Take down....

This is the moment hubby is been waiting for. The take down .... reversal of his colon to where it should be. He almost did not have this appointment today. Dr. Marshall's scheduler coordinator forgot his time slot. He was scheduled as an add-on . I would have prefer for him to re-schedule on Friday but hubby is so persistent.

We arrived at UNC Hospital at 5:30 am today. He was wheeled in to O.R. around 7:45. Thank God he will be done early. The procedure is going to take from 3 to 5 hours. Hopefully everything is doing wonderfully.

Until this day, I cannot think how I survived of it all . Despite of what happen, we have a lot of bonding time and it really bring closeness . I cannot thank enough the God in heaven for protecting him that day. He will be good as "new person" when he gets out from surgery. All fix up!



Respectfully,

Update.....May 31, 2009

It's been awhile I have not updated everyone about hubby. He is doing wonderful and been a good boy following doctor's order. Walking twice a day and lifting baby weights twice a week.

His appetite is good and gain about 5 of 25 pounds he had lost. Everyday is never a dull moment. Isabel is not currently attending MSOS and she is home helping mommy taking care of her daddy.

Isabel has grown up a lot. She is proud to say she is now 50 lbs. It's funny.... she always had her figures mixed up. Doc Jerge ask how old she is and she said......." 50....." she meant lbs .. what????? we all have a good laugh.

He is really happy. It's finally almost time to say goodbye to ostomy bag.... reconnection time that is. We had just seen his doctors last Thursday . It is a good news! We are going back on June 3rd for CT Scan. Normal procedure to check if there is any infection left in the abdomen. July 17th is the survey . A colonoscopy procedure to look at how much he had healed internally. Hopefully everything is WELL and my decision to quit my job paid off. He is just like a brand new person!

It is been one long journey for us and the whole family. Praying to God this will be over soon .

He is looking forward to going back to work soon.....So it means it's almost time for me to go back to work , too!

Respectfully,

Home Finally 4-22-09

Yeah! we are home finally ( hope it's for good) . There is no better place like home. We finally have a good night sleep since our stayed in the hospital. We just have to get his blood check every other day to make sure INR is on the right therapeutic level . Today , INR is only 1.6 it means the blood is a little thicker. We are hoping it should go back to 2 thru 3.




Best Regards!

It was a tease! Another set back- blood clot

I was glad that we are home last April 15 but at the same time a little nervous . I left him in care of his uncle David and I went to town to get his prescription filled . My phone rings within 2 miles from home and he sound so distressed. Man! scared the heck out of me....
He thinks he had asthma attack. I then gave him Pro Air to help him breath easier. I look at him and he just look so sick. Cold hand, sweating and trying to catch the next breath. Few minutes pass by and he said he's feeling a little bit better. He doesn't sound convincing at all. So, I just observed him.

The following day, his sister Becky called the doctors in UNC to obtain a oxygen prescription. Nurse called back and we are told to go back to ER. That conversation ended so quickly. He does not want to sit in ER . So, I tried to call back again . Doctors Marshall quickly return my phone call and we got the same answer " go to the ER " His reason was " it might not be an asthma, it could be something else and that he needs to be seen by a doctor". I called his primary physician office and I was only given 1o minutes to take him in. Wewwww... I knew I couldn't make it but I took him anyway. At least we are there and they couldn't deny treatment.

It was probably a good wait until we are called in. The nurse was so helpful and took him immediately to the room. I answered the rest of the assessment. Dr. Tyler recognize me immediately. ( wow! that was almost 10 years ago ) I told him about hubby. In a few minutes he was in the room with us. Trying to diffuse the intensity of seriousness , he tried to be funny.
Took x-ray and vital signs. Oxygen saturation is only 87 at room air. That was way too low . He immediately told us to head to UNC ER .

After 8 hours of test and assessment. We are told he had a blood clot in his lung. The good news is it's away from the main artery. They immediately started him on large dose of heparin , anti-biotics and IV fluid. I was tired and sleepless . I couldn't believed I survived 19 days and it's not over yet. I have another 4 months to hurdle. Hopefully, it's getting easier day by day.

He is currently resting in bed at this time watching MASH while I am typing away this blog.


Respectfully yours,

Finally going home.....

He woke me up before seven . He look like he had really a good night sleep last night inspite of the pain from the 3rd JP drain site. It was place in a location where there is a lot of nerve endings and really hurt when he move around. He was on morphine last night every 2 hours and oral pain medicine every 4 hours. Victoria was our nurse last night and she is really awesome and caring . She make sure he is comfortable and brings the medicine on time. I applaud people who is in this kind of proffession.

The team of Trauma doctors ( Interns of course!) came in this morning right after I got out of bed. I was really speechless when Dr Kuri said we are going home today April 15, 2009 . Although, the white blood count is at 17 but there is really no reason why we can't go home. Hubby did not even show a slight protest that he is not comfortable yet of going home. Ok, but what about the pain? Hello? I couldn't process my question fast enough to ask the Dr's . I just stood there half awake and said " ok, thank you! " Damn! we can't get access to morphine ... Well he might just have to get used to oral meds.

It's 9:15 am and we are waiting for the 1st JP drain removal. Ouch! that sound aweee! but Dr. Kuri assured him it's a whole lot easier removing the tube than putting it in . At least it's a little comforting ....

We received a few cards from friends and family. Mr. Mann, Shawn and his Family and DA's office. Thank you guys for remembering him in time like this.

Jackson Pratt Drain Care 101

I have been referring so much of this term " JP or Jackson Pratt " in my blog. The following information should help me and my family care for him. He have 3 JP's. One in the middle ( for the incession) 2nd is in the left upper thigh and 3rd is on the upper right buttocks.


So , what is JP? or Jackson Pratt drain?

A Jackson Pratt drain, or JP drain, is used to remove fluids that build up in areas of your body. Unwanted fluid can collect in areas of infection, areas where surgery has been done, or in other body areas. The JP drain is made up of a thin rubber tube and a soft round squeeze bulb. One end of the rubber tube is placed in the area where body fluids may build up. The other end sticks out of your body through a small incision (cut), and is connected to the squeeze bulb.

