JWFeeII

I'm sorry if I don't belong here, or if I angered some of you. I just wanted some insight, and THANK YOU, I think I got it. I never gave any thought to the fact that my straining might cause me to pass out. That IS a piece of the puzzle that was lacking. To explain further, yes I was a fall risk, for more reasons than one. I am diligent about NOT moving without staff present. I had also gotten permission from both the Doctor on staff and the PT department to use the toilet for BMs. In reply to the harassment comment: I surely WOULD NOT call it that. They were doing their job and I better understand why now. Yes, it was more than one nurse, more than once, but again, I GET IT NOW. And as for laxatives, stool softeners, and enemas. I have to take some responsibility for the fact that its just NOT that simple. I have a neurological condition that renders my abdominal muscles all but useless in the act of defecation. I can't bear down. I manage the situation quite well on my own at home by using my elbows, jammed into my lower abdomen, to facilitate bowel evacuation. When that fails I use a warm water enema with enough volume to literally flush out my lower colon. Unfortunately this information was not in my records and no one seemed willing to believe it or seek it out. I was given laxatives, stool softeners, and enemas (Fleets) all of which fail to solve the problem. Thus I was left with the intense need to strain, fortunately SOME of my nurses were willing to manually disimpact me. I assure you all that next time (and I'm expecting to have the other hip replaced soon) I will be more considerate of my nurses' dilemma and there need for more information. Thank you for your help!!

I do not wish to complain I have found most nurses the most kind, sensitive, caring, people I have ever known. I want to know if I'm being overly sensitive or if my nurses (this time) were a bit out of line? I was in a rehab hospital for a hip replacement. Getting from bed to commode to toilet was an issue, but once there I had grab bars and felt myself quite safe. I assured the nurses that I would obey the rules and not get up on my own. I was extremely constipated and wanted some time and privacy to force a bowel movement. Time and again I had to specifically ask that the nurses leave and close the door. Often I was popped in on and asked how I was making out. Quite frankly the interruptions stopped the process in its tracks, I had to ask the nurse to leave, to close the door and begin my efforts all over again. Am I being an overly sensitive prude or did I deserve a little more consideration?