Through the Travels (Irritable Bowel Syndrome - IBS)

I would have enjoyed my travel tremendously if I do not have Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). There were times I shared with people my struggle with IBS. I received mixed responses. Some prayed, gave advice and others gave plum and charcoal pills. But through the years and much prayer and without healing I will make do and treat it as a thorn in the flesh.

In the initial years, I traveled long distance through Thailand using their ever reliable rail, bus and air. My concern was with the bus. It may have a toilet but most of the time it was not serviceable. I can imagine being trapped in the bus and needing the toilet and the bus stopped every 2 hours. I tried not to use a bus in Vietnam as they have no toilet. The train and plane was never a problem. I have a pack of Dettol wet-wipes to sanitise the toilet seat.

The earliest medicines I carried with me were Po Chai Yin (Chinese herbs in granules) and later Lomotil and Imodium. Then came the Bifidus in sachet and Charcoal pills. These are good after the fact so it is of no use when IBS struck. Later I took preventive measures, I kept certain food out of my diet during travels. It's mostly the spicy and dairy stuffs.

The other discipline was not eat breakfast especially if I knew I will not be near to a toilet or in places where the toilet was expect to be dirty or in the bush. Breakfast irritates the bowels. I missed those breakfast moments while staying in the 5-star hotel. No food will enter into my stomach until lunch. This way I will usually do not require the toilet until the next day. I really envy those who can 'blah' into the bowl once in the morning and be done with. Then they can chow all the breakfast they want without any bowel irritation.

I do missed the great food in Thailand, India, Bangladesh and Indonesia. I try to keep the spicy food and coconut milk intake to the minimum. It is not that I want to take but for lack of options. Even stir-fried vegetables Cantonese style have chili flakes in them. There is no avoiding. So it will take 3-5 days to build in a critical mass. Herein I can predict somewhat when it will come and will make plans for it.

So have I been caught needing to use the toilet while on the road? Yes enough times to tell some good tales. Those who want to read on, do so at your own risk.

I was once in Prey Veng in Southeast Cambodia and close to the Vietnamese border teaching a group of Church Planters with my local counterpart. We finished after 3 days and were ready to leave but was asked to stay as they want to serve us a local fruit. It was like a Kiwi or a Sapodilla, smaller and with skin that was a bit shriveled. Our host broke it open and served it to us. The taste was bad and I swallowed it not wanting to offend the host.

Just 20 minutes of driving, I have these wave of abdominal cramps. I asked for the pick-up to stop so that I can relieved myself. But the road back to Phnom Penh was bad. It was not long after the Vietnamese invasion and the road was intentionally left in very bad condition and both left and right of with without vegetation. I still have to do it. And lo and behold out of the trough of the land came 2 ladies walking their cows home. One of the basic courtesies in these 'bush' countries is for them to move away and used a less direct route.

Any accidents after 20 years of travelling? With careful discipline of food intake, charcoal pills and the grace of God, it is enough. No accidents. PTL.