How does a Jackson Pratt drain work?

The JP drain removes fluids by creating suction (pulling) in the tube. To produce suction, the bulb is pressed flat and is connected to the tube sticking out of your body. Suction is created as the bulb sucks in air from the tube going into your body. This pulls fluid out from the area where the drain was placed and into the rubber tubing. The fluid then travels through the tubing and into the bulb of the JP drain. As the JP drain bulb fills with fluid, it goes back to its round shape.

Why do I need a Jackson Pratt drain?

When fluid builds up in a body area, the area may not heal as fast as it should, or an infection may start. Too much fluid in a body area may also cause pain and swelling. Using a JP drain after surgery may help you heal faster and decrease your risk of getting an infection. The JP drain also helps clear away pus and may help infections heal faster. A JP drain may be used after surgery on your spine to check if spinal fluid is leaking, and collect it. JP drains may also be used after skin flap surgery and skin grafting.

When is a Jackson Pratt drain removed?

The amount of fluid that comes out of the surgery or wound area and into the JP drain will decrease as the area heals. In most cases, the drain will need to stay in place until less than 30 milliliters (about two tablespoons) of fluid are draining from it in a day. Your caregiver will keep track of how much fluid is draining into the JP drain, and he will tell you when the drain will be taken out. If you are caring for your JP drain at home, you will need to keep track of the amount of fluid that you are emptying from the drain.

What are the risks of having a Jackson Pratt drain?

If a JP drain is not taken care of correctly, it may allow germs to enter your body and cause an infection. If the drain is placed after certain types of surgery, you may get an infection if it stays in your body longer than it is needed. If you get an infection, you may have more pain and swelling, and your wound will heal more slowly, or it may not heal at all. The end of the tubing inside your body may get blocked with blood or other materials. If this happens, the bulb cannot correctly suction fluids. You may develop a fistula (unwanted tunnel), or the drain may make a hole in your intestine. If you have a drain after skin flap or skin graft surgery, the tissue may not heal.

How do I take care of the skin around my Jackson Pratt drain entry site?

Change bandages at the JP drain entry site every day to keep it clean and dry. Your caregiver will tell you if you need to do this more often. Collect the following items and place them where they can be reached easily:

• Two pairs of clean medical gloves.
  
• A clean container.
  
• 5 to 6 new cotton swabs.
  
• New gauze pads.
  
• Saline solution or soap and water.
  
• Plastic trash bag.
  
• Surgical tape.
  
• Waterproof pad or bath towel

Follow these steps to care for your skin around the JP drain entry site:

1. Wash your hands with soap and water. Dry your hands and put on clean gloves.
   
2. Loosen the tape and gently remove the old bandage. Throw the old bandage into a plastic trash bag.
   
3. Look for any new redness, swelling, or pus at the place where the drain enters your skin. Check for a foul (bad) smell coming from the area. Tell caregivers if you see any of these changes. Make sure the stitches that attach the JP drain to your skin are tight. Tell caregivers if they are loose or missing.
   
4. Place a waterproof pad or towel under the JP drain to soak up any spills.
   Pour a small amount of saline solution or clean water into a container. Dip a cotton swab in the solution once. Gently clean the skin around the drain, moving in circles. Start from the place where the drain enters your skin and clean outward in circles, moving away from the insertion site. Clean your skin 3 to 4 times, using a new swab each time.
   
5. Let the skin dry. Take your gloves off and put on a clean pair. When the area is dry, put a new bandage around the JP tube entry site. Use surgical tape to hold it down against your skin. Tape the tubing down to the bandages. Attach the bulb to your clothing using a safety pin.
   
6. Throw all used supplies in the trash bag along with your gloves. Wash your hands after you are finished.

When do I empty the Jackson Pratt drain?

For the first 24 hours (one day) after most types of surgery, there will often be drainage coming out of the wound. Check the drain at least every four hours. Empty it if it is half full of fluid. Do not let the drain fill up any more than half full. After one day, empty your JP drain when it fills up half way, or every 8 to 12 hours even if it is not half full. After the drain is emptied, the empty bulb needs to be squeezed. This is done to keep the suction of the JP drain strong enough to pull out more fluid.

How do I empty the Jackson Pratt drain?

• The following are general directions for emptying the JP drain bulb, and squeezing the bulb. Gather the following supplies, and place them where they can be easily reached:
  
• One pair of clean medical gloves.
  
• Clean measuring container.
  
• Cotton balls.
  
• Medical alcohol or alcohol swab.

Follow these steps to empty the JP drain:

• Wash your hands with soap and water. Dry your hands and put on clean gloves.
  
• Place a waterproof pad or towel under the JP drain to soak up any spills. Place the bulb lower than the wound to prevent fluid from going back into your body. Check the bulb for any holes or cracks.
  
• Remove the plug at one side of the bulb and pour the fluid into a measuring container. Do not touch the tip of the spout with the mouth of the collection cup or anything else. This keeps germs from getting inside the bulb and tubing. Clean the plug with a cotton ball dipped in alcohol, or an alcohol swab.
  
• Squeeze the bulb tightly while the plug is still off. Do not squeeze the bulb if the plug is in place. While the bulb is being squeezed, put the plug back to seal the bulb. If you cannot squeeze it and plug it at the same time, ask someone for help. You may also place the bulb on a hard surface, such as a table. Use your elbow or hand to press down hard on the bulb, and then stick the plug in it.
  
• Measure the amount of fluid that came out of the JP drain bulb. Write down the amount, color, and odor of the fluid, and the date and time that you collected it. Use a piece of paper, a notebook, or JP drainage chart to keep track of this information.
  
• Flush the fluid down the toilet. Throw all used supplies in the trash bag along with your gloves. Wash your hands after you are finished.
  

What can I do to prevent problems with my JP drain?

