After a heavy meal rich with fried foods, Debby Collins, an overweight 45-year-old woman, was rushed to the emergency room with severe spasmodic pains in her epigastric region that radiated to the...

After a heavy meal rich with fried foods, Debby Collins, an overweight 45-year-old woman, was rushed to the emergency room with severe spasmodic pains in her epigastric region that radiated to the right side of her rib cage. She indicated that the attack came on suddenly, and her abdomen was found to be tender to the touch and somewhat rigid. What do you think is this patient’s problem and why is her pain discontinuous (colicky)? What are the treatment options and what might happen if the problem is not resolved?

A baby is admitted to the hospital with a history of diarrhea and watery feces occurring over the last three days. The baby has sunken fontanelles, indicating extreme dehydration. Tests indicate that the baby has a bacterium-induced colitis, and antibiotics are prescribed. Because of the baby’s loss of intestinal juices, do you think that his blood pH would indicate acidosis or alkalosis? Explain your reasoning.