To void or not to void... or as universally understood by my kids "To pee or not to pee?... That is the question. 
After an afternoon with Lalay recalling the fun we had in Jamaica, it came to mind the importance of it. ( I swear no puffs at all!)

Do you actually conciously think about it, or is it like breathing, you forget that you do it? 
For most they do it on schedule, some just when they feel like it.
What's your weirdest experience?

Do you have to make a choice doing it now as opposed to another task? 
Have you been forced to do it or been pumped to do it? 
Have you peed on someone or did you get peed on?

Well if you say no to any of above questions, consider yourself lucky....

I wish I could pull up the cartoon of a nurse in full gear, with medications on one hand and sandwich in the mouth, urine bag attached to a leg and with rollerblades on?  Well most days are like that in the field I have chosen.It's seldom that that days are not as busy. For a week I walked around with a pedometer and the average daily steps I take depending on what room I'm assigned on - 16,000. Just at work.I've been training new staff lately, one of question they would here me say that won't be in any preceptor's manual is "Did you go to the bathroom, yet?"  Kind of personal but sometimes we have to remind each other to do it.  There are days when my one of kids is crapping out, that I don't even feel the need to, until my bladder is about to burst... and you'll see me handing over my ASCOM ( prounounced ASS COM -yes that's the brand of our pseudo cell phone we carry around so patient/and/or medical team can reach us) to one my  colleauge saying - "Cover for me, quick".  So when we get asked about our day and we say "Ah, so so" - we are actually being polite.From one colleauge to another, we can be more open. - "Good, I got to have lunch today!" is preferable tnan "I haven't peed yet, let me go, before I get UTI ". Or if one doesn't answer. You stop shake them, make them look you in the eye and ask - "What can I do for you?"

Voiding is the pause for the days that I'm at my work. The short moment of alone time. Golden Silence. Occassionally you'll hear a muttered "Ah Finally!" and the rushed tinkle (if you've ever heard one - so make it "sound of waterfalls")

Stop whining, one of my kids will probably say if they read this entry.  Most of them get chemotheraphy and most often they are toxic to the bladder... Depending on the protocol they get pumped with fluid (Pre_hydration) prior to getting chemo.We have to check ph and specific gravity of their urine.  They don't usually complain... They know how important it is.When ph/spgr is good that's a GO.. it means "Yey! We can start the chemo now!"  The quicker they pee, the sooner we start, the faster they get out of hospital Void they must. They have no choice, like we do, when we are on the road. We can hold off drinking just so we don't have to stop somewhere to pee. My kids get high volume of fluid to flush the chemo out (Post-Hydration). We strictly monitor their intake and output.  Every two hours,we check the balance of what goes in and out. They do get four hours leeway but after that we have to do some intervention. " No Lasix, I'll pee " Because Lasix means they have to get out of bed more often or worst pee in bed. Or when their blood pressure is high and they have to end up getting Nifedipine to lower the pressure, they pee.
Sometimes the pressure goes down buying them time.

In our unit Peeing is good news!!! 

 
In our life sometimes we get peed on, we try well enough not to pee on other people- figuratively speaking that is.Peeing on someone literally is another issue, would you do it if its asked of you?

We were swimming in Jamaica when suddenly Tina cried out saying she got stung. Sea Urchin.  She was able to take out one of the spikes but there were four left.  She kept on squeezing for the other four to come out but wouldn't as We went near the shore. I had visions of my sister's swollen foot when she got stung from 15 or so years ago.  I don't know what was on Tina's mind at that time.She is a nurse, and she is surrounded by a Cardiac ICU Nurse and an Oncology Nurse... and somehow we look helpless.  Lalay called on "Jamai-Man" Yes that is his name. He owns the joint. Jamai Man said "Pee on it". Tina asked for tweezer still squeezing her foot. My sister suddenly remembered they used lemon on her foot.So Lalay ran to get lemon at the bar. Jamai-Man went and asked one of his guys to get a tweezer.

"Pee on it" ... I thought, was that a joke? Then as if on cue the nursing rationale kicked in. Urine is acidic. "I need to pee, now" I said. 
Tina didn't hesitate as she stuck her right foot in between my legs.  I was cracking up at first. Asking one of the girls to cover us but it was drawing more attention to us than we already have.  So I did the deed in Jamaica, at one of private beaches in Ochos Rios, I peed on my friend of 7 years.  The lemon came, and the the tweezer.  We were not able to get the suckers out.  But at least Tina's foot didn't get too swollen.  It hurt a bit but she was able to dance at the wedding reception the following night. 

Could have been the pee, could have been the lemon or all the squeezing.  Does it matter?  ... Thankfully we didn't get a picture of that first moment. But my sister was able to take some when it was Lalay's turn.

I'll leave you guessing if she was able to.

The excitement in Tina's face on getting peed on was for the books. That was a first.

To Pee or Not to Pee? That is the question.
I say..
Pee, while you can, if you can.
Pee, for yourself.
Pee, for others.
To quote one of my kids... who know's you might get "Saved by the Pee!"