• Always keep the bulb lower than the wound. This will stop the fluid from going back into your body.
  
• Do not pull on the tubing. This can loosen the stitches holding the drain to your skin, causing the drain to fall out.
  

When should I call my caregiver? Call your caregiver if:

• The fluid removed by the JP drain is cloudy, yellow, or foul-smelling.
  
• You have more swelling or redness where the drain enters your skin.
  
• You feel more pain in the area of your drain.
  
• You see holes or cracks in the tubing or bulb of the drain, or the drain is leaking.
  
• When should I seek immediate help? Go to the nearest emergency room if:
  
• Liquid has suddenly stopped coming into the bulb of your JP drain.
  
• The JP drain starts filling up very quickly with bright red blood.
  
• The JP drain stitches come loose or break off.
  
• You have a fever (increased body temperature).

• Your bandages are soaked with blood.
  
• Your JP drain comes out.

source: http://www.drugs.com/cg/jackson-pratt-drain-care.html

Flower Girl

I love weddings. I even watch it a lot on TV from famous stars to Bridezella . This will be my 4th wedding that I will going to attend here in the US. It's so much different in US culture compared to Filipino tradition. A Filipino groom is mostly responsible for all financial aspect . At least that's how I had observed . Here in America , the brides parent is responsible for paying the reception . The most expensive part in a wedding.


Josh and his fiancee Elene are getting married in May. Josh is Isabel's first cousin . He is the son Becky and Don Trull. Becky is my husband's older sister.


Isabella is going to be one of the flower girl along with Kirsten. She is Isabel's 3 yeard old 2nd cousin. Yehahhh... I already bought a dress from http://www.cutieclothes.com/

So, I guess we are going shoe shopping when her Daddy felt better. For now, I will just look in the web.

( pictures: from cutieclothes.com)

Adding another JP - hubby's update

We woke up today with high hopes that we are heading home. But I guess not. He is been restless for staying in the hospital since last Thursday . It is better to stay here and they can take care of everything but on the other hand it is impossible to rest. So, we are both sleep drive specially him .

Doctors came in early with good and bad news . Their suspicion was correct. Based on the CT scan result, the first abscess shrunk but the second is not draining. So, he will have to undergo another 1 hours procedure where they can add another JP to drain the infection and it will be CT guided so they will not accidentally poked on anything important. ( cross my finger ! ) The good news, White blood cell count fall below and it means we will be out in here in a few days. There is also an infection in the incision but that can be taken care by oral anti-biotics ( I hope! ) We have been told since Saturday that we can go home but some things pop up that prevent doctors from sending us home. It's good in a way. I rather for them to take care of the infection rather than me panicking at home .


So, that's were we stand at this point. This coming Monday April 20th, I'm supposed to go back to work. I'm hoping I can really take a good rest . My kind of work is so demanding and entails attention to details. One wrong step is like a panic button ringing in every department.

I am currently waiting right now while blogging in Surgery waiting room. Someone will inform me if they are done. He went past 11:00 am and it is now 12:51 . Hopefully, everything is all right.

Definition of JP drain ( source: http://www.medterms.com/ )

JP drain: The original suction drain. The drain itself is inside the body. It is made of Teflon and has multiple drainage holes. The drain is connected to clear plastic tubing which is usually sutured to the skin at the point it leaves the skin. The tubing connects to a bulb reservoir. The bulb, when squeezed empty, applies constant suction to the drain and pulls the fluid out of the body. The drain is removed when the excess fluid has stopped draining from the body. A JP drain may be used, for example, for abdominal or thoracic drainage. JP stands for Jackson-Pratt.

Another snag....( hubby's update )

We were supposed to go home Saturday April 11, 2009. Doctor said that his white blood cell count is a little elevated . There might be an infection . Tomorrow , if it's still high they will have to do another CT scan to see what's going on in the Lumbar area. They had added another drain tube to collect the pus that was setting in the Lumbar region. Doctor said this was from the injury. They thought they had collected all of the toxic material. I guess, this is some microscopic toxic material left that was creating this problem.

I went home yesterday for about 3 hours. It helps my sanity to switch environment. Of course, I can walk to other places within the hospital but I choose to stay closer to him. He still have that stubborn streak trying to be man even in this situation like this. I think he still have a hard time trying to communicate what he truly felt in terms of pain ,breathing, and other issue. So, I have to talk to his nurse and tell them what I have observed.

When I came back yesterday, he said he went walking around the nurse station with the help of his uncle Dave and portable oxygen. He is still having a hard time breathing. We talk for a little bit and he told me with a sad face that he thinks we will not be able to come home tomorrow.

I said " how come? he replied , " I just have a feeling" I sensed a little sadness in him but I quickly try to changed topic. I don't want to borrow tomorrow's problem. I'll wait until we talk to the Doctors in the morning and find out.

All of the Nurse here are very caring and encouraging. We have Nurse Gail last night who was so encouraging about his situation that he got up yesterday around 9:00 pm and we walk again in the hallway and back. I knew it hurt but at the same time it will help him to keep the blood circulation going and build up his lung function. They slowly wane him off oxygen but at night when his oxygen saturation tends to fall below . It is really safe just to used it . The whole body needs oxygen to repair itself.

Today, April 12 2009 anxiously waiting for the Trauma doctors to come in and gave us good news I hope. But I guess, we hit another snag. I am still trying to be positive about it and he also understand that it is for his own benefit. They ruled out asthma and fluid in the lung area. Doc said that it sounds clear and no wheezing. They order another CT scan for him again to check for any possible blood clots in the lungs. If they find it , it's treatable. So, that's what we are now. Waiting around 3:00 pm for his CT scan. I am hoping doctors will find whatever is causing his shortness of breath.

I guess we know more by tomorrow and hoping it's positive. I thank everybody to the utmost bottom of my heart for their continued prayers and support.

p.s.. picture above is for fun only . what are you smoking honey?????

