icnmgrjill
05-28-2004, 11:32 AM
I was asked by an attorney to prepare a guideline for IC patients who are scheduled for long depositions or interviews. Here's my list. Does anyone have any other suggestions to add??
Depo hints for an IC patient:
(1) Location should be at an office near her home. Driving can be excruciating for IC patients. It still is for me, even though my IC is nearly gone. The vibration and jarring of the pelvis is excruciating. So, noone should expect her to drive an hour before a depo. She could arrive a wreck and needing pain medication.
(2) Depos should be done mid morning rather than early morning as she may be using medication that makes it difficult to wake. Many of the therapies for IC focus on improving sleep patterns. As a result, patients often are medicated and find it more difficult to wake early and to be credible.
(3) The conference room should be proximal to the bathroom. Chairs need to be padded and comfortable. She should not be sitting on a wooden chair.. unless she says it's okay. I brought chair cushions to my depos and often had to sit with one foot on the chair seat to reduce the pressure on my urethra. So, don't be surprised if she has to squirm around a lot to find a comfortable position.
(4) Lay firm ground rules with the attorneys... that when she needs to go, she goes immediately. No making her wait and squirm in pain. IC patients often can't hold it without enduring pain because they have wounds in their bladders. As soon as that urine hits the wound, they are going to be hurting badly. Telling them to "hold it" will only exacerbate the pain, create more inflammation and probably make it more difficult for her to participate the following day. Make sure she has privacy in the bathroom... don't let them follow her and try to figure out if she's peeing or not.
(5) She should wear comfortable clothing... nothing tight, no pantyhose, etc. Pressure around the waist and pelvis can create even more tension.
(6) Foods available during the depo. No sodas or coffees, or teas, or herbal teas. Orange juice would be a disaster. She can only drink water (unless she's much better)... so make sure that there is hot water and honey available. In my depositions, they never provided snacks that I could eat. Chocolates are out. Donuts, chocolate chip cookies, etc. don't work. So make sure that she brings something that she can eat or, better yet, that they have "sugar" cookies or more plain cookies. She also can't drink sodas unless, of course, you want to end your session early.
(7) Make sure that you tell her, over and over, that she didn't do anything wrong. The otherside will try to rip to shreds claiming that her medical condition isn't real, etc. Protect her... and give her that mantra to say "I just got sick... I didn't do anything wrong" that she can repeat if needed.
Lastly, be receptive to the fact that IC patients be emotinally fragile at times. The pain, the desperation and the grief at losing some of the things that are important to us (i.e. work, athletics, the ability to have sex comfortably, credibility with peers, etc.).. is profound. In the last six months of my case... and often, in the middle of the night, I would cry for hours. I felt helpless. So, make sure you give her some good stress management talks and techniques, eh??? Listening to a positive thinking tape would be perfect at this time... to help her keep her head together. We have several in our store that I used... and found invaluable. http://www.ic-network.com/shop/
Remember, too, that she shouldn't have to choose between buying her medication and paying your bill. (sorry to be blunt here.. but it's happened before). IC can destroy patients financially. So, if anything, I hope that you can get her life time medical care as part of any settlement!
Any other suggestions out there???
Depo hints for an IC patient:
(1) Location should be at an office near her home. Driving can be excruciating for IC patients. It still is for me, even though my IC is nearly gone. The vibration and jarring of the pelvis is excruciating. So, noone should expect her to drive an hour before a depo. She could arrive a wreck and needing pain medication.
(2) Depos should be done mid morning rather than early morning as she may be using medication that makes it difficult to wake. Many of the therapies for IC focus on improving sleep patterns. As a result, patients often are medicated and find it more difficult to wake early and to be credible.
(3) The conference room should be proximal to the bathroom. Chairs need to be padded and comfortable. She should not be sitting on a wooden chair.. unless she says it's okay. I brought chair cushions to my depos and often had to sit with one foot on the chair seat to reduce the pressure on my urethra. So, don't be surprised if she has to squirm around a lot to find a comfortable position.
(4) Lay firm ground rules with the attorneys... that when she needs to go, she goes immediately. No making her wait and squirm in pain. IC patients often can't hold it without enduring pain because they have wounds in their bladders. As soon as that urine hits the wound, they are going to be hurting badly. Telling them to "hold it" will only exacerbate the pain, create more inflammation and probably make it more difficult for her to participate the following day. Make sure she has privacy in the bathroom... don't let them follow her and try to figure out if she's peeing or not.
(5) She should wear comfortable clothing... nothing tight, no pantyhose, etc. Pressure around the waist and pelvis can create even more tension.
(6) Foods available during the depo. No sodas or coffees, or teas, or herbal teas. Orange juice would be a disaster. She can only drink water (unless she's much better)... so make sure that there is hot water and honey available. In my depositions, they never provided snacks that I could eat. Chocolates are out. Donuts, chocolate chip cookies, etc. don't work. So make sure that she brings something that she can eat or, better yet, that they have "sugar" cookies or more plain cookies. She also can't drink sodas unless, of course, you want to end your session early.
(7) Make sure that you tell her, over and over, that she didn't do anything wrong. The otherside will try to rip to shreds claiming that her medical condition isn't real, etc. Protect her... and give her that mantra to say "I just got sick... I didn't do anything wrong" that she can repeat if needed.
Lastly, be receptive to the fact that IC patients be emotinally fragile at times. The pain, the desperation and the grief at losing some of the things that are important to us (i.e. work, athletics, the ability to have sex comfortably, credibility with peers, etc.).. is profound. In the last six months of my case... and often, in the middle of the night, I would cry for hours. I felt helpless. So, make sure you give her some good stress management talks and techniques, eh??? Listening to a positive thinking tape would be perfect at this time... to help her keep her head together. We have several in our store that I used... and found invaluable. http://www.ic-network.com/shop/
Remember, too, that she shouldn't have to choose between buying her medication and paying your bill. (sorry to be blunt here.. but it's happened before). IC can destroy patients financially. So, if anything, I hope that you can get her life time medical care as part of any settlement!
Any other suggestions out there???