Type 3 is what happens when a Type 1 or Type 2 stool finally decides to cooperate. Those stubborn little pebbles have softened just enough to join forces for one last push, creating a sausage-shaped stool with a few cracks in it. It's not a bad result, but it's often a gentle nudge from your bowel saying, "A little more fluid, fibre, movement or a review of your bowel routine please." 

Left unchecked, today's Type 3 can easily become tomorrow's hard, uncomfortable Type 2 (Captain Constipation). For many people living with a spinal cord injury, a stool like this can also mean bowel care takes longer and requires more effort than it should. Small changes in hydration, diet and routine can make a surprisingly big difference.

At Fellow Carer, we teach carers not just what stool types look like, but what they're trying to tell you. Because a poo isn't just a poo—it's a progress report from the gut.

Next week on Life of Lionel: We discover Lionel's favourite plop.

Before you go, have you ever ignored what your stool was telling you, only to wish you'd paid attention sooner?