Life Changing moment: March 29

One fateful day March 29, my daughter Isabel wants to call her daddy. So, we call her dad and got a voicemail. He called back and said he can't really talk he is in a tree. OK, but try explaining that to a 5 year old. She was crying.... I really felt odd at that time and I don't know why. I guess little children have some kind of premonition. I am not even sure if this is the right word. So, I was trying to calmed her down and successfully diverted her attention in helping me making a bread. Mixed all the ingredients and proof it in the oven. Just as I about to do other chores, Lisa my sister in-law came in and said we have to hurry . Kirk have an accident and was taken by an ambulance to the hospital. What ???&%$$##$# the heck could happen? Panicked sets in. I don't do well in any emergency situation . All I can say is oh...my God! over and over again. I got dressed in one minute and brushed my teeth and off we go. I don't even care how I look . No make up or lipstick not even a lip gloss. Just lucky there was a comb in my purse.Off we go, drop Isabel in Ashley's care who was still in her pajamas and oh that wild bed hair. I was supposed to gave her a bath that morning but unfortunately things happen. Guess what happen to that bread proofing in the oven? Still proofing for the whole day until I remembered and called her sister to turn the oven off.

My husband and his brother was working in Lexington , NC which is about 2 hours from where we live. They were cutting trees to put a gravel path to start a construction for a new house for his other brother who currently reside in New Mexico and wants to move back to NC. Ride on the way to Wake Forest Baptist Hospital was rough. Lisa drove and I knew I couldn't drive. I was too nervous and I don't want to end up having an accident . I was quite on the way and I prayed to God to keep him alive. I don't want to raise Isabel without a Daddy . Of course it doesn't help all of this crazy scenarios running through my brain. I braced for the worst to come. It even scared the heck out of me when we got the call and inform us that he wasn't stable. I couldn't even remember what my reaction was but I guess I was shock. I didn't cry but I continued my prayers and ask God that this isn't the time to take him away from me. Our daughter is just 5 years old and we really needs him.

We we're lost several times and went to a wrong hospital. We finally reached Baptist hospital after 2 hours. He was lying in ER with a neck brace covered in white sheet. All of his clothing was cut. He open his eyes and look at me . Said he was sorry for what happen. I just want to cry that time but I stayed composed. I want to be strong for him .

Up to this point , I wasn't sure exactly what happen . All I knew is big boys toys like backhoe is dangerous . Imagined being hit with a blunt force . It got to hurt! God is still watching over him at that time. Some people who got hit with the same equipment is not so lucky enough to tell the story what happen . I just thank God that he was working with Quin at that time . He was able to free him from the machine and called 911 . He probably screamed on top of his lungs . helpppppppppppppppp!!!!!!!!!!!!!! . I was sooo thankful to First Responder who took him to the right Hospital that is capable of treating this kind of injury.

He stayed in ER for 2 days . Doctors are really worried about the inflammation in his stomach. At first, they thought he had broken pelvis. But said, nothing wrong with the pelvis but there are non-supporting bones in lumbar area that was broken. The muscle in his left thigh was really badly damage . Over the course of 12 hours, he cannot take anything by mouth. 5 kinds of doctors monitored him every 4 hours. Then, they let him have cleared liquid and finally he was given solid food towards the end of 48 hours. He was running a fever here and there mostly low grade but it progressed to 100 degree before we left the hospital. The nurse said that it is normal to have a fever due to a lot of inflammation in his abdomen and legs. With a good dose of morphine, we drove home. He really doesn't want to go home but the hospital is private and with doctors diagnoses insurance company will not pay anymore . So, therefore he was discharged.
Less than 48 hours, we brought him to UNC Chapel Hill hospital- ER. In less than 4 hours, we knew he needs surgery. My big question is, Why did the other doctors cannot find anything????!!!!
They assembled a team of surgeons and by 4 pm he was wheeled to operating room. We meet the surgeons and said that they didn't really knew where the leakage is but they are going to explore and find it. They will going to do the best they can.
The surgery took more than 2 hours. The surgeon came out with a good news. Surgery went smoothly and he was stable the whole entire time. He said there are 2 issues they found. A laceration in his stomach. The fat and muscle in the abdomen separated. Second, there is a hole in his colon and toxic waste was already free flowing .The hole in the colon was really difficult to find . A young petite trauma surgeon found it in the back near the vertebrae. For 6 to 8 weeks , he is going to wear a colostomy bag for his waste. When everything healed doctors can put it back to to normal .
He was place in ICU for close monitoring for 3 days after the surgery. They were really worried of infection. He was then moved to a regular room and I was able to stay at night. It was really painful looking at him in severe pain and there is nothing I can do. Severe cramping in the stomach due to gas that was trapped and stomach trying to work again after severe trauma. He was given all kind of pain medicine plus the push button morphine when needed . I wished there is something I can do to make him fell better. I wished there is a magic button somewhere to pushed to take away all the pain. **sighed**

Last night he felt a little better . I was able to sleep for a few hours as well. I am really really tired at this time. Red Bull and coffee became my best friend.
At this time, I am still in the hospital with him. Hopefully, he can go home in a few days and dramatically improve at home .

I am very thankful to God that he is watching over him. Also, very thankful to his Family, all his friends and colleague in Chatham County Sheriff's department who prayed for his fast recovery and continued support .

Isabella's early 5th birthday at Grandparents house

Isabel just turn 5 today. She had an early birthday celebration at her grandparent's house last weekend and there will be another one this weekend. It will just be a small celebration. My daughter like to blow a flame out. She would ask me or her grandma to light a candle and pretend it was her birthday. Much to my surprise , her grandma bought this frank birthday candles that will instantly re lit by itself.
The candle blowing was so magical. Isabella enjoyed it very much. Just as she put out the flames, it will come back again. By the time it was finished she was out of breath. It was funny! It thought she enjoyed it.

Be Koool- a must have for all mommies

It was just few weeks ago that Isabel's temperature soar to 103. I couldn't put a cool rug in her forehead as she moves constantly. So, I bought this BE KOOL in Walgreens and stick it to her forehead at night time to kept her temps down. It acts fast and she sleeps much better.

