Gut Check
Donald Trump’s election win wreaked havoc on my digestive system. I’m better now, but for six weeks, all my backed-up bowels could produce were sporadic streams of fecal matter. (Gross, yes, but unlike my old neighbor, who called her kid’s diarrhea “the Hershey squirts” I refuse to sugarcoat it).
Anyway, I became genuinely curious about my appalling state of internal affairs. I discovered that, according to an article by Drs. Chang, El-Zaatari, and Kao from the National Library of Medicine: Stress can increase intestinal permeability and thus bowel dysfunction.
In short, the prospect Trump’s second term gave me what is known as PARADOXICAL DIARRHEA.
Over the past month I have managed to maintain regularity by listening to music instead of NPR. But after Trump’s press conference yesterday, with his unhinged ramblings about military takeovers and personal grievances, my gut tells me the shitshow’s just getting started, and it’s going to be brutal.
Poor Elijah! I feel his anxiety, and you have so much angst to carry, as a young mom in the present moment. His points- first two, so valid, and the third, so devastating! I might just proactively put myself on the BRAT diet for the next four years...
My biggest fear. And clever turn of scatological phrase, dear sister!