I'll text her now. So far, at the doc's office, he blood pressure is fine. Feisty old women are a real pain when it comes to health care! I'm worried.

So glad the OP is ok! Couldn't help but think of this thread today. My mom just drove herself to the doc's office with chest pain, arm and jaw pain, and shortness of breath. I begged her to call 911. She's at the doc's office now (not the hospital). Something MedicMom said above has me worried my mom should be at the hospital instead of getting an EKG at the doc's. She was on her way to visit us, but hasnt gotten out of her town yet. :( Oy. Life feels like a soap opera sometimes.

In this category: For years, I planned to give my best friend a dog training manual for her wedding gift. Because when I got married she gave me a Sympathy card. :lol: But in the end, the guy she married was just too cool to call a dog. :)

Oh no. What a pain!

This. I did that once, too, and vowed that it will never happen again. We have 20+ years worth of Lego collections. Our eldest was a Legophile, as is 9 yr old DS. When DS wants to sort again, he is free to do so. Otherwise, they go in wide, shallow under bed bins, and in Ikea Trofast bins, plus a few large, deep bins stored in the garage (my call, because we simply. have. too. many). He occasionally puts minifigure pieces into a special container, or sorts some by color. Other than that, no more sorting here.

You can do this. Make sure they show you how at the pharmacy, or someplace. Deep breaths. I did daily shots for a few years. You have my sympathy. It gets easier to do, with practice. Wish I had more practical advice!

Thanks so much, each of you, for taking the time to share your experiences and thoughts - and the research on this. Wow. Posting this has made me feel much less freakish for considering this option. Thanks! You are awesome. And thanks for the private messages, too, I'll respond to each of you asap. :) I feel like I can go to my next doc appt (in 6 weeks, assuming I make it that long on my latest treatment, crossing fingers) and have some real, in depth discussion about this. You've helped me get past the ick factor. Funny ... DH's bday was last night, and we had some friends over. I gritted my teeth and made it through dinner with them (isn't it amazing what you can do despite feeling crummy??). As we sat there, one of the friends was talking about how he just can't gain weight, and if he skips a meal he loses a few pounds almost immediately. He is very athletic. No kidding, I was listening to him and privately evaluating the state of his GI health!!! (Oh, and needless to say - DH cooked, I didn't go near the kitchen during food prep. There's a perk, right?) Honestly, I think I'd prefer to go with one of our kids as a donor, but I will ask the doc about all those options. Whew. Thanks. :grouphug: Really glad I didn't wimp out and skip posting. You're all great.

Visitor Drill. That's a keeper. I can see that becoming a new family phrase! Nothing like unexpected guests to get the house clean in a jiffy!

That's a thought. I hadn't considered it. Both were formula fed, as BF was not an option for us. But maybe it would still be better than adult options? Thanks! I will ask the doc about this, too.

So glad I posted about this. Hearing of all the positives is helpful. As is hearing that many of you would be able to consider asking for someone to donate, or be receptive to someone asking. It's helping me get past the ick factor. Thank you. HoppyTheToad, my doc referenced something similar - that a transplant from an obese person would tend to contribute to weight gain in the recipient and vice versa if the donor was on the thinner side. Of course, I've totally mangled trying to paraphrase her, and you all are doing a much better job of articulating what she said to me! ...I'm glad your dad's issue resolved without resorting to a transplant, though! ETA: she also mentioned that a donor who is pre-Diabetic might possibly pass that along as well.

It's a good idea, but ... No, unfortunately - it hasn't been completely effective. Our family spends a small monthly fortune on probiotics and other supplements. All the very best quality we can find per our doc's very knowledgeable advice. (I am quite the expensive one.) Even on everything, which did seem to help for quite some time, I find myself back in this boat. :(

No, but I think you just nailed it. He is also her patient, so she has a fair idea of his health history even without looking at his chart. She knows him well. It's possible that she doesn't need to test him to know that his, ahem, product isn't going to be the right fit. Jean, the cross contamination in families issue makes sense, too. Thanks, all of you. I feel like I can have this conversation with DH now, without him feeling rejected. Whew. Now I have to figure out if I'm going to ask a relative, who it will be, and how to ask.

