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Writer's picturePaula F. Hill

What comes after "D?"


No, this isn't about the letter "E."

it's about The Big “Diarrhea” and being overly sensitive story...

A day after Blowout “D” Food Poisoning hit I thought a LOT about people who have to eat rice day in and day out.

The next day, after cantering to the bathroom for the eighth time in half an hour, I whined a little bit (OKAY, a lot!) to the neighbor.

Day Four I seriously considered wearing Depends to leave the house. (If only I could get to the store in time.)

Feeling weary of paying attention to my gurgling stomach, dizzy if I get up too fast, longing for stick-to-my-ribs food, and a full eight ounce glass of water. My intestines ache and no one really wants to hear about it.

How can I best take advantage of this “down" time?

  • I live-streamed an event I thought I didn’t have time for.

  • Made batches of oatmeal and rice while I felt well enough to stand.

  • Read a chapter of Acts of Faith without sitting on the toilet.

  • Cleaned out my junk drawer in the kitchen.

  • Pet the dog and each cat individually.

  • Contemplated my navel.

  • Wrote seven blog posts (87% of which contained the word "painful.”)

  • Called a bunch of people whom I hadn’t connected with for awhile.

  • Tried not to moan loudly.

  • Deleted messages from my cell phone and emails.

  • Refilled the toilet paper basket.

Whenever I gathered the courage to leave the house, I kept a mental note of my feelings, insights, awareness of my reactions and behavior.

*I’m exceedingly badly behaved when I feel crappy.

*Couldn’t muster a smile for anyone.

*Detachment from the surroundings and sunshine loomed.

*I didn’t really care where I was going or what I had to do.

I think about people whom I believed to be crabby, rude, lonely, depressed, sad, distant - could be they are in pain. Like me now.

It’s possible those Crab Apples are coping with suffering every day of their lives.

No wonder they’re detached, alone, grim.

I can’t wait for the day I feel good again, can laugh like I mean it, and look forward to eating solid foods.

"BE MORE COMPASSIONATE" reads the new bright yellow Post It on my dash.

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