Let’s Talk Poo 10 (Day 3, Infusion 3)
Day 3 and things continue to go well. Ashley held her infusion yesterday for a whopping 22 hours! She didn’t ever feel the need to evacuate and, in fact, had to try and force it this morning as Lee was preparing her next infusion.
I’ve definitely noticed a shift in Ashley’s attitude. When we began this process, she complained about having to miss school, about having to be home resting all the time, and generally just made it known that she wasn’t happy about this, but she’d tolerate it. After a few days of these infusions she has a whole new outlook. She’s now described her time out of school and stuck at home as a “Spring Break”. She’s digging out old hobbies she hasn’t worked on for a while and finding things to occupy herself. She’s even having friends over to watch movies and keep her company. Her disposition, in general, is just happier. She’s mentioned several times that she feels happier. I find it very interesting, as I’ve come across research about UC and depression and how it may all be gut related. I think I’m a believer!
Today’s infusion happened at about 11am. There was enough donation material today for 2 thick infusions and 1 thin cleansing enema, although Ashley said the thick infusions weren’t as thick as the one yesterday. She believes that’s why it was harder to retain. Based on information from others who’ve done FMT under a doctor’s guidance, she is now lying on her left side for 10 minutes, standing on her head for 2-3 minutes, on her back for 10 minutes and then on her right side for 10 minutes. Her backside is elevated at all points of this process.
Lee and I had another appointment, but I felt much better about leaving this time since Ashley has been feeling so well. When we arrived home at 1pm, she informed us that today’s infusion was much harder to hold. She only managed to hold it for about 2 hours despite lying down.
I suspect it’s harder to hold these infusions as your bowels fill with food. It’s too bad it’s not possible to keep the bowels empty. I could be totally off base though. This was the first short hold and I wasn’t here to be sure that she really was resting. We’ll see how tomorrow goes. Either way, I feel like we’re off to a great start!
COSTS TO DATE:
| Note: We are self-insured with a high deductible policy ($2500). Your out of pocket costs could vary based on your insurance coverage, doctors and testing facilities as well as the region you live in. |
| Item | Actual Cost | Amount Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Doctor’s visit | $145.00 | $0 (insurance covered) |
| Blood and Urine Tests | $1019.50 | $331.24 (after insurance discounts) |
| Stool Testing | $454.71 | $454.71 (no insurance discounts) |
| Supplies | $94.16 | $94.16 |
| Follow up Doctor’s Visit | $145.00 | $0 (insurance covered) |
| Enema bottles, heating pad, Probioplex | $97.16 | $97.16 |
| More Enema bottles, hospital pads, gloves | $49.68 | $49.68 |
| Totals: | $1860.21 | $1026.95 |
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