That's a good idea, and I'll ask about that when I see her next - which is soon. I'm sure there are specific requirements, I think that her comment was along the lines of "let's start by looking at someone thin and athletic" and go from there. She may have said the word "healthy" in place of athletic. I'm actually not sure, I was on the table for that part, not taking notes, and it's all a little fuzzy - I'm paraphrasing her. She did state her reasoning, which was along the lines of what you said. Oy. Maybe asking her to look for a donor is good? I honestly don't feel like I know anyone (other than DH) with whom I'm ready to take this plunge!

That is hysterical!!! There's a good plan - I can discuss it in front of DS to embarrass him. :)

I think it's on the very new end. My doc has done a few of these (I found out last week), but she tends to be on the newish edge of medical treatments. It was too "new" for me a few years ago, but now that there seems to be some indication it might be more mainstream, I'm feeling more open. Or maybe it's just that I feel crummy enough now. Sorry, can't get the multiquote function to work!

:lol: His 'product' This made me feel much better about talking to DH, thank you.

I read that, too! Or some recent article (it was online), and that's what pushed me over the edge to thinking I'd do it... So I brought it up with the doc last week. She's mentioned it before, but I've brushed it off each time. The first time I heard about it, from another C Diff patient who'd had it done, a few years ago... all I could think was, "Ick. Ummmm, no." But now with recent articles and the current trouble... It's looking more appealing, you know?

First - not kidding, this might be way too much info for some, so please don't read further if you have a weak stomach. Second - I may delete this, as it's pretty personal, so please don't quote me directly. Thanks. :) I have had a problem with recurring C Diff, among other nasty GI bugs. It has been several years now, and I've been on a ton of treatments, seen by multiple docs (yes, many different GI docs have had a hand in the treatment), and even GI docs across the country have been consulted. At times, I have genuinely feared for my life. It's been bad. :( So ... here we are again. After a long stint with no issues, thanks (I think) in part to a strict regimen of supplements to keep everything in balance, I've had a rough summer/fall of problems. The issues are increasing, and we suspect C Diff again (testing in progress, but there's a particular, ummmm, symptom that makes us fairly sure). I am up and walking around, but sick. I'm going back on a hefty GI antibiotic, but am worried - as the last time I was on this one I started to develop a sensitivity. They are loading me up with antihistamines so I can take it, and at the first sign of sensitivity, I'll stop. (We do have epipens on hand.) This is not a good antibiotic to not tolerate, especially for me, with this history. I don't have many options here. This can't continue. I am at the end of my rope. Now for the major TMI and ick factor: We have read and reread about the option of a transplant. The initial ick factor has now disappeared (when one goes through enough, desperation kicks in). Yes, I am talking about a fecal transplant. I know, I know... DH has volunteered for years. He is awesome. :) It's taken me this long to get to the point of entertaining the idea. So, I saw the doc last week, and discussed it. She is all for the transplant, and has suggested it before. But she does not think DH is a good candidate. :( She wants me to find a candidate who is more athletic, and who doesn't have the same health issues as DH. I don't know how to tell DH. I don't want to. Beyond that, I don't exactly feel comfortable asking just anyone to do this for me. Ummm... Hi, so and so, can I have a sample of your poop? Ick! I can't do it. It's too intimate. And I don't want to make DH feel ... I don't know ... not good enough? I just feel stuck. How do I talk to DH about this? Do I push to use a transplant from him? Ugh. Help? Thoughts? (Can't believe I'm posting this, definitely going to delete some later!)

Joanne :grouphug:

It's been a few years since we've had a teen, but we did a lot outside, too. Our deck/patio area just lends itself to going outside. The kids would drift in and out, but mostly stayed out. We did not have a firepit, but considered one. The houses that had them were a big draw for the kids. In very cold times the kids migrated between the kitchen and the basement (basement is finished, a sound studio is down there so they would play music and make weird recordings).

Awesome!!!! Go Joanne!

I have an aunt, uncle and cousins who have the magical, easy, charmed lives. There is never drama, never illness beyond a cold or the flu, nothing unplanned. It all just flows. They work hard, and things just fall into place - nothing ever seems to derail the hard work.

Thinking of you, Joanne, and sending healing, warm thoughts.

Not on the list for Mother of the Year either. Once, when I had been less than, a-hem, perfect, DS told me accusingly that I wasn't as nice as the mom in the Little Bear books, and I don't bake as many treats either. Oooookkkaaaaaayyyy. Well then. He told me. :) An apology, and maybe that ice cream sound like a good plan.

Thank you for the update. Thinking of Joanne and beaming healing thoughts her way.