The Perils of Poop

Mama's Log:

Lunch time saw the praises of poop. For the second time, the Di Man successfully navigated the intestinal highway and jettisoned his products into the potty (thanks "shoufun" - it's just the right size). So, naturally, Mama propels poop praises galore!

After lunch, the Di Man lays down for his afternoon recharge. Two hours later, Mama's "spidey sense" alarms (i.e., mewing cries from the crib caught before the onset of the full-volume, full-throttle, toddler sobs). Mama enters the room to see her little dude laying in the crib - half awake, half asleep. Yes, the Di Man cometh awake (partially).

Mama sensing the tiredness of the Di Man, asks if he wants up or to go back asleep. No answer...peculiar, very peculiar indeed (not the typical response one would expect from a toddler who is normally very opinionated and vocal in this department). Moments later...strange sounds awaken from South of the waistband border. Not once, twice, or three times...yes, count 'em, four flatus -- hmm, or is that flati -- (farts for you non-medical people).

All I can say is thank goodness I've dealt with worse in nursing (anyone who's taken care of patients w/ C. diff or GI bleeds will agree) and that the Di Man is still a toddler (smaller amounts). So, down to the mat we go. Full diaper but fortunately, no leakage.

Time warp - 2 1/2 hours and two diaper changes later... Another "gurgle in the gut" - by this time, Mama realizes Midwesterners have more time to react to horns sounding tornado warnings than she has in dealing with the Di Man's current lack of intestinal fortitude. But, third time was defintely not a chart...yep, the Di Man had "leakage" and after a massive cleanup on aisle two involving a complete change of clothing & sheet covering the changing mat, Mama discovered the Di Man had a low grade fever to boot.

So, let's just say Mama is NOT a pediatric nurse (I work in the "land of the giants"). Call placed to the pediatrician's office - time to speak w/ the triage nurse. Brain cells cleaning the cobwebs in the section of my subconscious that hosted the peds nursing class taken 10 1/2 years ago...BRAT diet?). Fortunately, appointment available 1st thing in the am w/ Dr. D. Even better, clear instructions on what to do (NO JUICE, NO FRUIT - keep him hydrated). Ba finally arrives home & the baton is passed on to the next shift (nice night for a meeting, eh?) after starting a load of dirty laundry.

So, after a few bites of crackers and some sips of milk for dinner with Ba, we later finds the Di Man asleep and Mama working to identify ways to ensure our favorite little dude avoids the villainous clutches of "Dehydration Man" (fortunately w/ only one additional episode tonight for Ba...isn't he lucky?) and Mama having an insomnia jag...

May the force be with our Little Dude! At least he gets to see Ba and Mama get "shots" from those mean ole' nurses tomorrow when we receive our final "travel vaccinations" (yes, ironic that we get our last series of injections after our overseas travel is complete, eh ).

Stay tuned for the continuing chronicles of Mama, Ba, and the Di Man (and blog entries that don't involve poop).