Catheter Wars
This entry was posted on 5/18/2007 11:25 PM and is filed under Recovery, Complications.
Catheter Wars
Friday, May 18, 2007
Today was an example of how a catheter can create a bad day. The catheter clogged up twice. Once when I was at my daughter’s house planning to go out with the grandchildren. This sent me fleeing home in pain to get my irrigation equipment. Later while going for a very short walk with the kids my tube into the bag came loose sending urine down my leg. Not a pleasant scene.
It has been 9 days now since I had the Foley catheter put in. It is the dominant factor in my life each day but I am managing. By dominant, I mean that I have to take it into account with everything I do.
Today’s incident at Sherri’s house is an example. Shortly after arriving at Sherri’s house I began having some pain and a burning urge to urinate. I checked the bag and sure enough, it was empty. That meant my catheter was clogged.
The only solution is to irrigate the catheter. There is a sterile kit for doing that and you must use sterile water. The kit includes a syringe, which you use to force water into the catheter tube and out the other end within the bladder. This procedure, hopefully, unclogs the system and the bladder is then free to drain.
If this process doesn’t work, you are in real trouble. The pain will keep increasing quickly and dramatically. It is time then, to head for the emergency room and hope they get you in right away with somebody who knows what to do.
Being an educated catheter user, I do know another tact. The Foley catheter can be removed if you know how to do it. However, if the urine does not come out at that point, you must be prepared to self-catheterize.
I started clogging about three days ago and it has happened daily since. It makes it a little scary to get far from home. In the morning I am going to Orlando to attend the Orlando Fringe Festival. Am I nuts? I am bringing a tube for self-catheterization and an irrigation kit with me.
I am going because I can’t allow this to stop me from living my life.
