Introduction

* DISCLAIMER: This blog is not for the squeamish. Poop will be discussed and all issues surrounding it. You don't like it or have a weak stomach, as someone for a synopsis. *

Deciding to go to the International Biocare Hospital in Tijuana, Mexico was not easy. Dealing with low motility has been a 10-year process. This problem started at birth. We've been to major hospitals, had some really good doctors (and some pretty bad ones, too), tried all kinds of medicine, changed up John's diet (gluten-free and dairy/casein free, no sugar, no added colors, etc.), tried a pooping schedule, reward charts (How guilty I feel now thinking back then it was his fault. This is an example of a bad doctor.), structured life schedule, prayer, yelling, punishment and most recently (in the last few years) remedies, homeopathics, natural interventions, diet again...It goes on and on. Over time, it just became part of our lives. I mean, really, I don't think anyone in the Happel household has any dinner time decorum any longer - we talk about all kinds of bathroom issues: How often, how much, color, etc. If it has to do with poop, we discuss it! We even have photos!! Well, don't get all judgemental on me. We have to show the docs what's coming out. It's not like the photos are framed and up on the fireplace or something (yes, for you grammar-freaks, that is plural).
So, it has become part of us in more than the usual way. Lately, the last few weeks, have been horrible for everyone, especially John. He has not had a good poop (I'm not going to define "good." Use your imagination...) since the Monday before Thanksgiving. Yes, you read that right. Yes, I have my dates right. The Monday before Thanksgiving. Let me check my calendar...uh-huh...that would be...November 24th. We're going on 21 days. Twenty-one days. Are words like "toxic," "pain," "bloating," " no hunger," etc. coming to mind? Yeah, it's all there. To top it all off, he's had six enemas. One baby one, five big ones. And still pretty much nothing. Mostly brown water. Ugh! Are you feeling the pain yet? This has been his life forever. The doctor and I have been on the phone too many times. It's bad when the receptionist recognizes your voice.
So. How did we come to find out about IBCH? Through a co-worker where I teach. She and her late husband went to this hospital to get treated for cancer. IBCH treats mostly cancer patients. Their therapies are tested and used mostly on those kinds of patients. This is NOT John. He has a condition. They know people that have gone there. Everyone has had extremely positive results. Now it's John's turn. To be honest, I'd been thinking about bringing John to this facility for over a year now. But, it's out of the country, maybe I can get the naturopath to do something different, I'll do more research, find more answers, talk to more people...yeah. While that worked for the short term, it was going to fix whatever problem John has. We need something more, we need something long term. He needs to be healed. We're going to Mexico. Tijuana. Sounds crazy, but when it's your baby, you'll do anything.