I haven't had a close friendship with a girlfriend that hasn't included stories about peeing your pants or ocassions when you are on the verge. Most women can relate to any of the following.
- Hitting your significant other for missing the exit when the next rest area is 40 miles away. You kinda feel like giving a kidney punch so they can share the feeling.
And they think we're being lady like. Nope, just the pre-sneeze squeeze.
-
Enduring less than sanitary men's restrooms. Generally men are a good aim, so why can't they hit the urinal?
-
Meeting the new neighbors when your child announces, 'Mommy remember when you pee'd your pants"
-
Don't you hate it when that 5 minute phone call turns into 30 minutes and you have to go. "Hey I hate to cut you short, but I have an appointment (and its in the bathroom)."
Here are some facts about women and urinary incontinence: Women suffer double the rate of men. Millions of women suffer from young to old. It ranges from a mild nuisance to debilitating. Causes include weakening of your muscles due to pregnancy & childbirth, being over weight and other diseases such as diabetes. It is treatable and manageable. I found this website that gives the 411 on this subject, National Kidney and Urologic Disease Information Clearinghouse.
We do joke about this subject from time to time but it is worth doing some research and discussing it with your doctor if it is preventing you from living a full life.
Here's my story. It doesn't involve weakened bladder from pregnancy but it's my potty story none the less.
Most days as a 6 year old were care free. No worries, but this day presented me with a mind boggling decision. It ranked as the most significant dilemma of the year. Touching the snake or being called a "scaredy cat" by my older brother ranking second.
My mother had dropped me off at the end of our L O N G country lane as she drove away to town, not to miss her appointment. The bus was just coming over the hill when all of a sudden, "I have to pee". Here were my options, a) drop my pants in front of the whole bus and spare the wet pants. Being very shy this was not happening, b) run back home, spare the wet pants and be home alone the rest of the day. Remember the scaredy cat thing. Not an option, or c) stand there pee my pants and cry. Well you guessed it, C was the only option.
I got on the bus declaring, "I pee'd my pants". Thank goodness for the caring bus driver. YES and NO. Well, I was the second to last pick up and the last one was a boy in my class. The bus drive took me inside and this boy's mother gave me a pair of HIS underwear to wear. What was I suppose to do, refuse a dry pair of underwear? I was young but not stupid. I actually had a skirt on so we didn't have the soaked pants to deal with. I was embarrassed but not as embarrassed if I had to go to school with completely wet underpants and skirt. Frankly I don't remember if my sock got wet. They probably were. Yuck.
Here's the moral of the story. When children or grandchildren (or female friends for that matter) say they need to go to the bathroom take them seriously. They would be just as embarrassed as you would be peeing your pants during church or that important business meeting.
