Okay, many of you are familiar with my MIL who has the prolapsed uterus that is hanging completely out of her body.
Well, my SIL calls and says ma has the recurring UTI. She’s got it bad enough this time that she had to go to the doctor last night. She’s on antibiotics, but she’s really feeling sick. Not just uncomfortable, but sick. She’s not much for doctors and doesn’t ask questions or take their advice. She’s only in it for the temporary cure.
Can the swingin’ uterus be part of this problem? We’re thinking that the uterus dries up, maybe even gets a little cracked, maybe creates an environment that would be a bacteria amusement park. Complete with rides that swing! Wheeee!
Any opinions? She probably won’t give a shit what I tell her, but I thought I’d give it a shot. Thanks!
Not the prolapsed uterus as such but it is generally also associated with some degree of cystocoele (where the bladder protrudes into the vagina). Because of the cystocoele, there is usually urinary retention and this often leads to UTI.
Wow. That is so her. I looked that up on the Mayo Clinic site and it sounds just like what she’s going through. Maybe I can talk her into looking into it further. I can’t believe she’s not panic-stricken. Thanks!
Kalhoun, you’ve once again completely changed the character of my day. Glad to have you here. My world is enriched and my horizons are widened.
Now I’m off to do some kegel exercises for the next 4 or so hours.
Why are her doctors just letting her uterus hang out? Shouldn’t there be a hysterectomy or something going on? Jeez, if any part of me is hanging out they had better put it back in or take it out completely!
D: Holy carp, you made my stomach turn. The sight of a dog with a prolapsed uterus doesn’t even make me bat an eye, but the visual image of an old lady shuffling along on a cane, with a swollen, red, festering lump of uterine tissue dragging along the ground between her feet just…UCK. Why the hell did they not do surgery right away??
I’ve always wondered why they can’t just make prolapsed uterine crutches. You know, something to hold it in and up when you want to move around. Sort of a crotch crutch.
She’s been told (for years now) what needs to be done, but she refuses to deal with it. If it’s not life threatening, she won’t do anything beyond taking a pill. Now that she’s getting so sick from the UTI, I’m hoping she realizes that it’s harder for an elderly woman with an “additional appendage” to fight infection, and has it removed. I seriously doubt she’ll do anything, though.
At one point, she could have had the “ring” inserted. However, I’ve since heard (and correct me if I’m wrong) that if you don’t do that right away, all the other organs adjust to their newly acquired additional space and disrupting them at that point could cause additional bowel and bladder issues. So her only option is major surgery. Which I don’t even know why she’s scared. At this point the doctor could snip it out in his office and she wouldn’t even have to leave her house!
When I opened this thread I thought maybe it would be about how she gets around, or how hip and happening her parts were, or I don’t know what. She… aaargh!
You can find pictures on Google, if anyone cares to see. It’s horrifying, to the point where I think a person would have to be desperately poor or (apologies) IMO seriously mentally not to have it fixed.
I think she’s just scared. She once went for three days with a broken leg before she went to the doctor. She also says there is no pain associated with it (though I think that may be changing now that I suspect the entire contents of her abdominal cavity is working its way out). Up until now, I think she looked at it as a slight inconvenience.
I spoke to her yesterday and the UTI has her feeling really sick still. We are concerned, but there’s nothing we can do. The doctor told her over and over what needs to be done. She’s supposed to get the results of the urine test today, so maybe the doctor will try to talk some sense into her. Which sparks a question in my mind: Doctors, do you continue to harp on a patient who ignores your advice or do you just tell them once or twice and then let it go?