The news is devastating at times. Kids who’ve done it for awhile, it becomes no big deal. It can be easily integrated into your life and your social life. But when you’re first told of the process, it’s overwhelming to think about: “I can’t just go to the toilet and pee! I have to spend time emptying the bladder.” And then there are all the associated problems, like urine infection. All this information that we have to teach them initially is so overwhelming, they just can’t see how it will fit into their life. Therefore a lot of patients initially react very badly. They’ll try not to do it, they find excuses, and sometimes they even hurt themselves in the process. So that’s why it’s helpful to get someone who is more experienced, who has gone through the process, to say, “Hey, I know it’s difficult, but look, this is what it’s like now.” We have lots of older patients who are in their 30s, 40s, who have a normal social life. Catheterization becomes just a routine part – it’s just how they pee, it’s nothing more. Having these older patients to be able to explain that can be really important.

Hiep Nguyen, MD, Department of Urology

I think sometimes they’re a little bit taken aback, a little bit like (gasp), “How is she going to do this?” Or “I don’t want to do this!” But generally they’re receptive – they know that we’ve exhausted other measures and it’s not generally something that just came up out of the blue.

Pam Kelly, PNP, Clinical Coordinator, Urodynamics and Voiding Improvement Program