Living With Sudden Onset Urinary Tract Infections

It was a bright and sunny day with the hint of a promise of Spring to come in the air. It felt as if Winter was finally nearing an end – and then the ‘Beast from the East’ snowstorm struck, but that’s another story! As it was a Friday, it seemed like the perfect way to finish the week by meeting a friend and going to visit Kew Gardens.

Travel sickness or Urinary Tract Infection?

We were comfortably installed on the train (well, as comfortable as the seats on the train allow you to be), travelling from one side of London to the other, when I began to feel unwell. It came on very quickly and I can only say that I was extremely grateful for the blue bags I use to dispose of my used urostomy bags.  Thankfully I always carry a bag with the basic stoma supplies that might be needed in an emergency. That was one of the best pieces of advice I was given when I first had my urostomy formed – and the reason I now carry a bigger handbag!

The realisation dawned that this was not travel sickness but, in fact, the onset of yet another Urinary Tract Infection. After a swift turnaround at Kew Gardens station (where the staff were very helpful) my friend and I headed back the way we had just come and from there to hospital. This was the fourth UTI I had come down with in the last 3 months. I had been lulled in to a false sense of security as I had been infection-free for the past 6 months following my last big surgery.

Frustrations

I find the impact my health has on my life so frustrating – and the impact it has on my family, particularly my husband. I am very fortunate to have supportive family and friends who understand that any arrangements we make may be cancelled at the last minute. It’s also always there at the back of my mind when making travel arrangements – am I going to be fit enough to go?

Well, this time I did make it – I am writing this blog from Canada where we are visiting family – hurray - albeit after a longer than usual course of antibiotics and a continuing prophylactic treatment