Bladder Health Awareness: Catherine's Story 

Image Courtesy of www.bladderhealthawareness.org

Did you know that one out of every four women between the ages of 30 and 59 and 50 percent of the elderly suffer with urinary incontinence? Did you know that pelvic organ prolapse affects approximately half of the women who have had children by vaginal delivery?

Just because urinary incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse and other bladder health problems are rarely talked about, doesn't mean that there aren't solutions available that can help restore your quality of life. Learn more about Catherine's experience by reading her testimonial below.

It was three years ago that Catherine first met with Dr. Louis Thompson and Dr. Lonny Green for a consultation about a combination surgery. While she had known for a couple of years prior that she would eventually need a hysterectomy to remedy her pelvic prolapse, she did not realize how much the threat of incontinence or leaks had altered her life until she met with Dr. Green. Dr. Green recommended a procedure for a synthetic sling, which acts like a hammock to support the urethra, the tube that carries urine from the bladder. In regards to her first consultation, Catherine said, "the timing wasn't right; this was something I really needed to think about." Catherine, a nurse, continued to put off having the combination surgery until this past winter. Similar to other women who suffer from incontinence and pelvic prolapse, it was a winter cold and cough that caused Catherine to say "I've had enough," for she felt as though "with each cough, everything was going to fall out."

Catherine expressed that at each visit, she was impressed with the amount of time that both Dr. Thompson and Dr. Green spent with her. As she said, "they always gave me plenty of opportunities to ask all of my questions and encouraged me to call any time I had additional ones." Working in health care, Catherine admitted that she was anxious about the surgery because she was aware of all the worst-case scenarios that could occur with any surgery. However, Dr. Thompson's and Dr. Green's renowned reputations, their skills and their bedside manners were qualities that put her concerns at ease. As Catherine remarked, "surgeons don't always have good bedside manners - but they - they were both wonderful!"
 

Lisa Cuseo-Ott, Ph.D.

By Lisa Cuseo-Ott, Ph.D.

What is mental illness? What are the signs of mental illness and is it treatable?  These are a few of the many questions that are posed during Mental Illness Awareness Week, which occurs each year during the first week of October. The U.S. Congress established this week in 1990 to assist the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) in raising awareness about mental illnesses.

A mental illness is a medical condition that affects an individual's ability to think, feel and relate to others. In addition, it can create problems with daily functioning. There are a number of serious mental illnesses, including psychotic disorders, such as schizophrenia; affective disorders, such as major depression and bipolar disorder; anxiety disorders, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD); and personality disorders, such as borderline, narcissistic and antisocial.  A complete list of all mental illnesses is found in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, 4th ed. (DSM-IV). Practitioners are required to consult with the DSM-IV, in order to provide a patient's specific diagnostic code for treatment and insurance reimbursement.

Mental illness is widespread and non-discriminatory. According to the National Institute of Mental Health and the U.S. Surgeon General, approximately 6 percent of adult Americans and 10 percent of children and adolescents suffer from serious mental illness. Regardless of age, gender, intelligence, race or socio-economic status, mental illness can seriously diminish one's capacity for coping with the demands of life.

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