New patient, trouble with CIC

Hi Barbalot. Welcome. I was taught to cath while in the hospital after my accident. (Actually, I already knew how to cath, but that was pre-SCI.) My spasticity made it extremely difficult. Later, a Foley was put in. Supposedly it was reversable, but in truth it wasn't. After ten months with a Foley, full-time diapers were necessary. But I find that getting that Foley out of me has given me a life without urinary tract infections. Are you fairly sure that your daughter has a lot of urine left behind? If so, she will easily get a urinary tract infection. That small amout of retained urine invites bacteria. I have no solution, just lots of empathy.

It took me a while to learn to do IC. my hands were badly impaired as a C-5-7 quad and even my carers had trouble finding the hole, at times. My anatomy is, shall we say, confusing. After perhaps 3 months I was no longer intimidated by it, but I often missed the hole. Using a mirror was impossible- I slowly learned to do it by feel but after 9 years i STILL get it wrong sometimes. Being female can be very challenging for this.

Your daughter's injury is very recent still. Lend her your confidence- 95% of us do finally master it. Sure, she is less flexible but over time she will find new ways to move. Most injuries do not even stabilize fo many months. Almost all improve. In the USA we get rushed through rehab at a rate that is stupid. Often the swelling around the cord has not reduced yet so we do not know what function will return. I learned more on-line than i did in rehab, and youtube still teaches me things. You and your family have every reason to be confident.