At just 17 years old, I sustained a spinal cord injury because of a swimming accident, which left me a wheelchair-bound quadriplegic on July 7th, 2013.
Throughout recovery, I was constantly reminded of the things that I lost and that I would never be able to do ever again, like feeding myself or being able to go to the bathroom on my own.
Self-catheterization was my biggest goal in rehab. I knew it would allow me to have so much freedom and independence, despite being very intimidating and having no finger function from my spinal cord injury.
I knew that one of the most difficult parts of this goal was going to be finding a product that didn’t have an extreme amount of packaging because I would not be able to open it, let-alone complete my bladder routine. This was the first step in reaching my goal.
I was shocked to see that Coloplast had specific catheter styles and catheter packaging that were designed for people without fine motor ability like myself.
After some product research and conversations with my caregivers, I thought SpeediCath® catheters would be a good place to start.
The SpeediCath® packaging is designed with a loop handle and adhesive back which allowed me to open it instantly and in a sterile manner, even as a quadriplegic with limited mobility. This was extremely important, as I am prone to urinary tract infections. I could not even open any other catheter package when I attempted them.
SpeediCath® catheters are also pre-lubricated, so I was also able to skip steps in this routine which helped save time and energy throughout my whole day.
After weeks of practice, I was finally mentally comfortable inserting the catheter in such a scared area of my body (which I thought I’d never get used to). The thought of inserting a catheter into you know where, was just so scary! Then one day after lots of practice, boom! I struck gold and was finally able to empty my bladder 100% independently, even with no finger function. I couldn’t be happier that all my hard work paid off.
Now, I can go out in the community independently, visit friends, and do overnight trips all without stressing over my bladder routine.
I was able to regain freedom and so much independence which would have not been possible without Coloplast. No more having to pay a caregiver to come with me in the community - I can come and go as I please. My quality of life has been so greatly improved.