This blog is about our youngest son, Callum, who at the present time is being treated for "chronic constipation". At least that's the current diagnosis. Prior to that it was "mega colon" and prior to that it was simply "issues with potty training" or as I'm sure some people thought "issues with parenting". Oh, and prior to that we just had a busy boy in diapers. Talking about this is not easy and maybe some would question whether this topic is blog-worthy or not but the truth is - this is our life and will be his long after we're done looking after him!
We have learned that the morbidity rate with chronic constipation is higher than that of diabetes...didn't know that!
Callum is now 6 years old and is known to most people as a child who has "no sit in his bum". He has been a challenge to toilet train right from the get go - and I say "has been" because we're not finished yet! Callum is always in a hurry...has been so ever since we knew there was going to be a new mouth to feed! He arrived into the existence two months early - couldn't wait to get on stage and put on a show for the whole world to see! He was a very impatient breast-feeder, we couldn't get the spoon in fast enough and as soon as he learned to walk he pushed that aside for running...and I've been running ever since!
We tried everything doctors and other well-meaning parents have suggested to get Callum to have a "normal poop". Timers, books, games, toys, music...we tried it all. As parents we read article upon article on potty training and boys in particular, and were very careful not to "force" him to sit on the potty as we didn't want to put him there before "he was ready". For a while we thought he was just being manipulative but we were told by physicians that we had to force him to sit because obstruction, hemorrhoids and other complications were becoming a risk. So we tried the firm approach and sat him down with a timer and entertained him as best we could.
Then came school! We weren't being too successful in getting him to cooperate in the toileting department and we suspected an all-day every day kindergarten plan might present a problem so I quit my full time job so I could be available to run to the school at a moment's notice. Sure enough, Callum wouldn't poop at school and I was running there at least every other day or so to bail out the teacher. Socially, school became an issue because the teacher tried an approach of setting a timer for Callum to remind her to send him to the bathroom (every hour!) and the kids in the class all knew when the timer when off that it was time for Callum to go to the bathroom!
Callum was to the point of almost being incontinent and having "accidents" or "leaks" almost every day. Our GP diagnosed him with "mega-colon", gave us a gentle laxative and told us it could take a year or two to correct the problem. So we carried wipes, extra undies and clothes wherever we went.
That was two years ago! Fast forward to 2012 and move down a few thousand miles to the Cayman Islands and we're still dealing with the same problem only we now have a pediatrician from the UK who's quite aggressive and is trying to get to the bottom of the problem...pun intended!
An x-ray one month ago showed he was full right up to his tummy...which means basically that his system has been overflowing...and probably for the better part of two years! Fast forward to just yesterday and he's still full! But add in there the fact that we have been giving him...change that - forcing him to take a very salty and yucky tasting laxative for a month that gives him the runs but no normal poop. As soon as the doctor showed us the x-ray yesterday, he immediately got on the phone to a children's hospital in Miami to speak "urgently" with one of their Gastroenterologists as he was "very disconcerted" about the x-ray results.
So now we've been told to stop the yucky tasting medicine that it "failed miserably" and to wait to hear from the doctor in Miami about what to do next.
Apart from looking forward to less laundry, "accidents" in public places, and ditching my backpack, I'm very much looking forward to the day when I can say "yes" to invites for play dates or even sleepovers...away from home and without me and my backpack in attendance! And I'm sure Callum will be much happier (as if he could be happier!) - maybe much more confident when he is able to know how and when to poop all by himself like all of his friends.
Funny thing is the doctor has promised Callum that once he is cleared out and pooping normally that he will feel so much better and have much more energy! Yikes...seriously??!! Maybe I should start learning how to roller blade now!!
