friends

After my bike ride yesterday I wasn't feeling well and took a nap. I woke up a little before some old friends arrived to visit overnight. We went out to the beach and then had a big lobster dinner. We took a walk to the lighthouse before we were ready for icecream for dessert. So I had a nice birthday.

My friends and I and the four kids went out to the beach today; John didn't go because he didn't like being splashed riding in our small motorboat yesterday and it was even windier today. When we got back John called for help. He was in the bathroom with severe constipation. He thought he needed to go to the emergency room but I remembered someone in the email group saying that they took their husband to the emergency room and were sent home with a bottle of magnesium citrate. So I went out and bought a bottle for John and we will see if that works before we head for the urgent care center or the emergency room. He's very uncomfortable. This is the second time this has happened to him (the first time he went to our urgent care center and the doctor helped him) and both times it has come on suddenly rather than developing over three or four days.

When he had problems after surgery we got some real help from a pharmacist in working out a routine of fiber, stool softeners, and Miralax. He may need to take the Miralax more regularly--he has only been taking it when he thought he needed it.

The husband of the couple who were visiting is a medical researcher (MRI) and so they weren't freaked by John's problems. My friend says he does see cognitive changes in John, and also sees how John is depending on me more. It was nice to get that validation.