Flatus

I came across this passage while studying today. I thought it very funny and descriptive. I realize that not everyone will agree with me, but I still wanted to share. I hope that you can at least get a chuckle from this...

From The Merck Manual, 16th edition:

Flatulence: Among those who are flatulent, the quantity and frequency of gas passage shows great variability. As with bowel frequency, persons who complain of flatulence often have a misconception of what is normal. In a study of 8 normal men aged 25 to 35 yr, the average number of gas passages was 13 ± 4 in one day with an upper limit of 21/day, which overlapped with many persons who complained of excess flatus. On the other hand, one study noted a person who expelled gas as often as 141 times daily, including 70 passages in one 4-hour period. Hence, objectively recording flatus frequency should be the first step in evaluating a complaint of excessive flatulence.

This symptom, which can cause great psychosocial distress, is unofficially described according to its salient characteristics:
· The "slider" (crowded elevator type), which is released slowly and noiselessly, sometimes with devastating effect;
· The open sphincter, or "pooh" type, which is said to be of higher temperature and more aromatic;
· The staccato or drumbeat type, pleasantly passed in privacy; and
· The "bark" type (described in a personal communication), characterized by a sharp exclamatory eruption that effectively interrupts (and often concludes) conversation. Aromaticity is not a prominent feature.

Rarely, this usually distressing symptom has been turned to advantage, as with a Frenchman referred to as "Le Petomane," who became affluent as an effluent performer who played tunes with the gas from his rectum on the Moulin Rouge stage. Despite the flammable nature of flatal H2 and CH4, no hazard is likely to those working near open flames, and youngsters have even been known to make a game of expelling gas over a match flame. However, gas explosion, rarely with fatal outcome, has been reported during jejunal and colonic surgery, and even during proctosigmoidoscopic procedures, where diathermy was used.

This last week Tuesday, March 10 was my mom's birthday. It was a sad day...I wish that I had been able to be home with my dad and sister to celebrate her life and her birthday and to mourn her loss. I cried more on Tuesday than I had in quite a while. That same day I got a couple of emails from our Swiss relative. One of these included an older photo that I wanted to share. This photo shows, in the back row (the big people, left to right), Dad's Swiss second cousin Ursula, Dad, Dad's Swiss second cousin Margrit, Mom, and Aunt Ginnie. In the front row (the little people) are Teresa and my cousins Ali and Dusty.

I hope this posting finds you all well. I am doing OK as I remember Mom frequently this week and as I miss Stacy (she is in Germany with her mom and friend Julia for the wedding of her friend Ryan...hopefully she will bring some pictures we can share).

God Bless,

KON

A New Post ... At last!

It has been over 2 months since our last post. I had planned to update our blog a month or so ago, but realized I only had pictures of Emma, so I waited it out a little longer. Now, I realize that my pictures still are mostly of Emma. We have been busy, mostly working and enjoying the time we have off together.
I found Emma showing off her buck teeth in her kennel one night and could not stop laughing.
Here is Kon holding the baby Judah in a carrier, while we enjoy dinner. Below, Emma is giving kisses to Judah. She really likes him!
Emma got a haircut in anticipation of my mother visiting this month. The cube she is sitting on is from Teresa's work in Bozeman. The multi-functional cubes have been a hit in our house, acting as an ottoman, seat, and end table!
We had a special visit from Dustin, Shannon, and Caedmon last week. Here's a picture of the whole group at the Mall of America where we spent a couple of hours catching up.

Last, we had the pleasure of dog sitting a sophisticated Dachshund named Lucy last week for one of my colleagues. Look at how she sits up in the chair. So fun! Emma enjoyed having some doggy company too.
Kon is working hard this month on the Labor and Delivery floor, delivering babies. I have a lighter month and a week of vacation coming up too! Hope all is well! Love, Stacy