My Story - Part 1

We all have our own story; no two will ever be the same.

My story starts out at the age of 4 (or so I learned yesterday with my current doctor that this is when my story began). I was born with vesicoureteral reflux. Long story short, my bladder valve did not close properly due to the fact that it was under developed. That led to an in office catheterization, the void test. Still to this day, I sit here wondering why any doctor in their right mind would have a 4 year old in office, awake, having this procedure done. I remember the day like it was yesterday. Laying on the table, my dad in a chair beside the table, and the doctor and nurse ready to insert the tube inside of me. After inserting the first tube, I went crazy, to be expected. Most adults cannot stand a catheter being inserted in them, but I was only a child. I screamed and kicked and the doctor called for more nurses to come in and hold me down. They did as he told them, and each held an arm and leg. Just sit back and imagine this... you as a child and this happening to you. You have lost all control of your own body. This was the first time that I had control taken away from me. It's hard to take it all in even to this day. Moving along, I was then put in the hospital, put to sleep, and had the procedure. This is how it should have been to start with. No trauma, nothing scary, the hospital made it fun. I am sure you are thinking, "What parent would allow this??" Well, as any parent would, mine wanted me better. I am not sure that they even understood what was going to take place. I place no blame on them, I just wonder what that doctor was thinking. Fast-forwarding 23 years later, my doctor thinks that this in office procedure is when I had nerve damage from the catheter. This event changed the way I feel and see "normal".