Everyone Poops

Those of you that have been to Morgantown Market know I mark the bathroom with an old bed pan that says, “Relax”. If you’ve ever used a bed pan you see the irony in that label. Where did the bed pan evolve from? Let's go back in time (cue Dr. Who Music)?

Chamber pots were used to relieve oneself at night in order to avoid a long walk to the outhouse and have been found as far back as the 6 century BC in Greece and the Edo period in Japan.

What we see now in antique shops are pieces and parts of sets that were called “The Brooklyn Toilet Set” and were sold by Sears and Roebuck. These sets included a slop pot, pitcher and bowl, cup, 2 small pitchers, chamber pot, and soap dish (some items came with lids). Often, the sets had their own piece of furniture called a commode. Hence, a term brought forward from history.

The commode took many forms, the New England Commode, with a lift top. The simple wash stand or the privy cabinet, which often fit into the corner of a room. Out of all these pieces it seems as though the Chamber pot is the one that survived, although the small pitchers are often mistaken as cream pitchers.

Years ago, an old dealer told me the reason the lids of chamber pots are so hard to find is that often times they were dropped into the outhouse. Believable, but some things he told me, questionable. That’s another blog.

So where am I going with this “Everyone Poops” blog?

Remember the Spark Joy and Start Cleaning Blog? While cleaning out my closet I found my old colonoscopy pictures. I realized with my family history that it was time to schedule an appointment. The procedure is over, and long story short; they found a polyp. It’ has been removed, and they sent it for testing (cue PSA music).

Here’s my PSA—do not put off the test. Get yourself checked! Yes, it’s a lot of time in the bathroom for about a day and a half. But it’s quality time with the hubs while you ask the same question over and over as you come out of anesthesia:) I had a wonderful Dr. and the staff was professional with a terrific bedside manner. If you’ve been putting it off, or if you have a family history, please take the time and schedule your colonoscopy.

https://editor.wix.com/html/editor/web/renderer/edit/4ad7a122-9f77-454c-9e01-36458d59bb3a?metaSiteId=3537a2c7-7aa3-402d-906c-b752626489cd&editorSessionId=907d2bec-0ef4-4727-a8c1-e789cc0e7faf&referralInfo=dashboard

https://www.cancer.org/cancer/colon-rectal-cancer/detection-diagnosis-staging/survival-rates.html

https://www.activebeat.com/your-health/6-early-signs-of-colorectal-cancer/

https://www.amazon.com/Everyone-Poops-Taro-Gomi/dp/B0014JDSPU/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3HFRZF8XJ6E2U&keywords=everyone+poops&qid=1562846103&s=gateway&sprefix=everyone+poops%2Caps%2C127&sr=8-1

https://www.antiquetrader.com/features/the-way-to-go-chamber-pots-commodes-and-careless-mistakes/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDowitqL1Rc

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chamber_pot

http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/t/the-edo-period-in-japanese-history/