Thanks to Depend for sponsoring today's discussion.

This subject can be hard to discuss as it does entail a fair amount of vulnerability on my part. One of the reasons I was so happy to be asked to work with the brand Depend on this post is because I think it’s time we stop being embarrassed about this part of life for many of us. It’s not just “old ladies” that have bladder leakage issues and it might surprise you, but Depend is not just worn by them either.

Having Lyme disease has made me more aware of how the illness effects me greatly.

Some symptoms of Lyme that I experience are:

Bladder Leakage
Numbness in my extremities
Severe Vertigo (requiring hospitalization)
Joint Pain
Muscles Spasms
Severe Chronic Fatigue
“Brain Fog”
Chronic pain

Lyme has not been an easy road for me. It is even harder knowing that treatment is not readily available. These things I experience really are very debilitating and interfere with a normal quality of life.

I am gonna get a little personal here and I think it is important that I do. Having a blog allows me to talk about things that I think are important to get people discussing it. Bladder leakage effects millions of women (and men) of all ages and for many reasons. For me, it is most likely brought on by Lyme. Lyme disease can effect nearly every system in the body and one way it effects me is by making my nervous system a little, well, “nervous”, and it doesn’t always allow me to hold my bladder very well sometimes. There is actually a running joke between my husband and I and it goes like this;

Me: “Guess what I did today?”

Him: “Pee your pants, again?”

Me: *giggles* “No, but…”

That’s how often it happens to me. I am glad my husband an I can joke about it, but in all reality, if it was anyone but him that knew, I would be mortified. (I guess everyone knows now, but Oh well) I make sure to empty my bladder before I go anywhere because I am terrified it will happen to me in a store or when I am out and about. I have often though of buying Depend but I, like most people, thought to myself, “Oh I don’t have it THAT bad.” I mean, when I do have an accident, it isn’t like my entire bladder empties, so I figured Depend was not made for someone like me. I am glad to have learned through this post and campaign that I am wrong and that many women around my age wear them for numerous reasons.

Another thing that kind of had me skeptical is the fact that I thought they were bulky and like a diaper. Depend is not a big bulky adult diaper. I went to the store out of curiosity and they really are not much thicker than the menstrual pads I wear and I suspect no one would even know I was wearing one.

I guess what I am saying is, there really is no shame in wearing them for bladder leakage protection. I have gotten to that point in my life where I care less what people think and more about my own comfort. I think I will give them a try and not feel like I need to be worried about it while out and about, especially when I am experiencing a “flare” of my symptoms.

What’s great is, Depend has free samples available if you are not sure. Anyone can get them! Claim your free samples today by visiting the Depend landing page and clicking on the “Get a Sample” button located at the top right-hand side of the screen. Then, select which sample you would like to receive and wait for them to arrive.

I rambled on there, but I think it’s important that we talk about this. You don’t have to be embarrassed!

What’s also great about Depend is they currently have a campaign that is both fun and engaging to continue the story and discussion!

Depend will donate $1, up to $3 million, over the next three years to charities that advance the research, education and awareness of bladder leakage for:

-Every pant drop, photo and video shared Using #Underwareness and #DropYourPants; and
-Every personal video made about what Underwareness means to you that is uploaded to YouTube and tagged #Underwareness and #DropYourPants

For more information about the #DropYourPants and #Underwareness campaign, make sure you check out Depend’s website.

I would love feedback! What do you think of Depend? Does this change your misconceptions about it or bladder leakage protection in general? Do you have bladder leakage issues? Do you have Lyme? Feel free to respond anonymously if you are not comfortable revealing your name.

To read more about my Lyme journey and why treatment is difficult, please see my Lyme Treatment Page.

The Problem With Black and White Thinking When it Comes to Disability

I sometimes like to use my blog to write out my feelings and recently this is one thing that has been on my mind. There is a real problem with black and white thinking when it comes to disability. People think that if someone uses a cane, a walker, a wheelchair or any other assistive device that they must be unable to walk or function without it and if they can on occasion, they don’t “really need it”.

I am here to tell you this is a false belief. There is nothing wrong with a person using a device all the time if that is what they need, so I am not talking about that. I am however talking about the fact that I sometimes need to use a cane when I am out and about or a motorized scooter in the store. I have had people give me dirty looks because I walk from my car to the scooter and sit down. They seem to scoff at me because I “walked there just fine”. In their eyes, I am abusing it and whats tops it off, I am overweight, so therefore, I must be using it because I am lazy (that is a whole other post for another day).

There are MANY invisible illnesses out there. I can’t even begin to name them all. One of the hardest parts of having one of these illnesses is the fact that those who have it often feel like they have to be ready to explain themselves to the nosey and judgmental public (and sadly some people have to explain it to those close to them all the time) when they use these carts or a transport chair or a cane. For most people who don’t live with it, disability is either black or white. You either are fully disabled or you are fully able-bodied. This is just simply not true and assumptions such as these can really hurt.

Why do I use a cane or the motorized cart sometimes? I use them because I suffer from chronic pain and neurological symptoms such as vertigo as well as extreme fatigue. I have an invisible illness. I have Lyme disease.

I write this because I know that I shouldn’t care about what others, especially perfect strangers, think of me, but I can’t help but feel their stares, sighs and dirty looks. I am young. I look healthy. People assume that the way I look is a direct sign of how I feel. Anyone with an invisible illness knows this is not logical.

I also write this because next week, (September 8-14, 2014) is Invisible Illness week. There are millions of people living with an invisible illness. It is heart-breaking to know that so many people suffer from this sort of judgement and not only have to battle their own bodies, daily chronic pain, and other disabling symptoms and still also battle the stigma that they are faking it, making it up, “just depressed”, “just need a little more exercise” or can’t possibly be that disabled because you sometimes see them on a good day (and trust me, there are some good days for most people with an invisible illness.)

What can you do to help those with an invisible illness?

The next time you see someone who looks healthy get into a motorized cart at the store, walk with a cane on occasion, get out of their car and walk inside with a disabled tag or use a transport chair away from home, instead of judging them based on how healthy you perceive them to be, offer to help or maybe just even smile at them. I can tell you, having an invisible illness not only means the illness doesn’t show to most people, but it can also make you feel invisible to society unless there is judgement being passed.

You can also help by spreading awareness. With the Ice Bucket Challenge spreading awareness and helping to get donations for ALS, it is easy to see how just a little bit of awareness can mean a lot to those effected by an illness. Donate to a cause that helps those with an invisible illness get medical help, assistive devices, or does medical research. If you can’t donate, spread awareness on social media. Share this Post and the others I will be writing next week. The more people that know how invisible illness effects those that suffer, the more likely it is that this stigma will disappear and people will no longer feel the need to be ready to explain themselves while trying to get through the day.

Thanks for listening and thanks for spreading awareness.