Have you ever heard of gut rest? Me neither before yesterday.
Lesson time!!!
Gut rest is when you let your guts (ready?) rest. As in, you don’t put them to work at all in an effort to let them heal.
So. Its starvation a la hospital.
😂 I’m totally kidding. It actually makes sense.
For example, if someone hypothetically came to the hospital with an angry gastro thing, and all they ever did was poop or barf immediately upon eating or drinking, their guts might need a rest so they stopped being SO irritated by everything and anything entering them. Makes sense, right?
However, to the person who has to practice gut rest, especially a hypothetical young person who does not understand it, it feels like a mean game.
Thankfully, gut rest does serve a purpose. While an IV fills the person with everything they need in terms of nutrients, their tummy gets a chance to heal. And it works! Ever so slowly, a person might introduce something mundane like two tablespoons of unflavored pedialyte, which the kid may or may not demolish and bawl for more. And it may feel worse. But do not despair, because that alone will settle that poor aching empty belly so beautifully. Sleep will come again.
Hard lesson learned ✅
Thank you, gut rest, for doing the heavy lifting for us yesterday. Your work does not go unnoticed. This afternoon, as our special someone dozed off into a long anticipated milk coma, we were incredibly grateful.
Thank you, Brady, for staying back in the morning to get the kids to school.
Thank you, Cher, for watching the other babies today.
Thank you, mom, for having the older kids to your place after school.
Thank you, Jen for arranging a meal train SO fast, and Myrna, for supper tonight.
Thank you to everyone who checked in, followed up, sent a message, or said a prayer.
Thank you, Lord, for providing us with YOUR strength, as ours would be a flimsy mess long ago already. You are the ONLY way. To anywhere. For anything. That is not lost on us 💜
Alright, friends. Its time. Baby needs milk and bed. And I’m ready for my little can of pringles and some true crime!
*****
AAAHHH! My paper towel dispenser just went off all by itself! You know what that means!!!
