Jessica's 180 Medical Community Story

TRANSCRIPT

Almost 20 years ago, I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. A couple of years after my diagnosis, all of a sudden my bladder was like, "You don't get to control anything."

I just lived that way for a very long time, wearing diapers. Of course, that was before we had a lot of really good medications or treatments to help control it.

Eventually, I started doing bladder Botox. The goal was to keep my bladder from, you know, exploding everything all the time. Instead, it had the opposite effect. I couldn't go whatsoever, and I had to start using catheters.

If I rewind the clock, that was just the scariest thing in the world. I remember thinking, "I have to use a what? I have to do what? Ew." It was very scary.

So, of course, I went through a lot of trial and error, choosing different catheters and trying different products. I've been through a lot. At this point, it's something I'm very comfortable with, but when I first started, it was scary, and I really didn't know where to turn.

I was working as an ambassador for a pharmaceutical company. I would get up and give speeches, and as part of my story, I'd talk about my bladder issues. People would come up to me afterward, and that was really the only time I spoke with other patients about catheter-related things.

We'd joke around: "Oh yeah, well my catheter's this big."

And we'd laugh.

It was through those conversations that I realized I could actually talk about this and not feel embarrassed.

At the time, I was traveling all over the place. I was on airplanes constantly. I was also a music teacher at a school and a private voice teacher. I was incredibly busy.

I remember the first catheter I used came in this huge package that you had to squeeze. There were times when I was rushing, squeezing the packet, and I'd come out of the bathroom wet. My elementary school students would ask, "Miss Jessica, what happened?" and I'd have to say, "Oh, I just messed up at the sink."

I needed to find something that wasn't going to cause those kinds of problems. I wanted something discreet and easy to conceal. I found a few products that worked well, but I've been using Infyna Chic for probably three or four years now.

Because of my MS, I don't feel my hands very well. They feel like baseball gloves. My dexterity is limited, so I need something simple that I can use easily. I can just pop the cap off, and it's not going to go flying across a bathroom stall.

One cool thing I've noticed about 180 Medical is that it gives you an avenue to connect with normal people who can explain what they've gone through. I thought, "Wow, this is really cool."

Whenever an email comes out, I always read the patient stories. I like seeing new products or learning about new developments. I honestly wish something like that had existed when I first started catheterizing.

180 Medical felt, in a good way, a little smaller and more personal. I could call and someone would answer right away. I didn't have to jump through a million hoops.

I know that someone can call and say, "Oh my gosh, I'm scared. What can I do?" and they're going to get help.

Ordering was easy, too. I didn't have to place a monthly order each time. It just automatically arrived, and I really liked that.

When I look back, my fears were that catheterization was going to hurt, it would be gross, and be all of those things you worry about in the beginning.

Now I realize there are resources available, and I can say honestly: I was so wrong. This is just my new way of life, and it's okay.

It took time. It was a process. Even now, there are moments when I tense up. I have to move my toes, focus on my breathing, and use the techniques I've learned over the years to make it happen.

Today, I just like being able to reach into my bag, pull out my catheter, find a bathroom, get it done, and move on. It is what it is.