www.incontinentsupport.org

Ok, heres the deal. I've thought this through and by relying almost exclusively on extended wear diapers of the highest caliber (probably Abena X-Plus, A+ 4 and ConfiDry) I would be able to manage throughout the work day rather well and only worry about changing when i am in a semi private setting..whether in my own quarters or in a rover cabin in the bathroom.. not sure which yet.. I won't know until I get there. But what I don't have worked out is how i am going to change on a camp out. Going on campouts is part of my job.. I can't really avoid it.. they need the extra help to watch the kids. I did pratice putting on a fresh diaper by feel in a sleeping bag and the results were pretty good.. It was a bit muddeld looking on me.. but it stayed on and held up to a decent size wetting without leaking.. the only problem woudl be the kids hearing the tapes applying and wonder what the heck is Mr Rob doing in his sleeping bag.. I think the best thing to do is to ask the counselors to watch the kids for a second and ask them to keep them outside and distract them for a second... in this situation, perhaps it would be prudent to disclose my condition to my fellow cousnelors so they can be supportive in me mananging it. I'm thinking i wear Confi dry on camp outs and try to go as long as I can without changing.. maybe even boosting. Actually that should work, since by then my fluid intake should be down, and you probably only have to worry about a fast flood and needing a good acquisiton rate during the day. Ok, so I wear a Confidry on the camp out.. and I wear it until its soaked.. how the heck do I pull off a change, and how do I dispose of the diaper? Now, they do have one campsite that is an actual campground equipped with its own outhouse.. if we camp there, no probelm, i just grab my bag and go to the outhouse.. but there are two other campsites..one of them is all the way on the bottom of a hill.. I suppose with the aforementioned tacticts i could pull off a change.. but how would i dispose of it? That would be an ineresting challenge.. If anyone has gone camping and figured out a way to be discreet, I'd apprecaite knowing!

Peace out!

Rob

_________________
"We cannot do great things. We can only do small things with great love" Mother Teresa

"THERE ARE FOUR LIGHTS!" - Captain Picard from Chain of Command, Part II

Rob: you bring back old camping memories! I am heavily involved in the boy scouts and as you can surmise, their many campouts.

As you mentioned, if there is an outhouse or bathroom, then you are golden. The challenge is when you are "in the wild". From my experiences, I was almost always in a tent. So there was a level of privacy. Yes, there was the sounds of the tapes coming off. But with ambient noises and the scouts being busy with their things, they never even heard my tapes coming off; at least I never heard that they did. On a couple of occasions, I had to sleep "under the stars". Changing in a sleeping bag wasn't too bad. A little cramped, but do-able.

As for disposal ... Yes, used diapers are bulky. That's why I bring several plastic, grocery-style bags with me. That's what I use for disposal (it can hold up to two diapers). That bag eventually makes its way to the larger trash bags that we use at the campsite. No one ever questioned me or even cared.

From my experience, I found that the kids are way too preoccupied with camping and having fun to be following my every move. After a number of campouts and diaper changes during those campouts, I don't think that any of them ever found out that I needed diapers. And even if they did, it never made it's way back to me.

All in all, it's a little more challenging than being in more civilized accommodations. But I found that it was rather quite easy to manage and adapt to. I hope your experience turns out to be the same or even better!

Rob

I just pull my diaper down and don't worry about the tapes (I Ducktape my diaper) this way there is no sound, you could also get a pair of blunt ended small sissors and cut the tapes if just pulling down the diaper is not an option I wear cargo pants and keep a pair of sissors handy for changing when I don't have my backpack and a must carrying a singe spare diaper, I also have a small mini roll of Ducktape to re enforce the diaper if needed

I picked up my pair at Walmart kids crafting area they are not to small or to sharp and are great for what I need them for,

Excellent suggestions both of you.. LA, I was referring to campers in the tent wondering what im doing wiggling my sleeping bag.. and your'e right, some campers wouldnt even notice..but do keep in mind that this is a special needs camp.. and some of them are VERY observant.. If somehow i get exposed.. I can always use it as a teaching moment I'm sure everything will be fine. IluvLA, I'm curious, how long have you been incontient and in diapers? It sounds like you've been dealing with it for quite some time.. may I ask what caused it?

Peace out!

Rob

_________________
"We cannot do great things. We can only do small things with great love" Mother Teresa

"THERE ARE FOUR LIGHTS!" - Captain Picard from Chain of Command, Part II

I have only been dealing with my OAB issue and diapers for 7 months most of what I have learned is from this site and a bit of trial and error on my part.