I recommend this to all mommies out there. It also comes in adult size.
It is now a must have in my house hold.

**image not mine***

Vitamix Blender

I have been wanting to buy this blender since I saw a live demonstration in one the Women's show held in Raleigh NC.
I was such in awe when the demonstrator made a sorbet that include vegetable as one of the ingredient. It tasted so good that I couldn't even tell there was a veggie in it. Hmmm...perfect time to slip some veggies for Isabel. She would not even know it.

Perfect machine for making pizza dough or to grind your coffee or other herbs. It also make soups.

Personally, I really like the blender. It had a lot of features that I am planning to get rid some of my other small appliances. Just to save some space in my counter and get rid of clutters and those annoying dangling cords.

I am almost done with my 2 week detox program. I can't wait to use this blender and enjoy fruit and veggies smoothie . Yumm!


==Picture above not mine==

Isabel is on school's website!

Isabel's pictures made it to the school's website at http://www.montessorischoolofsanford.org/
I am such a proud Mommy. She is been at this Montessori school since she was barely 3 years old. Although, the school is a little bit pricey but it is really worth all the pennies I paid.

Dr Ben Kim- Full Body Cleanse - DETOX

Below is taken from Dr. Ben's Kim website at http://drbenkim.com/

I really like reading his blog. There is a lot of information that I didn't know about from Beauty to Spirituality. I would like to share this to you. For someone out there who tried a lot of diet from A to Z and didn't achieve any result. On my previous blog I talk about the Whole Body Cleanse Herb made by Enzymatic Therapy. Probably, on my next detox plan, I might try this approach. It seems more natural using foods to rid of accumulated toxins.

Full Body Cleanse: The Basics

By Dr. Ben Kim

If you do a Google search for full body cleanse, your web browser will bring up more than 2 million Web sites that offer information on how to experience a full body cleanse. If cleansing and detoxifying for health purposes wasn't a mainstream topic before, it certainly is now with the recent launch of Oprah's 21-Day Cleanse.

Here are some of the most common questions that I receive on a weekly basis from people seeking guidance on how to cleanse and detoxify their bodies:

What's the best way to detoxify my body?

How do I prepare for a cleanse?

How do I return to my everyday routine after a cleanse?

Is it okay to detox while I take my meds?

How do I cleanse my liver?

If you're not quite sure what to make of the whole cleansing and detoxing craze, I hope that this three-part series on cleansing gives you a solid understanding of this important health topic.

What Exactly is Detoxification?

Detoxification refers to the process of eliminating toxins from your body.

There are two major types of toxins that your body accumulates over time:

Environmental Toxins: Sometimes called exogenous (made outside your body) toxins, environmental toxins include all the chemicals and pollutants that you're exposed to through air, water, and food.

Common environmental toxins include pesticides, herbicides, prescription and over-the-counter medications, carbon monoxide, triclosan, bisphenol A, phthalates, and volatile organic compounds.

Metabolic Toxins: Sometimes called endogenous (made inside your body) toxins, metabolic toxins are produced by each of your cells as they go about their everyday metabolic processes. Metabolic toxins can also be produced by microorganisms that act on incompletely digested food in your digestive tract.

It's normal for your cells to contain some toxins at all times. After all, your cells need to manufacture energy on an ongoing basis, and the manufacturing process results in waste (toxin) production.

Toxins only present a challenge to your health when they accumulate to a point where they interfere with cellular function - we call this state toxicosis.

The first effect of toxicosis is disruption of cellular function. If a group of cells experience significant toxicosis, specific health challenges develop, examples being thyroiditis, hepatitis, prostatitis, unexplained chronic fatigue, and problems with vision. If toxicosis persists, it's possible for the DNA in your cells to become damaged, which may lead to abnormal cellular growth of the affected cells.

While the majority of chronic health challenges are caused by more than one factor, I hope that it's clear that allowing your body to accumulate toxins over the long haul can result in you developing any one of the chronic diseases that are plaguing people in industrialized countries. To be clear, toxicosis can contribute to coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes mellitus, respiratory illness, kidney disease, liver dysfunction, autoimmune illness, hormonal imbalances, skin conditions, and most types of cancer.

Your Body is Constantly Detoxifying and Cleansing

The good news is that your body is designed to constantly gather up and remove toxins from your cells. Most of the toxins that are stirred up from your cells are broken down in your liver, and then eliminated from your body via your kidneys, colon, skin, lungs, and mucus linings in your nose and ears.

Put another way, every time that you urinate, defecate, exhale, cough, sneeze, and experience an inside-out reaction with your skin, your body eliminates toxins from your system.

If your exposure to toxins rises, your body increases its output through the eliminative channels mentioned above. If your eliminative mechanisms cannot keep up with the number of toxins that are coming in and being generated in your cells, in an effort to preserve your health, your body attempts to store some of the toxins in your fat tissues. Even if you are lean for your body type, your body can store toxins in fat tissues that can be found interspersed between your muscle fibers and surrounding your organs.

The bottom line is this: Your body is committed to eliminating harmful toxins from your system at all times. Toxins can become problematic to your health if you accumulate enough of them to experience cellular dysfunction.

Full Body Cleanse

I hope that it's clear that your body is experiencing a full body cleanse at all times. Put another way, your body is constantly at work to keep every cell in your body as healthy as possible.

Any effective full body cleanse or any other type of cleansing program that you go through should be designed to accelerate the detoxifying process that your body is already engaged in.

There's not a lot that you have to do to encourage your body to rid itself of toxins.

You can accelerate cleansing and detox by reducing the number of exogenous and endogenous toxins that you are exposed to, and by giving your body the rest that it needs to devote its resources to its cleansing and detoxifying mechanisms.

Put another way, to experience a truly effective period of intense cleansing, you don't need to give your body much by way of nutrients. Actually, all you need to give your body are physical and emotional rest, fresh air, water, and enough fuel to sustain your most basic metabolic processes. And as people who understand water fasting know, the fuel that you need for intense cleansing can actually come from reserves found in your liver, muscles, and fat.

