the only chart that counts

Earlier this week was my second appointment with local Urology specialist for my lovely bladder-related issues.

My first appointment was way back when - since then either myself or the specialist has been ill.

Or the last time (CONFESSION TIME!), when I hadn't filled out my Voiding Chart so I faked a broken-down car and cancelled.

a fun activity for all!

I know I'm such a wuss - what self-respecting young-ish person wouldn't want to spend three days measuring their drinks and piss in order to fill out a VOIDING CHART? It's such a charming heading...

So a couple of weeks back, I bit the bullet and bought a cheap measuring jug and mentally prepared.

Now I'm no Mr. Trebus. But the whole process was actually pretty fascinating.

Gross, NO DOUBT. But interesting nonetheless.

So a couple of days ago, I went along with my completed homework and a fresh sample.

The thing with MS, one aspect we all (most of us?? TALK TO ME!) worry about is those wacky nerve pathways - messages get lost, are distorted, they arrive too late or sometimes not at all.

This is a bit of a worry, which is only increased by the fact that most people with MS are diagnosed in their 20s or 30s - the time of your life when you're meant to be partying and being all vivacious and fabulous, as well as sorting out your career and relationships - not a time when you want to spend too much time worrying that you might wet yourself.

As previously mentioned, this whole scenario led right to my relapse last year. 

Which is why I'm prepared to put myself through all this - and some of this comes from my experiences of CBT.

Case in point: one things my therapist would do was ask me when I was going swimming (for example). Then she'd ask me how I was going to prepare for it, and what the potential hurdles might be and how I might overcome them.

So posting on this very blog that I was going to spend a weekend measuring my liquid intake and output was a way of forcing myself to take action.

You're all Steve's Little Helpers, really - so thanks for that.

And part of my Bladder Retraining work (see? more glamourous fun!) will be to try various techniques before filling out another Voiding Chart before my next appointment in May.  

Don't let me wriggle out of this!

It's A Shit Business - oversharing in the wilderness since March '09.