I've never had a doctor warn me against taking baths with a UTI.

Same here. I've been told not to use bubble baths or bath salts, but that baths themselves were fine.

I have not exhaustively experimented. Despite some evidence that the bubbles tend to be the significant variable, I have considered it prudent to avoid baths in general.

When I was a kid and would get UTIs I'd soak in oatmeal baths. It deffinately cut down on the burning for a while afterwards.

Why is the exchange rate to Pound Sterling so crap right now? This is thwarting my plans.

(Note: I do not need an explanation of international currency rates and voodoo, thank you. I am just whining.)

Why is the exchange rate to Pound Sterling so crap right now? This is thwarting my plans.

Oh, Jilli. Why do you hate America?

Oh, Jilli. Why do you hate America?

I ... don't? I just want to not be completely hosed by the exchange rate when I lose my gothy mind and bid on the jacket I linked to earlier. BECAUSE IT MUST BE MINE, MINE, MINE.

I used to get UTIs a lot when I was in first grade. Dunno what was up with that, but often I could not pee. Once I ended up wetting my pants in my desk - not fun.

Never had a UTI, really. Haven't taken a bubble bath since I was a kid. Doubt, however, that these two things are related. My grandmother believed a good soak in Epsom salts and a hot toddy would cure about anything. That's pretty much my go-to as well.

bonny, I appreciate the advice. I could speak my piece and risk losing her, except I can't - she's my sister's daughter, and letting her storm out of my life would cause my sister more pain than she deserves, or I can bear to cause. K.'s sister has already written her off, and her father is worse than useless. If she doesn't have me and her mom, she has no one, and she's going to need everyone she can get, one of these days. I just don't know if I've got the life skills, myself, to say what needs to be said without driving her away, or for that matter to spend an entire day with the two of them and *not* say anything.

And as long as I'm being honest (ew), I don't want to engage. I want to walk away. I've had more than enough trauma-drama in my life from volatile, destructive, self-destructive people. I dread watching her disintegrate, and I dread even more being the one who has to pick up the pieces left of her and her mom, or the one who has patch it all back together. I don't think I can, and I don't want to. I'm tired of all this shit. Which is making me even more impatient with K. than I might otherwise be. All our lives - her mom, me, her sister, and herself - would be pretty much under control and happy, if not for K.'s shattering emotional state. I feel especially bad about not wanting to help her, because she's not a bad person - she's a very troubled person, who's been given a pass for bad behavior all her life, and now she doesn't and won't comprehend how bad it really is.

Fuck. I'm sorry to be spewing. I just don't have anyone I can really talk to, and I don't know what to do. How can I support my sister, much less attempt to help my niece, when I just want to hide from it all? I don't want to go through this again.

bonny I kinda skimmed but with my experience with UTIs and Painful Bladder syndrome causing bladder/urethral pain is::

AZO Standard pills work great. Ice packs are really helpful. Avoid acidic foods - this includes cranberry juice. I know it can be beneficial but the acidity can cause more irritation. also spicy foods can cause irritation.

God, Liese. I need you in my ear like Leverage every day. If I ever get the chance, I am so coming to visit and volunteer. Any creative ideas on positive motivation/reinforcement?

Ha! I would totally do this. I would be good at this! You totally can text me, though, if you ever need me! I'll stick my number in my profile for a bit.

And you are totally welcome out here! Would love to have you. My girls could really use your mad skilz!

I wrote up this whole big thing, and then realized that the person who would be giving you advice is the same one texting with a wasted student right now! So! You do not have to take my advice!

I'm happy to give more detail if you want it, but basically I feel like what you want to do is cultivate an environment where your trainees can learn to identify their goals and recognize their actions leading to progress. Motivation ultimately has to come from them. And if it doesn't, you have to let it lie.

What you can do is try to help them identify what they envision for themselves in their future, and guide them to a place where they can take action to realize that future. Most of my kids don't really believe in the future because they expect to be dead before they reach it. And some of them will be right.

So I do a lot of reflecting back, which means I have to do a lot of listening. I have to try to pull out what I can hear of their hopes and dreams, thread by thread, and weave it into what they're doing today.

The skills and all that are important because they'll provide your trainees with a trade they can ply, but even more important is you believing in them so they can learn something they feel like is beyond their reach right now.