Sweats and Leakages

Last night marked the eighth consecutive night that I have slept (if I can call it that) with the catheter. I have five more to go with this catheter and more after a new catheter is installed post-surgery. I expect that will entail six more nights.

It was my best night, though, for it was the first one that didn't require me to get up in search of a new top after soaking through the shirt that I had worn to bed. Yes, I have been experiencing night sweats. This is not unknown to me, but enduring them night after night is new. I discovered that stumbling around in the middle of the night in search of a clean top while hauling a catheter is not a ton of fun. Last night, I was finally prepared with an alternate shirt by my side. Of course, that was the night that I didn't need it. This is how my life unfolds.

In case you don't know, I wear a daytime catheter strapped to the leg, but before bedtime, we switch to the larger nighttime bag*, which we attach to a frame by the bed. This morning there was more than a litre/quart in there. Aside from the larger capacity, it has a longer tube that allows me at least a certain ability to squirm about in search of a comfortable less uncomfortable position. 

We had some trouble with the the initial night bag. The tube attaching it to the actual catheter detached more than once, and there were spills here and there — some in the bed and at least one in my chair. Sigh.

Shauna came to the rescue and found one at her work. She brought it over, and it attaches much more securely, thank goodness. A nurse from her work also dropped in yesterday to make sure that all was well. Fortunately, it was well by then.

Meanwhile, the day bag allows me some sort of mobility. Yesterday, we got to our weekly coffee date, and I have managed to do a wee bit of shopping of the quick in-and-out variety. I would not want to do a regular and more lengthy grocery shopping, so we have reverted to ordering online and picking it up. 

While I appreciate the daytime mobility that I am afforded, there is a certain amount of pulling you-know-where when I walk about, so I tend to keep my excursions brief.

*Aside from the extra volume afforded by the night bag, it is important to keep the bag lower than the body. Having a bag attached to the leg would by problematic with them both on a similar plane.