medical issues

[ishmaelsun7]

Hi everyone,

 

I'm wondering if anyone has had this experience or could provide some positive insight. We have a Scout joining our unit with urological problems. Skipping the specifics, this is a rather personal problem do deal with particularly with peers around. I want to at least make sure his scouting experience is positive and not brought down by some issue like this as I forsee problems I think privacy is key and something that is not always easy to accomplish, has anyone else had a similar experience? How did you best handle it?

[mk9750]

Welcome to the forum!

 

I am guess ing that you are talikng about either bed wetting or a bag. Both are tough problems. We had something similiar one time. Had a boy who constantly threw up in is tent every Friday night / Saturday morning. It never happened Saturday night / Sunday morning. We finally realized that serving a standard Friday night snack fare, Mexican Madness, was the culprit. Once he stopped eating it, problem disapeared.

 

Obviously, your problem won't disapear so easily. The reason I bring it up is that the result I think you are trying to prevent is the kidding this guy will get over it. And that IS a tough one. Especially if you want to try to keep it a secret.

 

My suggestion - and I won't be offended if someone smarter than me disagrees - is to ask the boy and his parents if this can be talked about openly with his Patrol. If they will permit it, it can be used as a teaching opportunity.

 

I suggest this only becuase often the best way to avoid being laughed at for something embarassing is to talk about it up front and show that there is nothing to be embarassed about.

 

If they say no, then my next best solution is to prepare for it: Extra clothing and sleeping gear, and clean up right away in the morning. My fear is that sooner or later, the other guys will probably find out, and it will be then that the unfortunate side of human nature will take over.

 

Best of luck! I'd sure like to hear what you do, and how it works. sooner or later, we'll probably all be faced with the same problem.

 

Mark

[OldGreyEagle]

I have been debating since you posted whether to answer this on the forum or in private message. In case another troop has this same issue, I will post here.

 

My son, who is now 18, working at one of the Council's Summer Camps as an assisitant Rangemaster (three years on the High School Rifle team)has a urinary stoma. He

has to catheterize his stoma every 3-4 hours and sleep pat night with a drainage bag on. Every day he is supposed (!!!) to flush out his stoma with 180 CCs of water (3 60CC syringes)

 

He was born with epispadias, which is a form of extrophy. He never could control his bladder as he flat didnt have the muscles to hold the urine in. He has had many major operations. While he was a very young scout, he had his ureters transplanted from his bladder to his colon so he would defecate urine and stool at the same time. This kept him dry, but it also meant if he laughed loud or was startled, an "accident" was likely. He had frequent kidney infections as well. When he got "old enough" he got his current set-up. The surgeon took the ureters off his colon and put them back on his bladder. Then the appendix was taken and placed on the bladder and brought out to the lower abdominal wall, just below his belt line. Normally he was a gauze patch over it. He was a patrol leader for the 2001 National Jamboree and I was also there as an ASM for another troop. He had one foor locker for himself and another for his medical suplies.

His time at camp is interesting too, catheters and urinary bags are hard to explain at 18, heck even at 14, but he does well. He has never had a problem with the other boys, he takes a "this is me" attitude and its accepted.

 

it was tough when he defecated urine and stool, as he just couldnt go "up to a tree" he had constant diarrhea. Its better with the catheter, at least he can go off into the woods like "normal kids".

 

Did I mention he is an Eagle Scout with a silver (highest you can get)palm? If your scout would benefit from talking to him, Private message me, it can be arranged.

 

 

 

[AlphaCentauri]

I agree. Kids can be cruel, but it is often due to feeling uncomfortable themselves at being ignorant. They may also wonder how this disability occurred and feel the need to convince themselves it could never happen to them. Kids respond well to being educated about the issue. If they know more about this scout than most adults would, they will see themselves as his protectors instead of tormentors.

[packsaddle]

OGE, I salute your son. Outstanding!

 

Sorry, not much experience on this topic.