Enema of The State

That is both my favorite Blink182 album and the phrase that has been stuck in my head since we purchased a children's Fleet enema for KayTar's manometry testing prep. I was dreading the enema, as the last time KayTar got constipated, we had to use a liquid glycerin suppository and she haaaated it. It actually made her vomit. Needless to say, I wasn't stoked about having to go one step above that to prep for her test. It went really well, though, she didn't mind at all! She also had to be NPO (except for clears) as of 3am, so I set an alarm for 2:30 so I could give her a feed with cornstarch at the last minute and another for 3am so I would go turn it off. She had a sip of water around 6 when she was technically supposed to be 100% NPO, but she had a scratchy throat, so I made a judgment call.

The test itself went well. At one point KayTar said, "THIS is what I was nervous about?!" It appears that her muscles and nerves are communicating appropriately, but we discovered that she didn't know how to squeeze her sphincter shut. She was pushing/bearing down whether they asked her to push or squeeze, no matter how they tried to explain it. They taught her how to do it in about 5 minutes and verified that she was doing it properly with the sensors and she said, "Wow! I've never done that before!" so I'm thinking that might be a big part of her fecal incontinence issues. Knowing how to hold it in is an important skill if you ever want to make it to the toilet! She was so pleased and she practiced her new skill all the way home!

After the testing, we went to the kids' school library for summer library time! The kids had a great time, checking out books, playing in the sand table, and listening to stories. Towards the end of our time there, KayTar wanted to be held, so I picked her up and she laid her head on my shoulder. I thought she was just tired from our early morning, but when we got home she felt warm (even warmer than a car trip in the Texas summer should make someone), so I took her temp. 102. Dang. She laid down in my bed to read while she got her tube feed, but she was out in a few minutes. It is the second day of summer and she's already sick! Oh well, at least we don't have to worry about absences! The pool will still be there when she's better.

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