Potty 101 or has this ever happened to you?

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i was hopping to hear more.
 
Heatherfeather, This had me laughing out loud. Thanks for sharing! Steph
 
Davbo, you are too funny! OK, I'll share. This is not about travel, but it could have been. Since our bathroom is under construction and the walk down the hall at night can be a bit dicey, hubby has been using the urinals that I snagged when he checked out of the hospital in October. Thinking that he could spill them pretty easily, I researched and found a very cool version with an internal baffle that is supposed to be spill proof. I filled it with water, turned it upside down, and no spills. GREAT! I was soooo pleased with myself. Of course, that spillproof feature only works if the CALS screws the cap back on tightly after emptying it. Yep, it was loose all night. He was so carful to keep it level that he never spilled. It was me, picking it up in the morning, tipping it backwards just in case something might drip out the front, who made that mess...
 
Oh no nuts that was just too much laughing for me!

I also invested in a no-spill urinal, and they are wonderful but ... (had to be a but)

They are only no-spill AFTER the urine gets past that baffle.

I discovered to my dismay (Chris wasn't too impressed either), that you still have to hold them very much downwards when in use ..... :shock:

I also had so many times I walked bleary eyed into the toilet to tip the urinal out and stood there wondering why it wasn't emptying into the toilet ... doh!
 
Heheheheheee, Nuts and Tillie - you had me in stitches :D
 
This seems as good a place as any to ask. Has anyone here ever heard of a PALS getting a colostomy bag? My wife has not stood or pivoted for over 3 yrs now, and every time she needs to go it is Hoyer to commode (in the living room). We can occasionally get out for a few hours at a time, but any more than 3-4 hours she needs to get a cath. put in, and sometimes takes an immodium or 2 if she's worried about that end of things. While we would still have plenty of troubles around here, it seems to me that keeping any type of "regular" life outside the house would be so much easier if that one little problem was out of the way. I mentioned it to our ALS assn. rep. and she said she hadn't ever heard a request like that before. I can't be the only one to ever think of this, or do I not understand how a bag works? It's too late around here for it to help us, but that little question has always bothered me.
 
I just know my mom had a colostomy bag with her colon cancer. My dad was the one who helped her with it. She was always nervous in public because you never knew when it would get a leak. It busted several times luckily each time only in the bathroom. It was also very painful and got irritated alot if it wasn't on right. It was very unpleasant for my mom and dad. My never trusted anyone else to help her with it either but dad. He never complained about it in front of her in all the 5 years. But, if you ask him now he will tell you it was a nightmare.
 
What about if your PALS has to use the toilet for more than just a PP and he/she cannot get into the bathroom? Suggestions?

~ Heather ~

People with Spinal cord injuries deal with the problem of bowel movements all the time. To make it possible for them to leave home with reasonable assurance that they will not have a bowel movement while they are out, they rely on training the bowel to have a movement at a scheduled time of day. People with ALS can use this same method unless they have very loose or liquid stools, which may be treated by changing tube feeding formulas, or having yoghurt daily, or taking acidophilus tablets. The yoghurt or acidophilus will restore the natural bacteria needed in the bowel. A course of antibiotics can kill off the bacteria and cause diarrhea.

Establishing a Bowel Routine

Very few people need to have a daily bowel movement. Every other day or third day is typical. Having a routine time when you can spend a longer period of time on the toilet is helpful. Although choosing a time is probably going to be more a matter of convenience for your caregiver, if you already have a certain time of day you are more likely to have a bowel movement, try to arrange for that time.

Begin by using a stimulant laxative suppository to promote bowel movements on the scheduled day at the chosen time. After 2 weeks, use the suppository only if you can't have a bowel movement at that time on your own. Within a month, you should be able to reduce reduce the stimulant laxative use to infrequent.

Suppositories work in 15 minutes to an hour. They must be allowed to melt and be absorbed before trying to force a bowel movement.
 
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