But this isn't an article about water fasting. This is an article about how to experience accelerated full body cleansing while going about most of your everyday routine.

Before we get into a specific protocol for intense cleansing, let's address one final point: your body cleanses and detoxifies itself evenly. What I mean by this is that there's no way for your body to cleanse your kidneys first, and then your liver, and then your eyes, and so on and so forth. Your body detoxifies all of its cells at about the same pace.

This doesn't mean that every part of your body will feel healthier at the same pace, as each of your body parts has its own history and genetic predisposition. Let's say, for example, that you have a long history of acne. If you begin a period of intense cleansing, it may be days or weeks or months after your internal organs have become significantly cleaner and healthier when you observe improvement in the health of your skin. And if other factors are contributing to your acne (such as an imbalance in your endocrine system), you may need years of healthful living to experience lasting improvement in skin health and tone.

Please don't forget this fact: many chronic health challenges take years to develop, so it's unrealistic to expect such challenges to fully heal within months, even if you fully support your cleansing mechanisms.

This last point is one that you probably won't find on most of the more than 2 million Web sites that discuss how to experience a full body cleanse.

Although it may be disheartening to know, the truth is that lasting improvement in your health may take many months or years to manifest itself. You may feel better within days, but I hope that what you're really shooting for is to build a foundation of health that will serve you for decades.

Also, please remember that the positive effects of an intense period of cleansing will last only as long as your dietary and lifestyle choices support your health after your cleanse. Your body is working its tail off to detoxify itself as you are reading these words, and it will continue to do so during an intense cleanse, and after an intense cleanse. Full body cleansing never stops - it is always happening at the pace that your daily choices allow. If you want to experience your best health, your job is to support your body's self-cleansing mechanisms every day.

How to Experience an Intense, Full Body Cleanse

As mentioned earlier, here are the most basic requirements for an intense, fully body cleanse:

1. Expose yourself to as much fresh air as possible.

2. Get as much physical and emotional rest as possible.

3. Stay hydrated with water-rich foods and liquids.

4. Minimize your exposure to exogenous and endogenous toxins

Full Body Cleanse: Diet

By Dr. Ben Kim on June 02, 2008

• Natural Health Solutions

During an intense, full body cleanse, the goal with your diet is simple: it's to minimize the workload on your digestive organs while supplying your body with enough energy to carry out its everyday activities. Cleansing is performed primarily by your body's self-regulated cleansing mechanisms, not by the nutrients in the foods that you eat.

Vegetables, fruits, and their juices are excellent food choices for an intense, full body cleanse for the following reasons:

1. For most people, vegetables and fruits are extremely easy to digest.

2. Vegetables and fruits are naturally rich in water; staying hydrated is an essential requirement for an intense, full body cleanse.

For the vast majority of people, grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, and all cooked animal foods are harder to digest than vegetables and fruits. So for an intense period of cleansing, it's best to avoid everything but vegetables, fruits, their juices, and water.

How to Prepare for an Intense, Full Body Cleanse

Before beginning, it's ideal to take a week or at least a few days to taper your intake of the following:

• Coffee
• Alcohol
• Salt
• Sugar and other sweeteners
• All animal foods, including dairy, eggs, fish, shellfish, chicken, beef, pork, and all other flesh meats

These foods put significant strain on your digestive organs, and avoiding them "cold turkey" can sometimes create withdrawal symptoms that are too powerful for some people to tolerate.

It's fine to eat grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds right up until the day before you begin your intense period of detox - these foods are rich in fiber, and their remains should move through your digestive tract without too much difficulty during your intense cleanse.

If you don't wish to spend up to a week to taper your intake of the foods listed above, it's fine to begin right away; just be aware that you may experience highly uncomfortable symptoms of withdrawal, like strong headaches, lightheadedness, and nausea.

Other than tapering the foods-to-avoid during your cleanse, all that remains during the preparatory phase is to make sure that your kitchen is well stocked with vegetables and fruits that you enjoy.

Here is a list of vegetables and fruits that can be used for a highly effective cleanse:

• Dark green, leafy lettuce (romaine, red leaf, green leaf)
• Avocados
• Tomatoes
• Cucumbers
• Celery
• Carrots
• Red beets (one or two will last a week)
• Zucchini
• Bell peppers
• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Cabbage
• Asparagus
• Onions
• Corn
• Yukon gold or new potatoes
• Sweet potatoes or yams
• Acorn or butternut squash
• Watermelon
• Honeydew
• Cantaloupe
• Pears
• Apples
• Bananas
• Mangoes
• Papaya
• Peaches
• Plums
• Nectarines
• Grapes
• Coconut
• Oranges and grapefruit
• Blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, goji berries, and any other berries that you enjoy
• Any other fruits or vegetables that you enjoy raw or juiced

Clearly, it's best to choose fruits and vegetables that are in season. Organic varieties are best, but my experience has been that non-organic produce can also be used to experience an intense period of detox.

Regarding liquids: Have on hand plenty of water that you feel comfortable drinking. When weighed against all of the moment-to-moment dietary and lifestyle factors that affect your health, so long as your water isn't intentionally poisoned, even municipal tap water can be used to experience a highly effective cleanse.

It's fine to drink warm or hot water.

It's also fine to use sparkling mineral water as you desire, although you should mainly drink "still" water during your cleanse.

Regarding medications: Please do not taper or stop taking prescription medications without your physician's consent.

Regarding nutritional supplements: Avoid any supplements that contain synthetic nutrients, protein isolates, grains, nuts, seeds, or lecithin. It's fine to take whole food supplements that contain nothing but vegetables and/or fruits. It's also fine to take a probiotic as long as it doesn't have added protein, grains, nuts, seeds, or lecithin.

Regarding equipment: If you can chew your foods well, you don't need much by way of equipment. If you have access to a strong blender and a juicer, you can make smoothies and juices during your intense cleanse, but these aren't absolutely necessary.

