Tag Archive for: conspiracy

I have had an SPC (suprapubic catheter) for over 7 years now. It’s a device that is surgically inserted into the bladder to drain urine because I can’t properly urinate on my own. At the beginning of my multiple sclerosis journey I was having problems being able to void my bladder. I lost muscle control which caused me a lot of problems. My MRI showed lesions on my spine where the bladder is controlled. They cut off my ability to use my bladder muscles.

I used to say my bladder was conspiring against me because as soon as I would get home from work and opened the front door, my bladder would let loose and I would have a puddle in my entryway to clean up along with myself. When the urologist suggested an SPC I thought that was the answer to my problems. That is until I discovered some issues with living with an SPC. No one tells you about that.

What I discovered is that sometime the catheter doesn’t drain properly because of bladder stone, increased sediment in the bladder, unwelcome UTI’s and of all things, a faulty catheter. Yesterday I called home health because my catheter was clogged and wouldn’t drain. Every time I drank something, within 15 minutes I was uncontrollably peeing on myself meaning the catheter wasn’t draining as it should. I had a load of laundry after two days of fighting with the clog.

When the nurse came to change my catheter I was so glad because I needed my coffee. It’s crazy how that was my main thought. Not the problem with cleaning things up constantly or running out of clean clothes or even a clogged catheter, but coffee. As I’m writing this I’m enjoying a fresh cup of coffee. Ah, yum! I’m glad a catheter change worked.

If you would have told me MS had this kind of trouble I wouldn’t have believed you. I thought a catheter was a good thing, but I have noticed it can be a blessing and a curse. That’s true for a lot of MS symptoms. I always thought my tremors were a curse but I discovered that when I uncontrollably kick someone or slap someone that says something stupid, I can blame it on MS. Oops… sorry, that was a spastic moment.

Or when I forget an important event that I really wasn’t interested in. Oops… sorry, my brain doesn’t work right and I forgot. (grin)

Or when I can’t remember a show that I previously watched… that’s just my reason to watch it again and be surprised at the outcome.

There’s always a way to look at things differently. Don’t take a life with MS too seriously. Besides smiling is a lot better than a frown. It helps your immune system to function more effectively. It is thought that when you smile, your immune function improves because you are more relaxed. So smile! It does a body good.