Battling # 2

For anyone who has kids or pets...you get to see your share of "Poop."  You just deal with it.  It is part of life...and that's that.  In our case, we have had to endure months and months of poop.  Our poor little boy...(without getting into a lot of detail) has had to deal with diarrhea.  This has been going on, off and on, since the transplant.  The one thing we have learned is that Doctors are absolutely fascinated with Poop.  For several months last summer we actually kept a poop diary.  So what do you write on a poop diary???  Good Question.  You learn really interesting ways to categorize and describe poop.  All factors must be considered.  Quantity, frequency, colour, consistency, texture...the list goes on.  After a while you begin to think you are going off the deep end.  I think the frustrating part is that the poor little boy who is the subject of this exposé of poop, is the one who has to suffer through this.  We have tried just about every different kind of diaper rash cream known to man, with marginal success.  When we were starting to get very concerned about the state of Russell's bum I sent a somewhat desperate e-mail to our Doctor with the Subject Line: "Russell has a Red Bum"  Apparently, that e-mail was distributed around the clinic, as the Doctors found this quite amusing.

So this is what this whole experience boils down too.  We have been at the cutting edge of medical technology with world renowned physicians, traveled thousands of miles and what does it all result in?  Me...running down the hall in excitement, with a diaper in my hand, to show my long suffering wife a semi solid BM.  Now picture that.  Can't buy entertainment like that.  Then there are the poor souls who have had to endure dinner at our house, as Susan and I discuss the "poop diary."  Doesn't everyone do this??

I do like to make a point; and I guess this is it.  Life is simple.  No matter how much we try to complicate things it always boils down to the simple things in life.  Our life is complicated, as most people's are, but I think we need the constant reminder to slow things down and deal with our issues one step at a time and to stop and enjoy the little things.  Even if that little thing is in your son's diaper.

Note:  How about the crushing defeat of Duke last night?  Life is good!  All we need is a Carolina win tonight and all would be well in the world!