Fiercely Independent Pam

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  • Are You “A Leaky Person?”: A Guide to Some Great Products

    I’m not sure if it’s a generational thing, the influence of my days at environmental camp, or reading the Lorax more times than I can count, but I have always had a desire to limit my environmental footprint. Unfortunately, as a medical mystery, I create a lot of medical waste: flushes, gloves, iv therapy, IVIG, self-cathing, and more means a lot more trash than I ever thought about. I desired to do everything I could to lower my footprint since I can’t exactly control my healthcare needs. I started with some products for my kitchen and bathroom- more on that in a different post.

    Then, I was looking for some hygiene products that would help in my goal. I was using disposable pantyliners each day and decided to start there. I found lots of options but was intrigued with a little company in Canada called Lil Helper. Their social media ads were different. They featured their founder, Uncle Mo, a self-proclaimed “rocket scientist” talking about their products and that they were for “Leaky people.” I took a chance and ordered some products to replace my pantyliners and pads that I was using. I loved the patterns and the sticky silicone dots that helped keep them in place.

    Fast forward to my hysterectomy, and the bleeding that occurred. I was happy to use the pads that absorbed a lot more and helped keep everything clean. I also slept on a pad that was unlike anything I have encountered before. This so called Life Saver Mat has saved me from a few “Leaky Encounters.

    This encouraged me to order more items. I ordered a mini sized Life Saver Mat and never thought that I would be using it several times a day. Complications from my hysterectomy meant that I needed to learn how to self-cathertize. Being a wheelchair user and having difficult anatomy meant it needs to be done on my bed for now. Insert the Lifesaver Mats- they protect my bed while also providing absorbency. I loved them so much I ordered another in my favorite pattern- the Space Dinos. I wish these products were around when I was caring for my mom- they provide such dignity to “Leaky Situations”

    They have other solutions for diapering/toileting, “spicy time”, special needs, feeding, and more! I look forward to working with this company and ordering more products in the future. I have learned that I am a “Leaky Human” and require special products to provide solutions. Be sure to check them out to fit your needs. Share with others who might have needs. Or even just like them on Facebook to be amused by their genius ads.

    https://fiercelyindependentpam.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Lil-Helper-delivery.mp4

  • 35 Years of ADA: What This Means to Me!

    It boggles my mind when things are actually younger than me. ADA was passed 35 years ago today. A landmarking case that literally changed the course of life quality for people with disabilities. I remember learning much of my knowledge of ADA from my special education courses in college and graduate school. Never in my wildest dreams, would I think that I would need the protection of this act myself.

    I am now an ambulatory wheelchair user. I have a wonderful, but huge, fully equipped power wheelchair. I love it and the special touches I have added to it. It is my main mode of transportation allowing me to go to the grocery store, nail salon, and out to eat (all nearby). I take it on the community bus and it allows me to conserve energy so that I can do everything that I want to do (usually). It came with a learning curve to drive it as well as the huge learning curve of fending for myself in the “wild.”

    I knew, even with the protection of ADA, there were challenges for wheelchair users. I never expected, however how hard it was to get around or even finding a proper handicap assessible bathroom. Curbs and sidewalks can be especially tricky to navigate at times, particularly one I use almost daily that requires me to have to go in the street. Sometimes assessable bathrooms are too small, things are out of reach, or they are used as storage rooms, making them unusable.

    I have a “new set of eyes” when I am out traveling about. I see things that can either be helpful or make things impossible. I now naturally look to find hinderances. It’s hard to not think about this now.

    ADA is about so much more than curb cuts, bathrooms and elevators. It is about empowering people with disabilities to live lives as independent as possible. I enjoy educating others about disability rights, and know this will be even more important when I finally get a service dog and we are out an about. Discrimination is high against service dogs access in some places. I know my patience will be tested.

    Anyway, I am grateful for what ADA has accomplished, but we need to remember this is not the finish line for people with disabilities. More work needs to be done to truly create a more assessable country and hopefully in doing that we will see even more changes around the world.

    As a special education teacher, I chose to fight for my students and make sure they were receiving anything they were entitled to. I no longer work in the field, but will never stop fighting for what is right for people with disabilities- I just never thought I would be fighting for myself.

  • And So it Goes… Life as a Frequent Flyer

    As a kid I was labeled as a frequent flyer in the nurse’s office. Always with a general “I don’t feel well” complaint. Never ran a fever so I didn’t get to go home. I knew even then that something was up with my body, but it took over 35 years to figure it out. My immune system is not normal and doesn’t present normally. I have been severely septic and was not running a fever.

    Fast-forward to today. I am currently in the hospital again, awaiting discharge after 3 nights. My blood pressure was dangerously high again (I cried “Uncle” at 250/100)! My head was hurting a lot and my chest pain returned. The ER docs/nurses were fabulous as well as the rest of my care here at Grand Strand Medical Center. I had 3 specialists working my case and one was better than the next. It is experiences like this that help rebuild my trust in the medical field after poor experiences (see https://fiercelyindependentpam.com/the-need-for-trust-in-the-medical-world/ for more details about my latest adventure that created even more mistrust)

    So, since the end of April, I have been in the hospital more than I have been out. This alone gives me the title of a “frequent flyer.” I wish I was talking about the airline program that gives points for future travel, but the only thing I get is bills and more doctor appointments. I know this isn’t anything to be proud of but it gives perspective for sure.

    I also had a weird experience of running a fever for almost 48 hours, but luckily that broke overnight and my white blood count never got out of control indicating that is was probably a random virus. I was feeling extra crappy during the fever as well.

    It seems like the doctors finally figured out the correct meds for me to take to control the blood pressure while discontinuing other medications that were making my blood pressure rise. My neurosurgeon also readjusted my vp shunt. (see https://fiercelyindependentpam.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=148&action=edit for more details about why I have a shunt)

    Here’s hoping my blood pressure stays under control and doesn’t go to dangerous levels (either too high or too low). More than anything, let’s hope that I stay out of the ER and hospital for a good amount of time!