You know your patient's constipated when...

You know your patient's constipated when...
Their abdominal pain is trumping their surgical pain

You know your patient's constipated when...
The usual Colace, Senokot and Dulcolax haven't even addressed the problem,
neither has the Dulcolax suppository

You know your patient's constipated when...
They've received a Fleet's enema, followed by two soap suds enemas, with no results

You know your patient's constipated when...
They've received the aforementioned within a 24-hour period, plus a half dose of the bowel prep regimen used for people undergoing colonoscopy, with zero results

And finally, you know your patient's constipated when...
The pharmacy voluntarily pages you, in order to inform you that your patient has been pre-approved for an 8mg, subcutaneous dose of an anti-constipation medication so potent, that results typically occur within seconds of administration.  A medication so potent, and coveted, that it is ordinarily reserved for palliative care patients only.  A medication that is so coveted, and secret, that neither I nor my supervising Physicians have even heard of it, let alone ordered it.

Subsequently order it, I did.  And sure as shit, it worked within seconds...