As mentioned elsewhere, incontinence is only one of several medical problems I must manage, and it is not the most threatening. I am not alone here; I would guess that many of us, if not most of us, have several medical conditions in addition to incontinence. When these other conditions rear their ugly heads, incontinence management becomes impossible for me to do alone; I need assistance. I am proud of my independence; I struggle daily to maintain it. However, when my world begins spinning out of control; my legs refuse to work, and I cannot keep even a cup of bullion down, I need assistance. Is this baby sitting? Perhaps. I spent hours with physical therapists and occupational therapists teaching me how to wash and change safely, with minimal risk of a broken bone, and those sessions were useful, if embarrassing. I owe those folks more than I can repay. But I treasure my privacy, and my independence. I guess the issue here is my attitude towards that need, and towards those who assist me, whether family or hired caregivers. I guess my brain tumor has made this a priority issue for me; however, I think that many of us here must think about it also.
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