Please let it be a uti

Please let it be a urinary tract infection

The past couple weeks Chrissy has struggled more so with daytime urinary incontinence so I was really surprised with the two calls last night, long after she had gone to bed, that she was having trouble with her bladder.   Now I'm thinking it might be another uti.  I am actually hoping it is a urinary tract infection and not that she now is unable to recognize her need to go.  A couple days ago I began encouraging her to go to the bathroom every couple hours to "just see."  Many times she would return and say, "I guess I did need to go!"  Not my ideal; I had remembered reading that Bob at http://www.alzheimersreadingroom.com/  believes in patterns and uses this with his mother. 

Knowing that I would be writing this morning about my hope that Chrissy's struggle was another uti and not progression of ...... the word I hesitate to write out in this sentence.  I thought I would research urinary incontinence, and of course the first place was The Alzheimer's Reading Room - look what I found:  Keeping The Love Alive: The Magic of Water by Sheryl Lynn.  I know the importance of water but geez, never thought that "the act of drinking  water would stimulate her dehydrated brain to wake up."  Even sips of water.

I now have a plan - going today to purchase three pretty glasses that are small and lightweight.  We will establish these as Chrissy's water glasses for morning, noon, and evening.  We will continue every few hours with encouragement or reminders to go to the bathroom and "just try."  I'll also pick up a few lemons for her to try, thus giving her a choice, water plain or with lemon.  And, of course, a doctor's visit to check for a uti.