Jude: After getting off the foley catheter, I went to pads and diapers, and after about a year of that, and a visit to the urologist, got taught to self-cath, which I didn't have to do all the time, but if I get a UTI, retention is what happens and I can't void. The doctor says that my bladder is doing its job: when it fills to a certain point, it empties. Now that is without any control from my head--or whatever. If I want to wait, Forget it, cause it's doing its own thing. I'm not sure if the sacral nerve on the right side is so damaged that it couldn't respond, but the left was more okay, or what? I'm going to ask the doc on Friday. Yes, pads and pads, and more pads. I did find out that the Overnight strength Assurance underwear (aka diapers/pull ups) has an extra little elastic barrier inside each leg to keep leaks inside. I have only found that brand and that particular Night time product at Wal-Mart. I've added two or more Depends Boost pads to that to go most of the night.
I have found that this works well both night and day to keep outer clothing dry. I does help one's dignity to know you're not dripping all over the place! LOL The stimulator was described to me as a "pacemaker" for the bladder. And the doc also said that a particular stimulation level (different for each patient, I'd guess) kind of removes all the "background noise" and allows the brain signal--to wait, or to release, etc.--to be heard and understood by the detrussor muscle--the bladder. This is one of those things that works or doesn't. And the only way to find out is to try. But the doc did say that among tm patients, those who can't go (retention) have the least improvement/success. I just know that today I wore panties again, and a pad, and I did have some leakage, but not like before! A gal my age probably usually wears a pad in case she sneezes, anyway LOL. Cora, still in Baltimore, but yearning for home. > > www.originaltouchofgilly.com > http://www.oztion.com.au/myauctions/trinketgilly.aspx ----- Original > Message ----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Saturday, March 24, 2007 3:09 PM > Subject: Re: [TMIC] News And Results! > > > Hi Cora, > > Gilly, please forward this to Cora for me...I don't have her address > anymore. Thanks. > > Congratulations! Sounds like there is good news from your neck of the > woods too. Isn't it weird the simple things that make us happy now? > > May I ask, because I missed something along the way,,,what did you have > done and why? I mean, it sounds like you weren't self-cathing or > something. I could never have gone more than three hours around the clock > before I broke my legs and had this foley put in. Now they don't know if > they can get me off of it. That's why I have a special interest in what > you had done. > > I also have to do digital stimulation of my bowels to have any effect and > sometimes , as you know, it is a whole lot of work and takes forever. I > am super interested in what kind of stimulator you are talking about. > > I woke up from a nap today soaking wet with urine and it went through four > pads. I have dressings on both sides of my butt for pressure sores and of > course they got all wet and I had to take them off. Dave had gone to work > already and I could not get my home nursing to come out and put new > dressings on, so here I sit, in pain...waiting for Dave to get home. It > sounds like whatever it is that you have had done is right up my alley! > > You hang in there lady and keep enjoying all of your newfound freedom. > Maybe you'll beat your TM, a little bit at a time. > > Peace and Prayers, > Jude > > > > > > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > AOL now offers free email to everyone. Find out more about what's free > from AOL at AOL.com.
