Wonderful surprise ending!! I'm so glad you found the fun in this. Your sense of humor is such a gift to you and to all of us!

Fancy pants with lace? Can't wait to see your Saturday's videos . . .

Oddly enough I was thinking about this very subject earlier this morning. Not surprisingly, it seems to be one that doesn't seem to get nearly as much attention as others, but it is so important!

Those adult one-use undergarments have changed dramatically over the past two decades. When I was caring for my mother-in-law at the end of her life (which was the same time that I discovered and became a fan of TGB) I eventually had to begin the search for those items. In our stores there were not a variety of options, other than brands, but I found name brand and generic ones and the experimenting began. In my M-I-L's case the progression of her dementia became debilitating in this regard only for about the final 18 months of her life, although she had several other symptoms that required around the clock care for more than two years before that. By the time incontinence of both sorts had become as bad as it would get, we had gone through a few brands/sizes/designs as adaptations were needed.

At that time, there was a large online company that I found near the end, which offered a wide variety of these and other products to help make life easier for those with dementia. I suspect that there are now more providers of these things on-line than there were eight years ago. What I especially appreciated were the comfortable and well-sized diapers that opened from the sides for more rapid response, and comfortable diaper liners that extended the life of those diapers and made a huge difference overnight. Another significant discovery was that although comfortable materials and convenient design are available, they are much more expensive and this item can consume a hefty part of one's budget. Hospice actually provided some incontinence products, but they were of a much less comfortable and effective quality. My feeling was that it was bad enough that someone had to suffer through all that comes with dementia, including reliance on these products at all, and for us not to have tried to keep my husband's mother as comfortable as possible through that would have been unconscionable. My advice to anyone going through this would be that, if at all possible, undergarments are not the place to cut expenses and you will never regret paying more for more comfortable and effective ones.

Congratulations, Ronni in having found something not only comfortable but pretty! I am glad to hear that you are able to have these conversations with your wonderful hospice nurse Aimee. It makes a world of difference.

Whoever thought to put lace on those pants was a compassionate genius. I can almost see you prancing.

Jeez, I laugh a lot at myself too. It is great to have a sense of humor that works when other things are not doing as well.

☺ Glad you've found the fancy pants! You made me giggle, too.

One question, though: why take the diuretic at night? Did the nurse advise that? Sorry. That's two questions. But taking it in the morning might help you get a better night's sleep.

Although I've been following you and your blog for years, I've rarely commented. The others do it so well, so much better. All the kindness and praise that others heap upon you is well deserved. I have come to love you as a dear friend. Every day I send you wishes for comfort and peace.

You are absolutely wonderful! Thank you for the morning chuckle, and for the wonderful example you are for all.

I recently purchased some depends for my Mom and, like you, was pleasantly surprised by their frilly design and being so much like underwear.
And I just have to say, I am honored by the growing intimacy of "our" conversations. And like so many of your (reading) friends who regularly meet up here, my love for you keeps growing too.

WOOHOO to big hearty guffaws and the mind-blowing woman who can still find them in her.
Thank you. As always and forever, thank you.
PS There is a new TV ad here in Italy showing REAL women and definitely "older" women in bras and panties, some of whom are lying seductively on beds and talking about how much they still like sex despite the occasional "laugh drops" or "cough drops" in reference to urinary leaking. It is, of course, an ad for a brand of padded panties. I am still trying to figure out what I think about this ad and I prefer a folded cotton hankie but I have to confess that when I was bed-ridden for four months with two fractured vertebrae, I was very grateful for this invention.

You promised to share your journey—the good, the bad and the ugly—but I did not expect the funny! Hilarious! (If this were a movie, that scene would have to be in it).

There are some situations that can only be approached with a hearty guffaw, and this is one. I know.

Bless you, what a blast of laughter your post produced!

Only you, Ronni, could find humor in adult diapers and make us all laugh about it.
It is a transition in the unfolding drama of ageing that rarely gets discussed.
Thanks for the laugh out loud moment. You are awesome!

Prance On, Ms. Fancy Pants ! Thanks for the giggle–––and for the "visual."

Love you Ms. Fancy Pants.

"I see London, I see France, I see Ronni's fancy pants"😊This a gingle I remember boys calling out in my much younger years 😊wishing you continued smoother days.

This week was the anniversary of my mother’s death (in 1999). So, as usual, I’ve been thinking about her. Your post brought a particular chuckle. “Miss Fancy Pants” was her derisive term for any woman “rolling in moolah” who flaunted her wealth. In your case, I’m glad you’re flaunting your wealth of humor, regardless of moolah.

THANK YOU!

Just thank you.

For any of us who deal w/ incontinence... the frilly pants story will live on!

YAY YOU!

OMG, Miss Fancy Pants! Thank you for that much needed chuckle!

I too have COPD among other problems, one of which is incontinence. I prefer the incontinence pads in lieu of pants, but that was before I knew they come with frilly lace!

Much love to you, Fancy Pants!

Oh my what a laugh you gave me 'fancy pants'. I've some on hand ever since I had my stroke. How about the butterfly to indicate the direction? :-)

I am enjoying the comments.
Ronni, our generation sure have had to pull on our big girl bloomers a lot these days, haven't we?
May we know the brand?

What a wonderful story, somber and silly at once. Thank you. I will miss you when you're gone.

Your post and everyone's comments lifted me sky-high with joy for your life, genius, writing, wit, courage to face head-on realities as they unfold, share with us, and today, wrapping up with a hoot! XOXO

Ronni, as with so many others, you and your words occupy a special place in my heart. Thank you for injecting some welcome humor into that place today! I’m starting to really feel the pangs of loss coming on and your attitude is such a relief!💖

I like my pull ups.
Add Arthur-itis to your COPD and cancer.

Ronni, don't be too surprised if you are contacted by Kimberly-Clark (the maker of Depends), Reassure, and other competing companies for your endorsement. Hold out for the big bucks..... :-)

This takes me back.
Somehow, the need to relearn bladder control never came up before my prostatectomy. It did come up when the catheter was removed!
Keeping good thoughts for you as always, Ronni!

One of the commercials for adult incontinence wear shows a woman gaily eating popcorn and laughing like a hyena. She laughs on and on. I turned to my husband and said, "I can hardly wait to start peeing my pants. It looks like great fun.'

He about fell off the couch.

You've got a lot of spunk, and spunk comes in handy when dealing with difficult things.