Beyond Embarrassment Reclaiming Your Life with Neurogenic Bladder and Bowel

Neurogenic Bladder and Bowel are conditions in which a person lacks bladder and bowel control due to a brain, spinal cord, or nerve condition. Millions of Americans live with this debilitating health issue. In 2009, JoAnne Lake was diagnosed with Neurogenic Bladder, finally discovering the cause of years of discomfort and embarrassment. Writing became her therapy and a way to connect with others who shared her diagnosis. Through her blog, TrudyTriumph.com, she met online others who shared her frustrations and challenges. JoAnne Lake shares her story in Beyond Embarrassment. Along the way she educates, empathizes, and encourages women who struggle with the same health issues. Written with a girlfriend-to-girlfriend feel, she provides practical “Tip Times” for dealing with the challenges of bladder problems as well as suggestions for living every day to its fullest. With professional input from Biosleuth medical research librarian Julia Parker, Beyond Embarrassment offers readers strategies for meeting their medical challenges and ideas for working with their medical teams, family, friends, work situations, and travel. Readers will discover ideas for getting on with living and not being held back by fear or anxiety about their conditions.

JoAnne Lake lives in the Seattle area with her husband Randy and dog Rainey. She is the mother of four grown children and wonderful grandchildren. JoAnne s wisdom is the result of challenges met head-on and experiences as a patient, wife, mother, educator, and friend. She graduated with a BA from Washington State University and a fifth year fromSeattle University. Journaling her private thoughts and feelings, she started writing an anonymous blog in 2012. This is her first book.