The Full Body Cleanse Diet

Morning

Eat any raw, ripe fruits that you desire, along with any combination of lettuce, celery, and avocado, if desired.

If you have trouble staying full on just raw fruits and vegetables, be sure to have avocado with your fruit, as the healthy fatty acids found in avocado should help you stay satisfied until your next meal.

If you'd like, you can blend up your morning meal into a smoothie.

You can also have water, sparkling water, or a hot drink made with boiling water and peppermint or chamomile tea.

Afternoon

Eat a large vegetable salad with as many different vegetables as possible. If you would like a salad dressing, use extra-virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, fresh orange juice, fresh lime juice or any combination of extra-virgin olive oil and citrus juice. Try to avoid vinegar, honey, salt, and spices.

If you have trouble feeling full, again, try to include an avocado with your salad.

If you don't think you can make it to dinner on a raw vegetable salad with avocado, have a steamed Yukon gold potato, new potato, or sweet potato after your salad.

Feel free to have water, sparkling water, or peppermint or chamomile tea after your lunch meal. Also feel free to have any fresh, ripe fruits that you desire after your vegetable salad.

Evening

Eat any combination of raw vegetables and fruits that you desire, but aim to have at least as many vegetables as fruits.

If you're still hungry after eating raw vegetables and fruits, have any steamed vegetables that you enjoy, such as steamed broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, corn, and asparagus.

If you're still hungry after eating steamed vegetables, feel free to have steamed root vegetables, such as steamed potatoes, sweet potatoes and carrots.

Have as much water, sparkling water, or peppermint or chamomile tea that you desire.

Snacks

Any raw fruits, vegetables, their juices, and smoothies made with raw fruits and vegetables are fine snack choices. For a dip to eat with raw vegetables, have guacamole made with avocado, red onion, and lemon or lime juice.

Full Body Cleanse :Sample Menu

Morning

Big bowl of watermelon with a large handful of romaine lettuce leaves and 1/4 to 1/2 of an avocado.

Afternoon

A large vegetable salad made with leafy lettuce, cucumber slices, tomato slices, shredded carrots, shredded red beets, sliced red onions, shredded zucchini, 1/2 to 1 whole avocado, 1/2 a sweet bell pepper, and raw corn kernels.

Optional: Dressing made by mixing one part extra-virgin olive oil and one part orange juice.

Evening

Small bowl of romaine lettuce, celery sticks, mango, and blueberries.

Steamed cabbage, broccoli, and 1/2 to 1 whole raw avocado.

Snack

Smoothie made with banana, blueberries, mango, and water.

Full Body Cleanse Schedule

A nice feature of this full body cleanse is that you can follow it for however many days you desire and/or your schedule allows.

Initially, you may want to try it over the weekend, beginning on Friday evening, and ending on Monday afternoon.

Many people find that seven full days is quite manageable, and produces noticeable changes in energy level and sense of well-being. The first while can be tough for some people who experience severe symptoms of withdrawal, but for the majority of people who experience such symptoms, things start to look up after a few days.

If you like how this program of eating makes you feel, it's fine to continue with it for as long as you feel strong and healthy.

When you're ready to add other foods back into your diet, it's best to proceed slowly. On the first day of "breaking" your cleanse, you should follow the same diet, but add one additional food to your afternoon or evening meal, like hummus made with chickpeas.

On day 2, you can have two servings of protein-dense foods, say a serving of eggs with lunch and a serving of fish for dinner.

As you break into a long-term pattern of eating, the goal should be to keep the full body cleanse diet as the foundation of your diet, and to add small servings of healthy, protein-dense foods (grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, and animal foods) to your meals as your appetite dictates.

How to Use Fresh Juices During Your Full Body Cleanse

After a day or two of getting right into the full body cleanse diet, it's fine to try a day or two of having nothing but fresh juices.

Because juices are mostly devoid of fiber, they put even less burden on your digestive organs than the whole foods that they come from. Less digestive burden translates to more energy being available for your self-regulated cleansing mechanisms.

Here are some guidelines for juicing days:

1. Have as many freshly pressed juices as you desire.

2. Stick mainly with green juices that are made with a foundation of dark green, leafy lettuce and celery. Use only small amounts of sweet root vegetables like carrots and red beets.

3. If you want to have some freshly pressed fruit juice, mix it 50/50 with a non-sweet vegetable juice.

Here's an example of what a juicing day might look like:

Juice #1

6 leaves romaine lettuce
2 ribs celery
2 carrots

Juice #2

6 leaves green leafy lettuce
2 oranges

Juice #3

6 leaves romaine lettuce juice
2 leaves green cabbage
2 carrots

Juice #4

Big handful of kale or Swiss chard
2 ribs celery
2 apples

Juice #5

2 tomatoes
2 carrots
3 ribs celery
Squeeze of lemon juice

After your juicing day(s), go back to the full body cleanse diet described above for at least a day before adding protein-dense foods to your diet.

An alternative to doing full juicing days is to substitute one of your regular meals with a freshly pressed vegetable juice.

Full Body Cleanse: Lifestyle

By Dr. Ben Kim on June 01, 2008

• Natural Health Solutions

During and after an intense, full body cleanse, you can expect to feel refreshed, like your body has become younger and lighter. To experience the greatest possible benefits during your intense cleanse, it's important that you minimize your exposure to endogenous and exogenous toxins.

Minimizing your exposure to endogenous toxins is relatively simple - you just need to follow the full body cleanse diet, chew your foods well, and do your best not to overeat. This combination of actions will minimize production of toxins in your digestive tract and within your cells.

What follows is a list of suggestions on how to minimize your exposure to exogenous toxins:

1. Minimize use of cosmetics - it's best to use none at all during an intense cleansing period. It's most important to avoid use of cosmetics around your mouth to prevent accidental ingestion of chemicals found in many cosmetic products.

2. Minimize use of moisturizer and chapstick / lip balm. If you must use something on your skin and lips, consider using a small amount of coconut oil.

