The saga.

One day I won't be talking about Miranda's poop. But today is not the day.

As you may or may not know things went from bad to worse around here a couple months ago. Shortly after we saw the behavioralist, she completed freaked out. Massive screaming and crying every time she had to go poop. Holding it in for 5 days at a time. Refusing to even sit on the toilet. It was bad. Since we were trying to ignore her (as instructed by psych doctor), we felt like we were torturing her as she stood there trying to hold in her poop screaming and crying and shaking. Just horrible. I posted on Berkeley Parents Network about it and got a few responses from moms who have gone through similar things. One suggested she might have an anal fissure. So before we left for Hawaii, I emailed her doctor asking about it. I didn't get a chance to actually talk to her until we got back. She said, no, no possibility of that, but she did talk to her shrink sister who suggested that she just be made to sit on the toilet with no talking of poops 5 minutes twice a day. I told her we had done this before and it doesn't work but that we would try again.

So I told Miranda that I talked to her doctor and her doctor wanted her to sit on the toilet twice a day for 5 minutes each time. She seemed to think this was ok. (She has some respect for figures of authority like doctors or dentists.) So the first day she sat for 5 minutes. Nothing. Later in the day, another five minutes. I left her alone and when I came back she was standing up with her pants down looking scared. I helped her sit against her will and it came out. We made her a little chart and she proudly marked off that she sat and pooped.

Second day, two times on the toilet. Nothing. (Incidentally, we went to the doctor this day for Parker but I was sure to talk about the poop with her so Miranda could here it. Miranda again was proud to tell the doctor.)

Third day, two times on the toilet. Second time, poop. Some hesitation, but nothing major.

Fourth day, two times on the toilet. Second time, poop. No tears. No problems.

Fifth day, she walks in on her own and poops. No crying. No nothing.

We've been down this successful road before only to end up back in crying screaming land. That being said, we are very, very hopeful.

It is also very interesting how much happier she is when she isn't trying to hold in poop. She has been perfectly delightful lately, saying silly things and dancing and singing all over the place. One of the moms that wrote me back about their kid said a similar change was seen in her son when he finally started to go.

Anyway, maybe this will be my last post about poop. And maybe not.