Yes, we shall all celebrate any tiny bit of achievement by Wendy.
This morning, she woke up and ate breakfast. Not much, but she ate….and after breakfast, guess what?
She poo-ed! Well-formed poo!! Goodness knows how long that has not happened. We noticed some urine two days ago too.
Here’s the poo-evidence for all to see….
Come on, Wendy. Defy the odds…get well soon.
Bit by bit…we’ll get there.
We’ll be getting her her floating bed today, and we’ll see what else Wendy wants to show us then.
What incredible endurance and mental strength…
I would gladly kneel and bow to this amazing lady for her tenacity and for giving us the opportunity to learn something valuable about life and living.
Today, my mum will pass some Crystal Enzyme that Sean and Tara are taking, for Wendy. And Lydia is making some special super-delicious and super-nutritious broth for Wendy for her lunch. Yen Ling has offered to help buy any materials that Wendy may need. So far, there isn’t anything, but we’ll let her know when there is. Yen Ling suggested a lint roller to help slough off her hardened fur, but we’ll just KIV that first.
Thank you, everyone.
Comments
5 responses to “Poo, glorious poo! (Wendy’s updates)”
Dearest KY, Wendy urgently needs a memory foam mattress to prevent bed sores. Just get a 2-3 inch topper will do. We do have manufacturers in Malaysia and they exhibited them at Matrade Home Furniture Expo not too long ago.
Read this at http://www.prism.gatech.edu/~gth747a/memoryfoam.html:
MEMORY FOAM AND BEDSORES
Memory foam, or viscoelastic foam, made famous by Tempur-Pedic ® was first designed by NASA for use in the space shuttle program. First created created to protect astronauts from the powerful g-forces experienced at take off, memory foam's ability to distribute pressure over a wide surface area kept astronauts from being injured as they went shooting into space. Strangely enough, though it was created by NASA, the first generation of memory foam had early design flaws that prevented it from ever actually being used in the space program. It was only later that Tempur Pedic ® reformulated the material and used it to make beds.
There were several design flaws in the early formula that were later corrected by companies like Sleep Aid and Tempur Pedic ®. For one thing, early formulations of the stuff tended to "off-gas" considerably. Off-gassing is when foam or other materials release volatile chemicals as part of a chemical breakdown. In most environments, off-gassing is relatively harmless, but in a tightly controlled environment like the space shuttle, this release of gasses can be dangerous. Though it was soon abandoned for use in space, memory foam was remarketed by Tempurpedic ® and quickly found a home in the medical industry for the treatment and prevention of decubitus ulcers, also called BEDSORES.
Decubitus ulcers occur because of a lack of air and blood circulation created by pressure points. Because bedridden people are often unable to move on their own, this type of bedsore has long been a dangerous risk for those who are immobilized with injury or illness. Memory foam mattresses like those sold by Tempurpedic ® were designed partially to solve this problem. When we lie down, certain parts of our bodies, like hips and shoulders, always support more weight than other parts.
These pressure points do not get proper blood circulation or airflow, and if the patient is not moved periodically, this pressure can cause what is essentially the suffocation and death of the very top layer of skin in these areas. If left untreated though, these sores can cause massive tissue death, even extending to the bone in some cases. Memory foam mattress toppers and beds like those sold by Sleep Aid and Tempur Pedic ® reduce pressure points by spreading pressure out over a wider surface area.
This reduces the chance that the user will develop decubitus ulcers, and also helps to increase the comfort of those who must remain in bed for prolonged periods. Tempur Pedic ® then realized that if memory foam beds were so comfortable for bedridden patients, they would be a great sleep surface for healthy people too, and the rest is history.
Yes, KY, get a memory foam topper to line the cage for Wendy. From
http://www.abed.com/sleepcenter/memory_foam_alleviates_bedsores.asp:
Memory Foam Can Help Prevent & Eliminate Bedsores
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People who spend a great deal of time confined to a bed may see improvement or prevention of pressure-related health problems when resting on a memory foam mattress.
Bed sores are sores which appear on the bodies of people who spend a lot of time confined to bed. Bed sore problems occur to one in ten bed-ridden patients in hospitals, and they especially affect the elderly. The sores form at points where the patient's body presses against the surface of the bed, and causes pressure. The pressure cuts off the blood supply to the skin along the spine, lower back, shoulder blades, elbows and heels and injures the skin cells, if not killing them altogether. Bedsores can be extensive, extending through the skin and exposing muscle or bone. When this happens, infections and even death can occur.
Patients who are immobilized are most likely to develop bedsores. Common problems preventing activity include: severe arthritis, lengthy surgery recovery, extended treatment in an intensive care unit, or incapacitating neurological problems that reduce the patient's ability to feel the pain or discomfort (stroke, spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis).
People with circulatory problems (caused by atherosclerosis, long-term diabetes or localized edema, for example), are at greater risk for bedsores because of a reduced blood flow in their skin. Persons with anemia are also at risk, because their blood doesn't carry high levels of oxygen to the skin.
Even people who have limited activity due to mild arthritis, pregnancy, or moderate injury recovery can benefit from a memory foam mattress.
Visco-elastic, or memory foam, can improve or prevent pressure-related health problems. The foam cushions the body by responding to both temperature AND pressure.
Though intended to relieve the strain of G-forces when blasting off into space, memory foam is now widely used in bedding products. In the medical industry, memory foam has been used to effectively reduce and prevent bedsore injuries.
Memory foam is comfortable, breathable, hypoallergenic, dust-mite free, and reduces pressure points. Even for individuals with no serious health problems, memory foam can be extremely beneficial for overall health and well-being. Why? The pressure-relieving characteristics can ease suffering from back and neck or joint pain, sciatica, muscle ache, sports or work injuries, and fibromyalgia.
The hypo-allergenic properties help ease allergies and headaches. The comfort of pressure-reduction can reduce tossing and turning to help alleviate stress and insomnia.
Once bedsores cause damage to the skin and tissues under it, they could become infected or cause advanced damage to muscle and bone if not properly treated.
When a bedsore develops, it's important not to continue to sit or lie on it. Hospital-grade egg-crate foam and memory foam mattress toppers help to take the pressure off the wounded area.
They also work well in providing support that reduces or eliminates pressure to certain parts of the body.
Egg-crate foam toppers are traditionally used in hospitals, especially for post-surgical patients. The shape of the mattress topper promotes air flow and reduces pressure points, thus preventing and healing of bedsores.
Memory-foam mattress toppers, also used in hospital bedding, are designed to reduce bedsores by distributing the weight of the patient. This eliminates pressure on any one area of the body. Memory-foam mattresses are also breathable, encouraging air circulation.
Gel mattress toppers use soft cell foam and liquid gel to reduce body weight on pressure points susceptible to bedsores. Consider a gel mattress topper for an individual with long-term immobility.
Gel mattress toppers foster air circulation and prevent heat build up. This is important because bedsores can also form from moisture caused by perspiration when the patient is unable to move freely.
Mattress toppers are included in the category of support surfaces that can prevent bedsores.
However, only mattress toppers that are designed for pressure redistribution are effective in the healing and prevention of bedsores.
Among them are air, gel and foam mattress toppers certified to heal and prevent all stages or severity of bedsores.
Wahhhh!!! Such nice poo, Wendy darling! Well, well done! Love you, sweetheart!