Hey Diver,
Great Advice rarely needs additional comments. This definitely applies in
your comments, which are excellent. I need not say more.
Best Wishes
W
In a message dated 7/19/2007 9:02:03 P.M. Central Daylight Time,
[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
didn't see the post from luke you responded to. I have had a supra pubic 18
french size for over 10 years. I too am very active and live alone and can't
imagine any other way. I use a leg or belly bag (for shorts or swimming).
Then at night I use a 4000 ml bedside bag in order to prevent a smaller bag
from backing up and causing disreflexia.
A BIG ADVANTAGE to using the large bag at night is that I can drink
as much water or whatever during the night as I want. Also I can go to a
sporting event, concert, movie, church or drive a long way without stopping
for a
potty break.
The only disadvantage is that I have my cathater changed at least
once each month. Also by having the cath in my bladder I contantly have a way
for bacteria to get in my system. I have found that rinsing the bags 1/3 full
twice with water and shaking them hard to clean all the corners and tube.
Followed buy 1/3 bag of water and I use a 60ml syringe to add vinegar 1 to
small
bags and 2 to the bedside bag. Which I leave in the bag with the caps on the
ends of the tubing, hanging from the towel bar until ready to use again.
This has helped reduce UTI's to about one every 90 days. My cath does bleed
occasionally, but usually only a small amount, less than a golfball size spot
on
a pad that I sleep on my belly on. Usually a day or two following the
change, and then if it gets pulled on hard by clothing or carelessness by
providers. Which doesn't happen very often. Another helper is an elastic leg
strap
which holds the cathater in place at the connection of the bag and cath. near
my
crotch, always leaving slack between the strap and belly. I change my cath.
once a month every month usually teachng someone ow to do it. I get my
supplies delivered every month through _http://www.byramhealthcare.com/_
(http://www.byramhealthcare.com/) . Every morning and night I have caregivers
clean
around the cathater site where it enters my belly. 1st I have hem take 3
quares
of toilet paper and roll it up about the size of a cigarette to make a circle
around the tube site on my belly to stop liquids from spilling. Then we use
a 1/3 cap of Hydrogen Peroxide poured around the tube and then a q-tip to
clean any mucous or blood. Then 2 drops of Betadine on the hole and triple anti
biotic on a Q-tip to lubricate around the tube and pull the cathater to
stretch it slightly and lube around the tube up about 1/2".
One last piece of advice is to learn how to change the cathater
sterily from the doctor. I would even suggest video taping the doctor changing
it
properly. Then watch it over and over so you know how to explain to someone
how to do it if an emergency occurs. I have caught several nurses not making
the change properly while talking through every step before they did it.Twice
I had a careless caregiver pull it out of my belly accidentally. And a few
times the cathater has stopped up inside my bladder. Requiring me to teach
anyone with TWO HANDS to deflate the defective cath. bulb and replace it
quick.
As I said I have had my super pubic in over 3,950 days so it is not a very
common occurance. Good Luck, Jim Rice
""I have a dream that one day soon, all people with physical challenges will
be treated equally. I will not let things I am not able to do yet, Stop what
the LORD & I can. !!!"
----- Original Message -----
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