My inconstance has gotten worse over the last few months as I now wet multiple times a day, I have also learned not to change after every wetting but still change after several wettings.

It has gotten easier to deal with wearing diapers over time, thanks to a supporting wife and the support and info from this site users. It's nice to know we are not alone in dealing with our issues and having to wear diapers and it's great to be able to talk about diapers and our issues with other people going through the same thing.

Hope you have a great time at the camp and don't worry you probably won't be the only one at the camp having to wear diapers.

Ah yes ... special needs kids can be quite observant. And making an "expose" a teaching moment is a great thing to do! Good luck!


I had incon issues way back in 2000 right after being cath'd for a hip replacement surgery. After the surgery, I seemed to have suffered some bladder sphincter damage (a stricture). Nothing "really bad" back then; just dribbles and leaks. But it was the start. Then I had a bad UTI followed by a second hip surgery in 2009 which also required being cath'd. Right afterwards, the flood gates opened up. Apparently there was further scaring and damage to my sphincter. I was given a surgical option, but didn't like the risks. So I passed. And to answer your first question, I haven't been living with "real incontinence" for very long. Just around 5 years.

I have many times, but I've only shared a tent with my wife since I've been back to wearing diapers.

I did share a camper with my in-laws once. I just made sure to get in and change before they did in the evening.

Since this is a special needs camp, I would fall back on letting the other councilors know, if you need them to run interference. Presumably they should be tactful about such things.

Rob,

I'm not sure why exactly you are freaking out so much and putting so much stress on yourself about this. As the adult, you shouldn't be shearing a tent with a camper. That would be inappropriate. Being a actual camp they should have toilet facilities fairly close by. If they didn't the camp would be closed for sanitation reasons. Change there. Even if it is a little walk away it should not be a problem. Also, I doubt that the stalls are exposed where you would not have a place to change. Another thing is adults should have separate toilets from the campers. Again, this would be inappropriate.
As for extended wear diapers and using a booster, my opinion is that is a bad idea. Granted you should not get to hot up there, you will be out side and you will be very active. Wearing a thick diaper first will be very uncomfortable when it gets close to capacity. Next would be the smell and the strong odor of urine because you will be so active and sweating off a lot of fluids. What will be coming out will be more concentrated.
What would be the best would be a more streamlined diaper that will be more comfortable to wear while active. One of the cloth back ones would be perfect. That and if needed more then 2 or 3 changes throughout the day. You will be much mor comfortable. As for changing in the tent, with a cloth backed diaper it would be much more quite. Also, pitch your tent on the outside edge of the group. This will give you the most privacy possible.

Hi Rope,

A) I am not freaking out over this, just somewhat concerned. But, my concern has been alleviated since I made this post. B) You don't have things quite right. At the camp I work at, counselors are REQUIRED to sleep in the tents with the campers. The camp does do thorough and I mean thorough background checks to make sure that none of their staff has any kind of history. Oh, and I'm not talking about changing during the day on the normal day. The camp does have housing units that are like cinder block buildings, and in those the counselors do sleep with the counselors but they have their own bed.
And yes, they do have toilet facilities within walking distance of each campsite..
And lest you worry that we are violating some regulation by having the campers sleep in the tent with counselors during camp outs only.. let me assure you that the camp has been operating for 83 years and has yet to be shut down by camp licensing. And, i know from personal experience that leaving campers alone in a tent unsupervised is a bad idea. I will NOT go in to detail.. since I would be breaching confidentiality. But suffice it to say that the camp has strict protocols and safety measures in place to ensure the safeguarding of the children. We wouldn't be in business if we didn't.

Oh and another thing.. the camp has an actual foster care liscence versus a summer camp license, so im guessing the rules differ..


Peace out!

Rob

_________________
"We cannot do great things. We can only do small things with great love" Mother Teresa

"THERE ARE FOUR LIGHTS!" - Captain Picard from Chain of Command, Part II

Rope, your point about an extended wear diaper getting hot and heavy is well taken. I was considering using Seni Quatro some of the time. But, unfortunately the only way that would work would be if the larges fit me, the medium is out of stock until July. Then there's the fact that a case would cost over 100 dollars.. whcich might be too much to spend at at a time. But then again, there's no getting around the fact that I will need to spend at least 100... this is one of those times when having incontiennce SUCKS...


Peace out!

Rob

_________________
"We cannot do great things. We can only do small things with great love" Mother Teresa

"THERE ARE FOUR LIGHTS!" - Captain Picard from Chain of Command, Part II