A wee problem?

I have been to quite a few care homes. Sadly my parents died long before they might have become residents but as my partner’s parents both ended their lives in different care homes I entered into a world that I might not normally have inhabited. Apart from the seemingly inevitable semi-circle in the communal lounge, where they sit there waiting to see who is going to die next, the one big thing that struck me is the smell. I don’t know what happens when you enter into one of these homes that makes the people who run it think that you have lost all your senses: the smell of the food is enough to put you off eating for life (maybe they could run health farms in another wing?) and don’t get me started on the tea – cheap tea bags, too much milk and never hot, what’s all about? The other smell is often, depressingly, of wee, urine, or whatever else you might want to call it. I know from my own experience that my pelvic floor is not what it once was – I blame my children (they say I blame them for most things….probably true but I had hoped they didn’t notice). So once entering my 50s I vowed that I wouldn’t be going down the path to Eau to Urine.

I remember watching tv one night when an ad for Tena pants discreet came on (Discreet – you’d hardly wear them if it was obvious would you? Not like those lovely Dr White sanitary towels from the 70s…oh how the world has moved on, thankfully) and my partner made a disgusted noise (hard to convey in type) and muttered something like “how disgusting” whilst I thought “what a good idea”. I have to admit (or maybe not admit) that I have never bought or worn any Tena pants, with or without discretion, but I am very prone to a specially designed panty liner. I am not saying that I have a huge problem with incontinence but sometimes my defences are a bit shaky and I don’t want people thinking “what’s that smell?” when they are talking to me. Of course, they might be doing that anyway but that’s another blog! So I’m all in favour of something that will mask any slight (I do have to keep stressing that just so you don’t get the wrong idea) nasty niff. The only problem is hiding the evidence if things get a bit heated before the nylon nightie is on….if you get my gist?