bits and pieces
i was tempted to get the camera. i wanted to show it to everybody, just to know if i was right when i thought it was the biggest poop ever. the patient himself was shocked, and got a little dizzy, when he looked at the commode. he said, and i quote: “oh. my. God!” when he saw that he filled up half (yes, HALF!) of the commode after he sat and concentrated for about 15 minutes.
i hate to be gross and all, but i can’t get the massive sight out of my head. i had a patient before who did not go for about a week and with a little help from me, we were able to deliver a bedpan sized poop which made the poor lady cry. she said she will never forget me for the rest of her life because i was the only one who believed her when she said it just needed a little help and it will surely come out. i instructed her to push while i put pressure on her you know where, where i certainly felt what seemed like a baby’s head, trying to peek out. the bedpan sized delivery was an unsual sight, but she didn’t go for about a week, so i saw the explanation right there.
but i digress. let’s go back to the other record breaking guy. “i just went yesterday. twice”, he said. that made matters fairly ordinary, so i didn’t expect anything else. only, when i helped him to the commode, and i saw his roomate go out of the room gasping for air a couple of minutes later, i was a little surprised, to say the least.
for the sake of privacy and all that kind of thing, i successfully resisted the urge to get a picture for all my coworkers to chime in if i was right, but they heard me flush the whole gigantic thing six times. SIX times! that, and the whole unit reeking of this familiar but rather extremely strong smell convinced them i was telling the truth.
i know some of you are thinking it is none of my business how much poop a patient makes. that i should not go talking about it in the blogosphere where people can read about it and think it is scary to be my patient because i do not respect patient’s privacy. i apologize for that thought but that’s not it all. that’s not my intention. i’m actually just very curious to know if any of you have seen something like it before. half of the commode, in one sitting? and coming from an underweight guy? i mean, where did it all come from? are you telling me that if you were the one who saw it, you will not be surprised and will just take it as something very ordinary?
sorry to those who are eating breakfast. it’s just that i have seen people pee a liter or more at once, but have never seen somebody poop that much. it was literally overwhelming. the fact that the patient himself was shocked and almost fainted at the sight of his very own poop is my excuse in talking about it without a sense of guilt. and i thought i’ve seen it all. just goes to prove i still have along way to go before i call myself “experienced”.
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our hospital is going to implement plain uniform scrubs in april. i voted for chocolate brown, but i have been hearing that navy blue is sort of winning the hospital wide survey. this early, people are already complaining. they complain about every possible color that will win. i will wear anything, except bright yellow. i have to draw the line somewhere. those who do not like chocolate brown asked me why i like it. i just thought i tell them the truth: i think it’s nice to look like a bar of hershey’s. i know, for me, it’s ALWAYS about food.
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another curious question. this time, to christian parents. do you think i overreacted when i thought it is too early for my kids to listen to the story of how isaac was supposed to be killed and offered by his dad abraham? i just thought it is a morbid story for a 4 year old and a 3 year old.
don’t get me wrong, i love it that my father in law is always willing to tell my kids Bible stories, but it honestly sort of jolted me when he talked about the father and son tandem going up mount moriah for that sacrifice. with llines like “son, you are THE lamb, God wants me to sacrifice you.”, i cringed and hoped my kids were not really paying attention. since i had no idea if i was completely right, i did not stop the storytelling, but when i think about it now, maybe i should have. do you think age is not an issue when it comes to Bible stories? do you think ANY Bible story is appropriate for all kids, of any age?
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thanks to those who scratched with me when i have the itchies just from taking care of my chickenpox lady. which, by the way, was not my patient the next time i went back to work. the charge nurse realized i had too much in my hands with two isolated patients, one being a total care with so many things going on.
have a great weekend everyone. sorry for rambling on and on and on. my rhinitis made me do it.


So here is my question: Why is any patient allowed to go “a week or so” without pooping before anyone takes notice?
Onehealthpro
Comment by Onehealthpro — October 19, 2007 @ 8:24 am
onehealthpro: i know this will sound like i’m washing my hands, but it is the truth so i’ll say it. that particular patient was on her second hospital day with us, after a fall. she was living in a skilled nursing facility.
Comment by may — October 19, 2007 @ 8:48 am
May, your timing for the poop story was kind of amazing — last week on South Park there was a show all about “the world’s largest c**p: http://southpark.wikia.com/wiki/More_Crap
Comment by marachne — October 19, 2007 @ 5:31 pm
i love your your blog, l read it every night after work, it finishes the day very nicely. i have tried to stay away from bible stories that i think my kid’s will misunderstand. they have the rest of their lives to mature in these concepts. many non fundamentalists adults i’ve talked with miss the point of the passage also.