3. Try not to use deodorants, antiperspirants, or perfumes/colognes.

4. Use the smallest amount of shampoo possible, and if your life circumstances permit, use a brand made with natural ingredients - there are plenty of such brands at most department stores these days.

Here are some additional suggestions on how to conserve energy and allow your body to devote the bulk of its resources to cleansing and detoxification:

1. Minimize use of soap - warm or hot water is sufficient for cleaning.

2. In looking to get as much physical rest as possible, don't neglect resting your eyes. Even while awake, you can enhance physical rest by closing your eyes for a minute or more at a time.

3. As your circumstances permit, take a break from activities that tend to promote emotional distress. For example, taking a week-long break from watching the evening news, or even taking a two-day break from surfing the internet and checking your e-mail may give your nervous system much needed rest.

4. Get plenty of fresh air. Your lungs are constantly expelling carbon dioxide into the air around you, and your cleansing mechanisms are best served by a steady stream of fresh, oxygen-rich air. If you live in a relatively unpolluted environment, sleep with your window cracked open.

5. Get sunlight exposure on your skin without getting burned, but be careful not to get so much sun that you become exhausted - about 15 minutes of direct sunlight exposure each day while at rest is optimal for many people; this doesn't include exposure while going about your daily activities.

6. Engage in light stretching, walking, and even mild sports activities, but don't participate in strenuous exercise during your intense cleanse. The goal is to keep your body moving and your blood circulation strong, but to conserve as much energy as possible for your cleansing mechanisms.

Clearly, the suggestions provided above can be beneficial to your health after you complete an intense period of cleansing. As you experience the intense, full body cleanse described in this series of articles, perhaps you can make it a goal to adopt some or many of these dietary and lifestyle suggestions into your everyday routine for the long term.

If you're serious about using an intense period of detoxification to greatly improve your health, I encourage you to try this program with a close friend or family member. Having a partner to experience this with can make a huge difference in your commitment level, and in the results that you obtain.

Please notice that this program doesn't call for fancy and expensive foods or equipment. It mainly calls for fresh vegetables and fruits, water, and adherence to some basic principles that promote good digestion and physical and emotional rest - it really is that simple.

My own Battle of the Bulge! I declare war!

Yes ...I had declared war against my bulges! My daughter is turning 5 years old in 2 days and I cannot used her anymore as my alibi that I am still holding on to these baby fats! I don't felt sexy anymore. ....HELP! I really need a lot of intervention.

I have tried a lot of diets advertise on TV or magazine . From Atkins ,low fat to rice diets. I lost some and gain all of it back plus some more.

For a start , I am going to used a detox herb I bought at http://www.enzymatictherapy.com/

called Whole Body Cleanse. It is a whole body cleansing system. Two weeks program that will provide comprehensive cleaning on your gastrointestinal track, liver, lymph and blood . I am currently on day 8th and I really like the gentle cleansing . It does not contain harsh stimulants laxative that can give you a discomfort like Senna and other strong herbs. It includes fibers, too. I ate normal foods limiting on sugars and white refine foods. Less on process meats and red meat. Every morning, I usually have the urge to unload all the accumulated junk in my system. I felt refresh! I felt my energy surge is way up and I really felt lighter. I can't wait finishing my detox. Hopefully, it will help me jump start weight loss.

Part 2 series of my detox experience will be coming soon...

Changes is inevitable....

Yes, changes cannot be avoided. In a few months.... there will be a lot of changes for me and my family. But I will be posting more of this in a coming months. Right now, I am " crossing my fingers" . Don't want to jinx my self.



I am so ready to take this next adventure. I am hoping these will be for the best!

The BodyGuard

I called him the "bodyguard" . Zake is been around before Isabella. He is infact our first baby adopted from SPCA of Wake County Raleigh NC in 1999. When I saw him, I immediately know he is mine. Zake is probably more than a year old when we got him . My calculation if I am correct he is probably about 12 years old .Come to think of it, if he is a real human being, I should have a teenager by now. But I guess in dog years, he is really old.

He is really very protective and yet gentle with Isabella. Whatever she does I have not heard of him complaining. Even when she pulls his tail. He just look at me with a pleading look to help him . He is always around when my daughter is playing outside and always check out someone first before even letting that person near Isabel. Even my in-laws. He always gets in the middle.

He is also a neighborhood watch dog. He doesn't like to stay home when no one is around . So he goes to hang out in Dave porch . He knows every car that goes in and out in the neighborhood . To a potential thief, he looks so intimidating and huge. But he is really gentle from the inside.

Lastly, he is also my walking buddy. He loves to accompany me when I do my walking routine .I guess he thinks he also needs to lost weight , huh? LOL...

Down with Pneumonia

Every year I made sure that my daughter gets her influenza shots but I wished there was another vaccine to prevent little people from catching cold and coughs. She was sicked since December. She gets better and turn around catch another germs and get sick again. We have been a regular visitors to the Peds clinic .Doctor confirmed Isabella had Pneumonia. There is infections on both lungs. She is currently on strong meds . Albuterol vials every 2 hours for the last 2 days, steroids pill and antibiotic. It is really hard for young children to get sick that sometimes, I wished it was me and not her. She lost appetite and of course she's down a little weight .

So, I made a decision to pull her out off school temporarily for a whole month. I know she is missing a lot of her friends but hopefully she is going to build her immunity this time. I am loving it ....staying at home with my daughter doing a lot of stuff. I think she is enjoying mommy's company , too! It doesn't happen very often.

Today the weather is very nice. Sunshine and cool breeze. We went walking outside all the way to the mail box. We visited Angel and Bingo ( the horses ) along the way . They kinda did not pay attention to us . Maybe because we did not bring any apples and carrot for them to munch on. Zake and Racoon ( the dogs ) joined us walking . Then we stop by at the pond and enjoyed just throwing rocks in the water. Oh boy! I felt like a little kid again.

We had so much fun today and she really felt better. Less coughing ! thank God.