Of course I went straight to the internet to read about this bacteria. One of the more interesting things I read was a type of treatment for severe cases of this condition: stool transplant!
"Stool transplant (fecal bacteriotherapy) to restore healthy intestinal bacteria by placing donor stool in your colon. Although this is rarely done in practice, research has shown stool transplant to be helpful in selected cases."
OK... Can you imagine that? Where do you find a donor? And how do you mentally prepare yourself for such a treatment? I guess I should not whine about Flagyl and just be grateful that is all I have to do!! Things could be worse!
180 degree turn...
On a completely different note, if you haven't yet listened to Steve Curtis Chapman's new CD, "Beauty Will Rise", I highly recommend it to you. The songs are very personal and were written as he dealt with the accidental death of his daughter in 2008. If any of you are struggling with difficulty or grief I think these songs will minister to you. Below are part of the lyrics of the song "Beauty Will Rise."
It was the day the world went wrong
I screamed til my voice was gone
And watched through the tears as everything
came crashing down
Slowly panic turns to pain
As we awake to what remains
and sift through the ashes that are left behind
But buried deep beneath
All our broken dreams
we have this hope:
Out of these ashes... beauty will rise
and we will dance among the ruins
We will see Him with our own eyes
Out of these ashes... beauty will rise
For we know, joy is coming in the morning...
in the morning, beauty will rise
So take another breath for now,
and let the tears come washing down,
and if you can't believe I will believe
for you.
Cuz I have seen
the signs of spring!
Just watch and see:
Out of these ashes... beauty will rise
and we will dance among the ruins
We will see Him with our own eyes
Out of these ashes... beauty will rise
For we know, joy is coming in the morning...
in the morning...
I love and appreciate each one of you! Thank you for your continued prayers and for believing with me that "out of these ashes beauty will rise"!
I do anything I can. I will donate. Love you,
ReplyDeletesounds like the title to a soap opera.."out of these ashes..."
ReplyDeleteon another note...OH, NO! CDIFF! i feel for ya! i had a run in with it today...thankfully, i'm not the sufferer...only helping to clean it up. he was 83, 6'3" and ever so appreciative and sweet. it was an honor.
so, you have another hurdle to jump...may it soon be a distant memory. i guess you can take this time to eat all the foods that normally cause you gas and diarrhea, right?
stool transplant? hmm...do you get to pick you you get it from? maybe then it'd be ok? :)
another tip....lots of acidophillus!!!!!!!!
liquid acidophillus is really tasty and soothing. i think there is strawberry flavor. XOXO
oh, and the other patient was 5ft, 80lbs and 99yrs old. GOD BLESS HER! just so ya know, you are not alone.
ReplyDeleteI will donate. Of course your not to that point and you will be just fine once you endure this treatment but just remember that if you ever need a donation, I am here.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the song recommendation !!!!!!!
Stupid question but... how do you know you have parasites.... yikes... just getting back from Mexico.... maybe I have them.... do you feel affected right away????
Yep, C.D. is no fun. I found GasX helped a lot with the gas (use the chewable or the little paper that dissolves under the tongue - gelcaps may not get completely dissolved and could cause bigger problems).
ReplyDeleteAlso, I found alternating Lomotil and Imodium helped. You should see some results after about 3 days of that nasty Flagyl (hate that metallic taste but thank God for something that is effective against CD).
OMG is right about the acidophilus - after my run in I just started taking it or a OTC product called Probiotica EVERY day. Figured out the Probiotica angle from what we do with cattle - when they "get a little runny" we give them probiotics. A great plus is it increases their appetite. Figured it couldn't hurt and might help so I found the human equivalent.
Yogurt with live cultures can also help as it has lactobacillis (sp?) in it.
I know it's difficult to put off your treatment another week when you want to be done so badly. Trust the Lord as he is the Great Healer. Thank Him daily for the wisdom and care of docs and nurses - you are blessed with a great team.
Laura, you are a brave and diligent prayer warrior. Even though you are hurting and tired, you continue to let God's light shine through you every day. Hang in there.
Prayers and hugs for you,,,
Hi Laura,
ReplyDeleteMy name is Shannon John. You and the staff of COF prayed over me just a little over a year ago. The prayer was for God to heal my kidneys. Although that prayer was unanswered, I am blessed to be doing dialysis every night at home until I have a kidney transplant hopefully this summer. I too am a cancer survivor. I was diagnosed with ALL (Acute Lymphocitic Leukemia) in 2002 and did chemo until 2005 when I received a stem cell transplant from an anonymous donor. I relapsed in 2007 and during my treatment, I got sepsis. I was unresponsive to anyone or anything for 3 months in ICU. Luckily, the one chemo treatment I did receive put me in remission again. I had to go to rehab to learn to walk again. In February of 2008, I received a white cell boost(DLI) from the original donor. I have been in remission since June 2007. Now back to the kidney issue..all of the chemo and compromised immune system led to kidney failure and here I am today feeling amazing and praying for a kidney transplant this summer...from Nancy, the lady who has given me her stem cells and saved my life.
I have read your blog and for some reason, never felt compelled to respond. But when I read about your infection, I couldn't help but tell you my story and that I have been right where you are having the same feelings your having, same antibiotic, same low counts...etc.
Please know you are in our families prayers and it is because of COF that we know God and trust God. We are here with you on your journey to beat cancer because I KNOW it can be done.
Thanks for being such a great inspiration. I am lifting you up in prayer right now.