Comment by beth — October 19, 2007 @ 7:49 pm
Hey May -
First, I just LOVE your blog! You are a hoot.
With regard to the poop - a wise nurse once told me it is never a real nursing discussion unless it somehow involves peeing or pooping so I think your discussion of it is fine.
I currently am in nursing school and one of our instructors this past summer told us that one night while she was working in the ICU of a large teaching hospital, another nurse came into the nurses station with eyes the size of saucers. He insisted that my instructor come and take a look at something. She told us it was the largest poop they had EVER seen - she said that all coiled up, it was the size of a basketball. She’s obviously never forgotten it!
I guess it can happen - especially if you have a patient who isn’t as mobile as they should be. Still, it makes you wonder what in the world is going on in their intestines!
Comment by A reader — October 20, 2007 @ 1:11 pm
May:
You could be a rehab nurse! (We get so excited over poop!) ;->
One of my pts last week had a super giganto (that’s not listed on our scale, so I marked XL instead) all because she drank hot cocoa with breakfast instead of her usual tea.
I’m in the same camp as the other nurse…no go in 2-3 days with us is a red flag. Might have to look for impaction or start with the good ol’ MOM and prune juice cocktail, assuming they’re not renal pts, then we go for the lactulose.
You just try and try or go for the Magic Bullets or mag citrate, too. Bowel routine gets to be pretty interesting sometimes.
I’m all for chocolate brown too. Chocolate hides a multitude of stains (like iodine, blood, etc.) Hope you get a color you really like!
Comment by RehabRN — October 20, 2007 @ 2:54 pm
I once had a patient completely fill the bedpan and the rest came up between his legs and onto his belly. It was a fracture pan, though, so it’s a little easier to fill one of those. The patient said that he eats a lot and normally makes that much poop every day.
Comment by Melissa — October 20, 2007 @ 11:04 pm
I once saw a poop that filled, really filled and over flowed, a hat in the toilet. I had to leave and sit outside for a while. It was shocking, so much poop at once! The guys was dying and he was quite large, but still. It certainly left an impression on me.
Comment by Edith — October 21, 2007 @ 6:45 pm
Woah! that’s a load of poop! I think I wouldn’t last long there. San kaya nang-galing yun?!!
Comment by Ferdz — October 21, 2007 @ 9:14 pm
May, I have seen poops that big before. It usually happens to those who have been let get impacted. It’s horrible to have that long go between going. I had to disempact a poor lady one time and she actually thanked me for it. How sad! I have a second site as well and wondered if you would put a link up? NP Notes
Thanks!
Comment by NPs Save Lives — October 22, 2007 @ 11:56 am
Whoops! The link didn’t work. Sorry. You can get to it from my site.
Comment by NPs Save Lives — October 22, 2007 @ 11:57 am
i think blue would make a good color =) as far as i know the story of isaac didn’t seem to bother me
Comment by Rygel — October 23, 2007 @ 7:55 am
Poor roommate!
I am a Christian with strong faith often read/taught Bible stories to my sons. But I read from Bibles that were geared to their age.
It doesn’t sound like they questioned anything and so maybe he told it in such a way that it didn’t scare them. It was a story about faith and obedience and maybe that is what they picked up.
Comment by SeaSpray — October 24, 2007 @ 9:55 pm
I went about 6 liters of pee after my daughter was born. I was swollen. Had been filled with IV fluids. Had PIH. Couldn’t go when pregnant because of the baby’s position that night. Went at 4 am the next morning. I peed for about 30 minutes straight. The nurse said wow.
Later that morning different nurses remarked about how they heard I was the girl who peed 6 liters that night. I was mortified.
Comment by Sara — October 25, 2007 @ 11:22 am
I would have had to get the camera for sure. (but without the patient knowing) Heehee
Comment by nocturnalRN — October 26, 2007 @ 10:13 am
Hi! Visiting for the first time and already had a good laugh. The image you painted of the fleeing room mate had me bust up… I feel for him but it is funny, never the less.
Every time I see a poo larger than the last, I think it can’t be possible, but half a commode?! Nice going!
Thanks for the laugh!
Kathy
Comment by Kathy — October 29, 2007 @ 4:51 pm