An unexpected surprise
When 58-year old Vicky went into a routine surgery, she didn’t imagine that a new life would await her when she woke up. However, complications from the surgery made it necessary for Vicky to start using intermittent catheters – a situation she was completely unprepared for – for the rest of her life.
Although having to catheterize shouldn’t stop you from doing normal activities, the idea of having to live with intermittent catherization was almost unimaginable to Vicky; how was she ever going to go out? Going to travel?
When I first got told that I'd have to catheterize, I wasn't happy at all. For a quite a while, probably about six months, I felt as if this was going to be a very poor way to live”. My husband would say “just think positive, we're going to be okay. We’ll do holidays still”, but I just didn't feel comfortable about any of it.
Returning to an active life
The doctors reassured Vicky that she could still live an active life, but she found it hard to believe that that this would be possible. Vicky was convinced that her new catheter regimen would make it hard to leave the house and that her freedom had come to a crashing halt:
I was thinking, that I would never be able to go on holidays again, as it is more difficult with catheterization. I have to be careful knowing where I’m going because you've got to use public facilities when you're out and about, and that in itself can be very daunting and I just didn't feel comfortable about it.
However, after learning to manage her routine and take the necessary measures that life with a catheter requires, Vicky has regained her confidence of being out and about. She has returned to an active life with one of her greatest hobbies: lawn bowling.
Lawn bowling is a big part of our life. We've been doing it now for about 10 years. I didn't use to catheterize when I went out. I would wait. But now I feel really more comfortable with that part now. I can do it when I'm out - I just have to plan my day.
Dreaming of the next holiday adventure
Besides lawn bowling, Vicky is also a travel enthusiast. Although going on holiday can be a bit more difficult with catheterization, Vicky is certain that the future holds opportunities for new adventures:
I just take my little handy bag with me and I've got everything there I need to manage. I find that restrooms with disability facilities are the best because they're private; you don't have to worry about how long you're in there. I'd go in there and I'd sort of have to do like a little reconnaissance and work out what I was going to do. So, I think the future looks pretty bright - I've accepted what I have to do now and I’d like to do some more travelling and go overseas.