As many of you already know, in January of 1993, a spaghetti-like adhesion strangled a loop of my small intestines called the ileum. Close to death, emergency surgery resected almost three inches of the gangrenous bowel. Recovering from surgery became the easy part. Unfortunately, a few days after being released from the hospital, I was rushed back with an extremely high fever, again close to death, and the diagnosis was peritonitis, pancreatitis and damage to many other organs. My gangrenous bowel had perforated and I was truly lucky and grateful to be alive. Had the PICC line, now used everywhere, not become available in our hospital that very month, I would not have survived…my veins were unable to withstand the virulent antibiotics necessary to combat the serious infections attacking my organs.
I tell you this because there is something to be learned from everything, positive and negative. My body was in fight mode each and every minute of the day and night. I couldn’t sleep until obtaining the PICC line because I monitored the infiltration of the meds and the standard iv lines blowing my veins. This survival instinct came from somewhere, but I can’t explain it, even today. I watched the faces of everyone who entered the room, and was determined to learn everything I could about returning to good health. My amazing colo-rectal surgeon, who saved my life three times, told me to add probiotics to my daily intake of vitamins. While on antibiotics, he ordered extra cups of yogurt, and twice the dose of probiotics recommended for daily intake.
Our grandson was staying with us recently and he awakened with strep throat. I opened my jar of probiotics and gave him enough to take back to college. I hope he learns that maintaining the flora and fauna of the stomach and intestines is so important and key to dealing with the deleterious effects of antibiotics as they kill off all bacteria…good and bad.
Hoping everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and enjoy the holiday season. Please remember, especially during this time of year when we are all close together, to consider taking probiotics along with your vitamins to keep your gut as healthy and balanced as possible.
Is there a brand name.? Where cab they be purchased?
Thank you Ellyn. 💕
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Thank God you are alive. I do not take probiotics, but I have a yogurt a day,
I’m not as young as you are but work for me. Take care.
I so agree with you Ellyn! I eat a cup of plain yogurt every day, and it has saved my stomach, especially after antibiotics. The pills are an easier way to take them everyday.
what brand do you recommend and where does one get them……thanx….j
I recently got back from Bogota, Colombia, where I had a real challenge eating healthy. Yogurt I have not yet been able to acquire a taste for; what probiotics do you take daily?
In case we don’t communicate before the end of the year, please have a FUNtastic and happy and healthy holiday season!!!