backed up fecal matter", at the end of the endeavor I had to shower and make myself vomit.
Since then, it's happened a few more times. I got her some suppositories so it makes it a bit easier, but my mother is unable to communicate with me clearly so I have no idea when she is constipated until it happens and she's on the toilet.
Yesterday I went through the same thing with her because by the time I knew she was constipated, she was already on the toilet with feces half way out of her so couldn't place the suppository inside of her.
Mom moves a lot slower than what she used to and is not active. She gets her 2 walks a week and her stretches 3 times a week and drinks water daily as well as eats prunes and fibrous foods...it's not what she's eating, not eating, or doing that causes her to be constipated...it's that her body has slowed down significantly.
People with cognitive impairment have an increased risk of constipation, fecal impaction, and stercoral perforation. Immobility, a decreased awareness of thirst, and difficulty in communicating pain and discomfort can all contribute.
