BAD DAY TODAY

I had hoped that my first non-introductory postings to this blog would be ones briefly going over the last 20 months and explaining in some sort of chronological order what had been going on in our lives since hubby first started getting his "headaches". Today is such a bad day though that I need to write about it and get it out of my system.
My poor darling has not had his bowels open for nearly TWO weeks now! It is starting to affect him very badly. He is finding it even more difficult eating and drinking and is choking all the time. His appetite levels have dropped so much; the steroids he is on are prone to increase his appetite usually. He is bringing up lots of clear mucus which I think could be digestive juices and at times is groaning with stomach pains. I feel so helpless. It is impossible to sit him on a commode; he would not be able to sit upright on him and besides there is no way to get him ON one. I try to explain to him that he has "special padding" (incontinence pants) on and that its ok to to DO it while he is sitting in his bed but it is so difficult for him and I'm sure he is trying to hold it in; especially when there are visitors around. I know I wouldnt be able to "do" it sitting on a bed or in a chair. Also the fact that it is so difficult for him to swallow and get liquids down is not helping. I have done everything I can to give him foods like prunes to help him. We have Movicol powder which I mix with liquid; this helps to soften the feaces but, because of the difficulty in swallowing and the stomach pains it gives him, this makes him choke even more. I am sure a lot of the liquid goes down the wrong way and am sure that some of it will be in his lungs! It is heartbreaking to sit and watch him suffering.