Dances with DS

WARNING:  contains writing of a poop/rectal related nature - do not read if such things appall you.

(And try not to plump for malabsorptive WLS either if that is the case.) 

The bane of travelling in company is that I am anxious as anything about sharing confined spaces, co-living area’s and especially shared bathrooms with friends. I only just bring myself to stay with family members on account of it.  Now, 7 years after surgery I am trying to face all my insecurities about this. It’s a hard one and recently even spending the night with friends in Kitzbuhel had me reduced to nervous wreck status.  It’s the explaining about the pong factor that haunts me and the fact that on my DS journey I have had some awful experiences in public toilets with people slanging out vomiting noises and abusive statements (while I sat miserably on the loo waiting for them to depart!). Happily the smell is vile enough that no one lingers for long so the abusive slangs are only seconds worth!  I did discover after those episodes a fantastic spray odour remover which helps me hugely but still I sweat this stuff.  There are times I have forgotten to travel with spray & had to face the public loo without my safety blanket.  In any event - the long and short of it is that with the stress my gut seizes from all the tension, I bloat & go all gastric. I hardly sleep and beg my bowels to move before any household members wake up.  I open windows, spray heavily, courtesy flush…go through a whole palaver.

To avoid all that, my preference is to stay in a nearby hotel rather than in homes. But the drawback is that it has an impact on Pete who loves to socialise and be with people.  It also is a bit cr*p to always dip out of generous heartfelt offers to stay with people one cares for.  The overnight stay in Kitzbuhel was as it was, fine.  But I did faff and panic over the bowel stuff and I had a rough night on account of myself.

Now there is an invitation to travel trans-Africa for 14 days through game parks in November with friends. Windhoek & Botswana mostly. It’s chock full of great adventures, close encounters with game animals, bungee jumping, white river rafting, copter ride over the zambezi falls, even walking with lions - yikes, not sure about that one!

Pete’s face lit up at the thought.  But the first thing I thought of was the public loo’s en route. Second thing - the wind.  When I mentioned this to him his face kind of fell & I felt so bad because I know I impede his life in this way and tbh it is not fair. So I have to do something - right?

Now I don’t get huge volumes of wind as I used to in my first years with la DS, but everyone let’s off and the prob is a DS let off is wayyyyy more potent. There is no blaming the dog I am afraid.  It also lingers enough to make one paranoid. I know some DSers who  swear even though they ran from the scene the evil smell followed them!!!

In my own home or space my family & I are unbothered.  I use the spray & everyone knows to give it a few secs (with spray) or  a few mins (without spray) before using the bathroom after me.   I don’t want any pre-ops to think it is totally unbearable (as I once feared) - generally it is not. Infact 99% of the time it’s no issue. But the other 1% becomes a 100% issue for me when sharing room/bathroom with friends or strangers. It can be a tough one.

Anyhoo,  I also realllly want to do this trip. It’s so fantastic and full of wonderful sights.  It is rough - travelling by a kitted truck with around 10 others, camping in the bush… using public loo’s or shitting in the bush. 

I am making a plan of attack now to combat the smellies.  An internal regimen and several spray/loo bowl options.

For the wind - I shall be experimenting over the next week with a homemade mix comprised of bentonite clay, devrom, chlorophyll. Another possibility includes using acidophilus, chlorophyl and lactase together which I believe might be a very good wind reducer.

The spray I have works very effectively for taking care of ‘outside’ odours, but I shall try to maximise it & adapt it to a scent that I would prefer. I’m thinking a tiny hand spray to use inconspiciously in company, that does not reek of tell tale lav citrus might be a good plan. I doubt I will use it as I long ago developed the bum muscle to hold in any gas factor which is hectically uncomfy but can be done. I just want to play it safe.

I am also going to try to find an ‘in bowl’ pong destroyer.  I’d love to find something like this  as I often fret about the use of chemical sprays in small confined spaces and the inhalation of them.  So far we haven’t had much choice but to resort to them, but it can’t be good for one’s health longerterm.

Talk about going it from every angle.

I know it looks like major effort & it is, but I am hoping I can pare down some of these approaches into a slick little pong prevention routine!

Once I have this sorted I am never ever again going to feel anxious about this issue. No more excuses not to broaden the scope of my social life!  That’s a promise to myself! 

Over and above that I’ll need to get flagyl. This will probably mean a long arm twisting episode with my GP no doubt. Sigh. I’m looking forward to asking for it like a hole in the head!

In the past (just hoping that has changed) my GP’s  don’t seem believe in prevention, but if I’m out in the bush in Africa it’s not like there will be a pharmacy to hand. There will be a doc (friend of friends) on the journey & maybe he will come equipped but I can’t count on that!   It’s always risky for me when I travel to countries where hygiene standards are not top brass.  I don’t fancy a bout of the trots on a bus!!!  I must also order enough protein shooters to ensure I don’t fall short and sort out the vitamin needs.

Lot’s of experimenting to follow so if the smell factor concerns you sometimes watch this space!